Surgical Management

Patient Feels ‘Reborn' after Spinal Surgery

Bill Billmeyer used to walk five miles a day. But that was before walking literally became a pain as a result of spinal stenosis.

"I couldn't stand for more than five minutes," recalls Billmeyer of Orange Park, FL. "I did nothing except sit." But that was before Cape Girardeau neurosurgeon Scott R. Gibbs, MD, performed surgery at Southeast Hospital in January to address the problem. Dr. Gibbs of the Hospital's Medical Staff performed a multi-level lumbar laminectomy on the affected vertebrae, removing a section of the bone over the back of the spinal canal. The procedure relieves pressure on the spinal nerves, alleviating the pain caused by the narrowing of his spinal canal.

"Dr. Gibbs said my spinal canal was the size of a cocktail straw," Billmeyer remembers. A normal spinal canal should be about the diameter of one's thumb.

Billmeyer chose to have surgery in Cape Girardeau, where his son, Craig, lives, because of Southeast Missouri Hospital's experienced and skilled neurosurgeons and surgical staff.

"I felt like I was reborn. Within eight to 10 hours, they had me up and walking," Bill Billmeyer recalls. "I couldn't believe it," Billmeyer says of his surgery which has allowed him to walk again without pain. "It was like a dream," he notes. "The magic wand was Dr. Gibbs' hands."

Craig Billmeyer says his father also received great nursing care at Southeast Hospital. Bill Billmeyer had access to world-class medical care in Florida. Even so, Craig Billmeyer said his father was told by physicians in Florida that surgery wasn't an option. Dr. Gibbs concluded otherwise after performing a battery of medical tests to diagnose the extent and location of the spinal problem.

Since his surgery, Billmeyer has returned to Florida and enjoys walking again. Bill Billmeyer says he would recommend Dr. Gibbs and Southeast Missouri Hospital to anyone needing such pain-relieving surgery.


Southeast Brain and Spine Center offers state-of-the-art, minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of back and neck pain. The result is less pain and shorter hospital stays for patients. For information about upcoming programs about back and neck pain check our Calendar or call the HealthLine at 1-800-800-5123.