[jims69camaro]

i pray you don't need surgery, either. i had a herniation at l5-s1. none of the conservative treatments known to medicine helped me. surgery was indicated, so i went and had it done. the procedure was a laminectomy/partial discectomy. since that time i have developed scar tissue and bone spurs at the surgical site. so, the surgery corrected the problem and the scar tisue and bone spurs have undone the surgery. in medical terms, it's known as failed back surgery syndrome. nice, huh?

every person is different, and they react differently to stimulus. hopefully you don't have to be stimulated by surgery, because the pain and aggravation caused by the thought of it being for naught are enough to drive you insane or want to kill yourself. i take a handful of prescription medication four times a day. due to that, i have to take a sleeping pill in order to sleep, then wake up in a daze because of the sleeping pill.

if you can get by with therapy and exercise, and a strong will to suceed, then i say bypass the surgery. if you need surgery, then i pray it is successful. i would not wish my condition on my worst enemy (or even osama bin laden, and you know how i feel about him).