Thank you Mark. I will look up what I can find about VATS.......sounds like something rarely done. My hopes are low, it's hard when you are not even 40 to feel like you are 80..... but nevertheless, I won't give up hope.
At least I am still able to flyfish despite it all......if I lost that, I would probably be lost then. I will take your advice and have my neck rechecked as well, who knows, that's where the original damage started.
Thanks again and also for all your links, some of which I have never seen before..... info sharing is good and keeps the hope alive.
Give Melanie a high and tell her I hope she is a whole lot warmer than I am in the frozen white north. Snowing in Vancouver today!!
Cheers
Deb