Back on her feet: How outpatient spine surgery helped Meredith reclaim her active life after years of pain
By Admin | December 05, 2025
Meredith Fite was an active mother of two boys who loved Pilates, swimming, golfing and dancing. But in her early 40s, she began experiencing debilitating lower back pain. As a single parent with a demanding career, she didn’t have time to investigate the cause of her pain. Instead, she managed the pain the best she could, sitting on a cooler filled with frozen vegetables when it became unbearable.
Meredith assumed she had sciatica, a condition her grandmother had struggled with for decades. It wasn’t until age 47, when her legs unexpectedly gave out, that she was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and scoliosis. She was devastated to learn she would need surgery to correct her spine.
Due to personal circumstances, Meredith delayed treatment for her spine condition, but she never gave up hope of finding relief. Follow Meredith’s decades-long health journey as she finds compassionate, expert care from dedicated spine specialists who helped her reach her goals and return to her active lifestyle.
Supporting her son’s cancer journey
Shortly after her spine diagnosis, Meredith’s 14-year-old son, Matt, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma. The news was particularly devastating since this rare and aggressive cancer only carries a 10% chance of survival. Meredith shifted her focus entirely to caring for Matt, spending every day with him at the hospital.
“There was no way I was going to have any surgery until he was well,” explains Meredith. “So, I started getting shots in my back. Sometimes they helped and sometimes they didn’t. I just lived with the pain and used ice packs!”
Two years later, Matt went into remission. Meredith and her family celebrated by becoming Make-A-Wish ambassadors, sharing their journey with other families and providing hope for those facing similar battles.
Discovering superior outpatient spine care
Meredith decided to relocate to North Carolina, where she’d researched an outpatient spine care practice: Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA). She was drawn to the reputation of their skilled surgeons and the success stories shared by other patients. Meredith scheduled an appointment with Dr. Domagoj Coric, CNSA neurosurgeon and a member of the SpineFirst team, who would go on to change her life.
Lumbar and cervical spine fusions
By the time she saw Coric, Meredith could barely walk. At age 54, her entire lumbar spine needed fusion. After a six-hour surgery and a year-long recovery, she regained her quality of life and could once again swim, golf, dance and...(More)
For more info please read, Back on her feet: How outpatient spine surgery helped Meredith reclaim her active life after years of pain, by Bizjournals
