From Constant Pain to Inner Peace: Revision Surgery Saves a Patient’s Spine

After nearly two decades of living with neck and upper back pain, Ari Venezia-Zahemski had accepted it as part of her life. She’d been in two car accidents in her early 20s, but doctors at the time said her injuries were minor.

A single mom with a young daughter and a demanding job, Ari pressed on despite the constant ache. To cope, she slathered on Tiger Balm, stretched, and got massages whenever possible.

Things changed as time went on. Ari remarried, her daughter grew up and became a yoga teacher, and she grew in her own career. The only constant was her increasing pain and a growing weakness in her hands – until one day, that changed, too.

A Sudden Twist

In 2017, while packing for a trip with her husband, Ari lifted a suitcase and felt something tweak in her lower back. She was used to upper back and neck pain, but this was new.

She visited an orthopedic practice covered by her insurance. The surgeon tested her reflexes and immediately ordered an MRI of her neck and spine. Ari went straight from the office to the hospital for imaging.

The results were alarming: severe cervical spinal stenosis and progressive neurological decline, likely from her earlier car accidents. Her spinal canal had narrowed, compressing her spinal cord and nerves, causing pain and weakness in her hands.

The next day, the surgeon recommended immediate surgery: an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) to relieve the pressure and stabilize her spine.

Second Opinion, Same Urgency

Reluctant to rush into surgery, Ari sent her MRI to another highly respected orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion. She expected to wait months for an appointment, but the office called immediately with a shocking question: “Are you in a wheelchair?”

Her spine had deteriorated so badly they couldn’t believe she was still walking. Another accident, they warned, could sever her spinal cord and paralyze her for good.

Convinced, Ari went ahead with the seven-hour surgery. The surgeon operated from both the front and back, removing damaged discs and fusing the vertebrae. But even after recovery and physical therapy, her pain was worse than before.

More Surgery, More Pain

By early 2023, the pain was so agonizing Ari could barely function. She developed other symptoms, including bladder issues, problems with balance, and more weakness in her right hand and arm.

A new orthopedic surgeon diagnosed her with adjacent segment disease, a breakdown of discs above or below the fused vertebrae. He recommended another revision surgery – not to relieve pain, but to prevent paralysis.

In December 2023, Ari underwent her second major spine operation and more physical therapy. Again, the pain intensified.

Losing Faith in Surgery

Disillusioned by surgery, Ari went back to her at-home methods of dealing with her symptoms, even developing a short yoga practice with her daughter to stretch her shoulders and neck. Still, the pain and weakness progressed.

In early 2024, she visited Dr. Jason Smith, an interventional pain management specialist at Atlantic Health. An EMG test revealed her right arm’s nerve impulses were functioning at only 25% capacity. That, coupled with the results of an updated MRI, brought Dr. Smith to one conclusion: pain management alone wasn’t enough.

He recommended Ari see Dr. Kimberly Ashayeri at Atlantic Brain and Spine (ABS).

Ari was skeptical; after all, she’d been operated on by hot-shot doctors with sterling reputations and still wound up feeling worse than before. Still, she made the appointment.

Finding the Right Surgeon

From the first meeting, Ari knew Dr. Ashayeri was different.

“I just got a good vibe from her,” Ari recalled. “I’ve seen a lot of surgeons, but I connected with her.”

They bonded over yoga – Dr. Ashayeri is both a board-certified neurosurgeon and a registered yoga teacher. Reviewing Ari’s scans, Dr. Ashayeri discovered one of the metal screws from her previous surgery hadn’t fused properly to the bone, causing pain, weakness, and neurological issues.

She recommended revision surgery to restabilize Ari’s spine. Nervous about another operation, Ari was reassured by Dr. Ashayeri’s confidence and thorough explanations.

There was one final hurdle: Ari’s insurance suddenly denied prior authorization for the procedure. Dr. Ashayeri personally spent hours on the phone advocating for coverage.

“She’s a doctor, not a lawyer, but she took care of everything,” Ari said. “She and her team were so communicative and made the entire experience smooth.”

Ari and her husband celebrating two months post-surgery — pain-free in the Bahamas.

Pain-Free at Last

In April 2025, Dr. Ashayeri performed a complex posterior cervical decompression and fusion from C2 to T1, along with a laminectomy to stabilize and decompress Ari’s spine. This allowed the bone to heal and make more space for the spinal cord.

After surgery, Dr. Ashayeri visited Ari daily, even on weekends. Even once she went home, Ari could always reach someone on the team for answers.

After a few months of using a bone growth stimulator and physical therapy, Ari was almost pain-free. At her final appointment with Dr. Ashayeri, she felt emotional.

“She’s so great. I wish she could be my primary care doctor,” Ari said. “She’s so focused on her patients and helping you live your best life.”

These days, Ari has no regrets about her third surgery. As she continues to heal, she can feel the difference in her yoga practice – more strength, greater range of motion, and the inner peace of finally living without pain.