No-no's on fusion!

[Cathy]

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting here. I'll try to make this as short as possible. A year ago August (2005) I fell and herniated L4,5 badly. I had a discectomy that November, but the following week I simply rolled over in bed and re-ruptured it. I had another discectomy in Feb. 2006. Unfortunately, I have continued to have tremendous pain. The latest MRI has shown that there isn't enough disc matter left and my vertebrea are hitting on one another. My surgeon said I need a fusion (he doesn't do ADRs). I have been doing research on ADR surgery and have decided that it is what I would rather have. My surgeon is supportive of my decision and said that there is a doctor in Melbourne FL, which is several hours away from me, who does ADRs. I called his office yesterday, but his staff couldn't even give me a ballpark number of how many of these surgeries the doctor had done. After I prodded her a bit more, she said that he has probably done a minimum of 20. That does not seem like enough experience to me. Then I called the Texas Back Institute. The woman there spoke of how great the doctors were and what wonderful results they had. However, when I mentioned that I had a fusion at L5, S1 ten years ago she immediately said that she didn't think I would be a canidate for ADR for that reason. With my hope dashed, I called Jim Rider who is a contact person for Dr. Ritter-Lang at Stenum Hospital. He was very enthusiastic and said that Dr. Ritter-Lang does ADR sugeries on patients who have had fusions all the time with great results. Unfortunately, he said that they only take cash up front to the tune of $30,000, I am a work comp patient and have been out of work since my injury. Therefore, in order for me to go through with this I would have to sell my home. At this point, even though it would break my heart, I was considering it. My hopes of having the surgery that I believe is the best for me were restored. That is until I just read some feedback from others, some of which have gone there with horrible results. Once again, I am at a loss.
Now I am thinking of contacting Dr. Zeegers to see if there is any chance that he would take me as a patient. I am hoping that he is willing to accept work comp patients because I truely don't want to be homeless.
I have only read good reports about him. However, I don't know how to contact his office. I only stumbled onto this site moments ago. I have heard Marks name mentiond numerous times also, I believe injunction with patient avocacy. I'm not even sure if I am in the right forum to contact either. I would appreciate any guidance. Sorry this was so lengthy.
Cathy