re fusion
I had the option of having more surgery but I hated the idea of fusion since I had 3 lumbar levels that were disrupted. L4 and L5S1 already had discectomies that failed so when I was first being offered more surgery it was a 3 level global fusion which I said "no way" to and have been glad ever since. In 2003 the option to have ADR on both L4 and L5S1 was given to me but taken away by WC so had to go thru another 2 years trying to get surgery approved again and by that time I was being offered ADR at L4 and fusion at L5S1.
I was just too scared to have fusion and too scared to have more surgery plus I wasn't having as much pain as I had for many years so I figured "better the devil I know than the devil I don't!"
However with a bulge the size you have and your level of pain and numbness yeah I'd have surgery. I do hope you get to see someone that maybe does ADR so that the option if you're a candidate might be available to you as you are very young still. In fact you're the age I was when I first hurt my back!
Good luck. We do know about pain and the limitations someone with all that crap goes thru here unfortunately. Hope you can get your back straightened out tho and have a great life in the outdoors and everywhere with your little girl! Maria
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