Dear Dr. Parker,

On June 17, 2003, I became a patient of Dr. Robert Parker. For 9 years I had been experiencing numbness in both feet and a raw feeling at night on the tops of all toes. I came to Dr. Parker at the recommendation of a friend.

I had gone to doctors in the past with numbness in my feet and was told by one that I needed foot braces made for my shoes. Another doctor diagnosed some beginning heel pain as a heel spur. I was given a steroid injection which seemed to work, as well as heel cushions to wear in my shoe. He was unable to tell me what the cause of the numbness in both feet. As the night pain grew worse, one of the doctors put me on a low dose of Neurontin and mentioned Tarsal Tunnel surgery. He sent me for an invasive nerve test, which showed nothing. At one point I was put in a boot for three weeks because the doctor felt I might have a stress fracture, although x-rays did not show one. This whole process took many years.

When I went to see Dr. Parker for my first visit and explained what I was feeling I was very impressed with both the doctor and his staff. Their team approach to every patient, and their knowledge and kindness were refreshing. Dr. Parker asked me immediately if I had diabetes. I explained that my sugar count was fine the last time I had it checked which was recently. He asked me to have one more blood test that might show us whether I had Syndrome X. He also scheduled me for non-invasive nerve test on both feet.

When the results were in on my blood work, they were sent to my regular doctor. I indeed had Diabetes 2, and because of this and several other problems, I probably had Syndrome X. The nerve test showed Dr. Parker that I did indeed need Tarsal Tunnel surgery to release the nerves in both feet.

Surgery was done on July 28th by Dr. Parker with an orthopedic surgeon in the room. As afraid as I am of any kind of surgery I must now admit that it was a comfortable procedure. After my post op visit, Dr. Parker set up eight sessions of therapy for me which were performed in his office.

Although Dr. Parker assured me that everything was fine and went well I was still concerned that I was taking 300mgs. of Neurontin at night for restless feet and pain. Dr. Parker said he would only be concerned after a three month interval.

In early November I realized on night that I could feel my big toe and the toe next to it and the Neuropathy on the top of that foot was no longer there. I made an appointment for a final nerve test on November 25th and was thrilled to learn that my nerves had made a recovery and there was a definite difference in my testing from pre to post surgery.

I can not express how grateful I am to Dr. Parker for making a correct diagnosis after so many years of not knowing. I will have my other foot done this summer and hopefully have the same results. I continue to take Neurontin for that foot.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given by Dr. Parker on my last visit to him was "take care of your won medical health", "don't give up the search until you have all the answer". Following that advice I went to an Endocrinologist and had a complete testing for Diabetes. I am now on Metformin daily and monitoring my blood sugars three times daily. During this testing I was given a Thyroid scan which showed that I have nodules on the part of my thyroid that I have left. I will be going in for needle biopsy on the 19th of January. I have lost 15 pounds since finding all this out and will continue to loose weight until I at my goal.

My regular doctor said, "Yes you are diabetic, loose weight". Had I followed this advice and not taken that extra step with Dr. Parker's encouraging words, I truly believe that I would have some very big health issues which would have been unknown to me until it was too late.

Sincerely,
Janet W. Murphy
January 17th, 2004

Dear Dr. Parker,

I wanted to thank you and your staff for the professionalism and caring shown to me during the last few months. As you are aware, I had suffered with pain, burning and numbness in my foot for almost a year. Over the past year, I have seen four doctors before coming to your office. None of the previous doctors could properly diagnosis nor treat my problem. I expected to find the same response with you. However, that was not the case. You understood my frustration and you took the time to explain my diagnosis and treatment options.

Now four weeks after surgery, my foot does not burn, the feeling is returning and I have very little pain. Before surgery, you told me that this surgery may not be but 66-85% effective in my case, but I believe that it has been 100% effective! I cannot tell you how relieved I am. At 39 years old, I should not stay at home when my family wants to go to the ball game, just because my foot hurts and burns so much. This is how I have spent the last eight months. I am now looking forward to going out walking and feeling good again. For this, I thank you.

In addition to your staff, I must also thank the staff of the Surgery Center. Surgery is frightening at any age and the nurses made me feel at ease. In Addition, someone from the hospital called me for several days after surgery to follow up and make sure that I was feeling okay. Nerve have I had this type of care.

Dr. Parker, you have a genuine love of your patients and your profession. Thank you again.

Sincerely,
Andrea Pramik
September 17th, 2004

Dear Dr. Parker,

I started having pain in my left foot in about August 2004. I had come home one night with extreme pain in my foot, I thought it would pass, unfortunately it didn't. So I went to my family doctor. He first gave me some steroids to take. He said if they don't work come back next week. I returned after that. He tried another type of medicine, but it didn't work either. He took x-rays, but it still seems on one saw anything wrong. My family doctor tried to help me with cortisone injections, it only helped for a couple of days. The next week I went back for another injection, but it didn't help either. My Family Doctor tried one last help, That's when he told me about the ultra sound treatments and also about an Orthopedic Doctor. I took ten ultra sound treatments. They said I should feel a difference after that, I didn't. At that time I talked to the Orthopedic Doctor and he asked me what my Family doctor had told me, I told him that he had told me that an orthopedic would not be able to do anything different. So at that time I didn't know what to do and I was in so much pain that I wouldn't have cared if anyone cut my foot off. That's how bad my pain was. I just wanted to sit down and cry sometimes cause it hurt so bad. That's when the Orthopedic doctor told me about Dr. Robert Parker. So I made an appointment to meet with Dr. Parker. From then on I liked Dr. Parker. He diagnosed me as having Plantar Fascitis. Dr. Parker told me about a new treatment (Ultra Shockwave Therapy). He said on some people it worked and on some it didn't work. I made an appointment on January 10, 2005, cause at this time I was still in so much pain that I would try almost anything. The procedure was not painful at all. The procedure took about thirty minutes, it was an in/ out procedure on the same day. He gave me some pain pills, but I didn't need to take many. This Shockwave Therapy helped me till about May 2005. Then the pain started to return, so I went back to see Dr. Parker. He asked me how I was doing? I said not good, the pain has come back. He looked at my foot again and then set up four treatments of three different kinds of injections, they helped 2/3 weeks after I received them. I went back for another round, this being the fourth treatment of injections). Dr. Parker said if this doesn't work the next thing is surgery. Surgery is the last resort when nothing else seems to work. Doctor's don't like to cut on anybody if they don't have to. I put off getting my foot fixed for so long that I developed another problem. Along with Plantar Fascitis I developed Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome. Which is basically pinched nerves in your foot. I even went and got a second opinion. The other doctor I went to see agreed with Dr. Parker's diagnoses 100%. My surgery was set up for August 11, 2005. When I got to the Surgery Center the people we really nice. They explained everything that was going to happen to me. When it was time for the surgery they came in the waiting room and got me. The nurse said when it's over you will say "are we done yet?" It will take about 6/8 weeks to really get back on your feet. If I had to do it all over again I would let Dr. Parker and his staff take care of me once again.

Thanks again Dr. Parker & Staff
Angelo Rosselli
October 29, 2005

Dear Dr. Parker,

My left foot began hurting during Thanksgiving week 1999. I stand at work all day, at first thought it was just another bruise or strained muscle. It burned deep inside the foot and it felt like it was swelling, sort of like my shoe was too small. Within one month, it was daily and constant. By then, it actually felt as though a steel ball had been implanted deep into my foot and cold temperatures aggravated it. I began hot water and Epsom salt soaks, as well as using heating pad nightly. This went on for ten long months.

I finally saw my family doctor who sent me to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. I basically repeated what is written here, and before I could finish telling him all of my symptoms, he stopped me in mid-sentence and said I needed surgery. They thought I had a "Morton's Neuroma" in my third interspace. I had surgery to correct and I remember calling his office three months after the procedure asking Why was I still hurting the same as before surgery!! The nurse said "that is very common". And I should "hang in there, it'll get better." Well it never did, Eleven moths later, I went in search of another doctor, the first, I had learned, had performed surgery on me with No pre-surgical testing and I was on the table with a glucose count of nearly 600!!!

I went to see the new doctor with a "bulls eye' drawn on the bottom of my foot in magic marker. He said I had yet another "Morton's Neuroma" in the second toe interspace. I disagreed saying the pain originated much further over from there. Then he explained "referred pain' to me, which I am sure is very real, it just didn't pertain to me!! I woke up from the second procedure and was shocked that he operated in the second interspace. The pain never subsided because not only was I dealing with surgical pain; I was still dealing with the original Neuroma pain. During a "post-op' follow up, I asked why had he cut me there, especially when I had been adamant that my pain was in the first toe space!! He said, "you don't know what you're talking about, a Morton's Neuroma in the first space is unheard of." I took the stitches out myself two weeks later.

In the four years that followed this, I spent more on boots, shoes, socks, insoles, than I care to admit. Nothing, I mean literally nothing helped the pain, burning and swelling. Then I started asking around to friends, and just about anyone who would listen, was trying to find a doctor. I was seriously thinking of asking to have my foot amputated and a prosthetic put on. I had had enough pain and wanted it to stop. A Dr. Robert Parker's name kept popping up. They said he was interested in the "tough cases", and cases that didn't turn out well from surgery,… and he was very interested in nerve entrapment. I made a mental note of the name…three months later I went to see another orthopedic surgeon, after tests, he said, "I think you have a very rare case, you would be better off seeing Dr. Robert Parker, he likes these, In my mind, it was the perfect omen.

I saw Dr. Parker a week later and he listened intently, never suggesting I was nuts or crazy when I said I thought my Neuroma was in the first interspace. He said he thought he could help me. We did a series of injections that relieved the pain for several days; moreover, it was a test he was doing to see if in fact the Neuroma was there. We scheduled surgery the following week.

It was very easy and didn't really hurt much after surgery. I had to stay on crutches for three weeks, but every little bit of pain I had was gone when I woke up from Surgery. It was quite sore, but that's natural. I am just four weeks post op and will return to work soon. It'll be nice to work all day without having to change shoes three times a day.

Today, I have no pain, no swelling and no discomfort. I basically got a new foot. I'll never be able to thank Dr. Parker enough for giving me a pain free life again. My only regret in all of this is I didn't find Dr. Parker four years ago.

David Wadsworth
November 11, 2005

Dear Dr. Parker,

I had suffered from non-diabetic neuropathy for over ten years. Several different doctors tried several different drugs to control my pain. Nothing seemed to work and no diagnosis of the underlying cause was ever made. I just kept getting worse with more medications. My balance was so bad. I couldn't stand without a cane or leaning against a wall, the car, etc. I couldn't sit for any length of time because of the burning in my feet. The only relief I could find was by going to bed. My activities were very limited.

I had three bad falls in my back yard. I knew I needed help. We moved to Katy to be near our son and his family. We thought I would be in a wheel chair in the next year or two.

Through our friend and our own research, we came upon Dr. Robert Parker and his surgery. Well, it has only been a few weeks since surgery, but I have already regained much of my balance and the quality of life I thought I had permanently lost. I'm getting better day-by-day.

Dr. Parker, I really do appreciate all that you have done for me. Thank you and your wonderful staff. And thank the good Lord for doctors like you.

I would and do recommend anyone to go to you. I have mailed out your website to many people. You care about your patients. May God continue to bless you.

Thank you,
O'Dell Howard
May 2006

I am writing you this letter to let you know how I feel, and how you have given me back my hope and inspirations. Before I knew you, I had been treated by numerous Doctors for a long period of time, and none of them could help me heal or at least improve my condition; they could not diagnose what was wrong with me. My neurologist referred me to you, and my husband and I are forever grateful for his care and referral to you.

He had performed the Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome operation in both of my feet on December 7, 2001. The outcome was not very good; I felt the same as before. I have suffered a lot of pain for a period of a whole year. Further, I have suffered psychologically for not having a positive outlook and no hope of recovery. To add to my distress, the Long Term Disability Insurance would not extend my benefits.

Dr. Parker, after the recent operation on both of my feet, it feels fantastic. I have no pain, unlike the previous pain, that is no longer present. I have the healing and only the pain from the surgery and it is getting better every day. I am certain that I will recover sufficient to pursuit my former life. My husband and I are grateful to you, Dr. Parker, and owe you a great deal. It is also very refreshing to visit your office. Your staff is very pleasant and professional. We believe that God had sent us to your office and to your proficient hands and brilliant mind.

Thank you again and God bless you
Irene Kunz
January 21, 2003

The Tarsal Release Surgery you've done on my right foot has made a huge difference in how I feel in my day-to-day routine as a teacher. Being on my feet all day, my feet were hurting so much at the end of my day, it was unbearable. Since my surgery, I have felt a big difference. I am able to feel a difference because my left foot also needs surgery. I am going to have my left foot operated on in the summer.

I am completely satisfied that this type of surgery works for me. Changing from walking to running shoes has helped give my feel more comfort.

Thank you
Linda Torrez
March 13, 2003

Dear Dr. Parker,

I am writing this letter to you to say thank you to you and your wonderful staff. Although I have had pain in the top of my left foot for years my major problem started in 1997 when my rheumatologist decided he wanted to have a piece of nerve and tissue removed to help determine if I did indeed have lupus. The surgery was done on my left ankle. I did as requested and the surgeon of his choice did the procedure. I was told I should put of a shoe and walk a mile the day after the surgery. My ankle was swollen so severely I had a hard time walking to the kitchen and a shoe was impossible. It took many months and lots of physical therapy before I could wear a tennis shoe. Part of the side of my foot and ankle were numb and the other part hurt a lot. I have gone to five or six doctors since to try to find a cure for my foot an ankle pain.

I went to a podiatrist / surgeon in the Bear Creek area. He treated me foot for stress fractures three or four times. He assumed the pain in my ankle was due to the way I had been walking due to the stress fracture. I finally stopped seeing him and headed to the medical center. Surely I could find a good doctor there. A surgeon that specializes in ankles and feet put a black boot on my foot that went all the way to my knee. Being short, the boot went a little higher than it should be and was very uncomfortable. I wore it as instructed for weeks. The last time I saw that doctor he told me that he did not know what was wrong. But thought wearing the boot would rest my foot and give it time to heal if I did have a fracture. I saw several other doctors that came out and said they did not know what the problem was and could not help me. They made me feel like they did not feel my pain was real. So I headed for the foot doctor in my area. He x-rayed my foot and took a look and said, 'hmmm'. 'Lets do some physical therapy'. Three days a week I went in for a world pool soak and ultra sound and massage. I left like anyone and everyone in his office did physical therapy. Each one did it a different way. Most therapy sessions were painful. I was scheduled for six weeks of therapy and then I was to see the doctor. My ankle hurt so bad that I did not finish all the sessions. The office manager told me that I had to see the doctor to be released so that they could file on my insurance. When I did see him he told me that he could not help me if I did not follow his instructions for therapy. He admitted he did not know what was wrong with my foot or ankle pain.

So, I decided I was going to live with the pain. I had to be tough and not think about my left leg and foot. I stopped unnecessary walking. I use to walk down to the mall and back, but at that time I could look at the Foley's from the parking lot and wonder if I could even get to the door. I stayed home, more and more, and gained weight. I also got depresses because it hurt so much. All my other doctors told me that I must walk and exercise. No one believed how much pain I was in. I was so desperate to relieve the pain that I went back to the same doctor in my area and had that same physical therapy done that hurt me so much. The second time was not any better then the first. That was December 2002.

I had just about given up on the foot doctors, but in June of this year my dentist told me about you and how much you helped her mother. And the rest is history. The surgery that you preformed was a miracle. Doctor Parker, you have my permission to use photos and any and all information in my chart to help another patient or help another doctor to perform this procedure.

Thank you so much.
Donna Parker (no relation)
August, 7, 2003

Dear Dr. Parker:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your wonderful staff for all the kindness and care that I was shown during my recent surgery and recuperation.

When I came to your office last summer I was almost unable to walk. When I walked to a short distance my right foot felt as if I were walking on a hot coal. My left foot was painful but my right foot was much worse.

Today my right foot is pain free and I am looking forward to taking long walks once my left foot is healed from my recent surgery.

I would highly recommend this surgery for anyone who suffers from neuropathy. There is no reason to live a limited life when this surgery is available.

Regards,
Marry Kay Wallace
April 10, 2002

Dear Dr. Parker,

I wanted to thank you for all the relief and joy you have given me. Just a few months ago I went into your office to see if you could give me another injection in my right ankle (the last one lasted for seven years) and see if you could possibly help me with the problems in my left leg and foot. Well, two surgeries later I'm feeling great! I just have to realize that even though I'm virtually pain free (the pain I have now is just from the surgery itself) that I still need to let my surgery heal. In other words be PATIENT! You don't know how hard that is for me. I'm ready to run, clean, go shopping; just do everything and anything I haven't been able to do for so long.

I don't think any of my past doctors realized how much pain I was in and I how much my life had changed. I always have been a go-getter, up early in the morning ready to go. I always kept my house in perfect order and was ready to help others. For the past several years I just couldn't do things like I could before. I was run down, my legs hurt badly, they burned, and they were numb. The doctors I went to would tell me that I needed to exercise (you hear that a lot when your heavy - I never heard it when I was thinner). I wish they could see what I did in a normal day (plus I do back exercises) then see if they could say that. The rheumatologist spent a minute with me then diagnosed me with fibromyalgia (I call this a cop out disease) and said that I needed medications for my Repression. Hello - I was depressed -all the medicines they put me on only made me gain weight and they weren't helping with my pain and numbness. The steroid injections and pills did nothing. I felt like they just didn't want to help me. Just tell her this is wrong (give her a name of and illness) and she will be satisfied. This might be fine for the doctors but that still didn't change the fact that by nighttime I would need to use a crane to walk and I had begun tripping over my own feet. They hurt and burned, I felt like I had a tight wrap around my leg, I had cramps, and it felt like someone was poking a knife constantly in my foot and toes. Sleeping was impossible, I just couldn't lie on my left side for more than a few minutes, and pain at night was so intense that I spent most of the night stretching my legs in the air or bouncing them constantly. I just ended up lying on the couch so I wouldn't disturb my husband. I think he thought I was crazy with all the jerking and moving I did during the night.

All I can say is I do feel happy again and I do feel like I can face tomorrow! I feel like a brand new person. Hopefully that cranky, witchie, grumpy one is gone for good. I thank you for giving me my life back, for believing in me, and listening to what I said was going on. I'm also grateful to you for finding my problem and fixing it. I knew in my heart something was wrong, but I didn't know what it was. All I ever wanted was to get back to being my old self and doing what I enjoy doing most (taking care of my family). I have never been a lazy person and I just couldn't deal with knowing that my strength was gone and I could no longer do the things I used to. You go to doctors and they take one look at you (don't listen) and sum up what is going on (she's fat, lazy, depressed, getting old, etc.). In fact, after you go to so many doctors and don't get any where, you start to wonder, is it really all in my head, am I just imaging all this pain and discomfort? Now I know for sure it is not in my head.

I will always be indebted to you for all that you have done, and I will never be able to thank you enough for taking away this pain and giving me the chance to walk (pleasantly) again.

Laura Spence
August 30, 2004

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