Yes, I am having back surgery.

I realize many of you know already that I'm having back surgery in a couple days, and with that knowledge comes many questions.  I don't mind the questions at all, because I have done hours and hours of research to get to where I am in my understanding.  Before such study, I was under the impression that a spinal fusion meant inactivity and thus decline.  However, I have come to see many cases of recent (<10 years) fusions in other young active people that have been decidedly successful!

Long story short, I have degenerative disc disease.  My L5-S1 disc is almost completely gone.  The surgeon will remove what's left of my non-cushioning disc and replace it with this.

Thank you a hundred times to all of you who have (or will) prayed for me, brought meals, watched kids, cleaned my house, and many other helpful things.  I will be completely down for 2 weeks following surgery, and my doctor predicts that I'll be operating at 50% after 4 weeks.  Fifty percent!?!?  I'll take it!! That means I'll be able to play half-games of ultimate frisbee, take half my kids to their scheduled commitments, prune half the orchard, hike halfway up the springtime mountains...right?

If you are curious about scientifically proven research (or have a sinkful of dirty dishes you're trying to avoid), I've included informative links below.  If you wonder if I have tried anything else to help my pain, here are a few of the treatments I have tried with faith and vigor:

walking
magnesium
recumbent exercise bike
massage
physical therapy
chiropractic care
McKenzie exercises
essential oils
tart cherry juice
ice packs
heating pad
lumbar roll
weight lifting
reflexology
TENS unit
lying on the couch doing nothing
yoga
pilates
epidural steroid injections
systemic steroid injections
sacroiliac joint steroid injection
oral corticosteroids
antidepressants
neuropathy medication
narcotics
Shakeology
Reliv
tequila

Many of those things have helped to one degree or another.  The core issue is not an inflammation problem, a muscular problem, or a nutritional problem.

Anyway, that's the news.

Thank you for all your prayers my way!  I have full hope that I'll be on the road to getting better instead of worse by the weekend!

Monosegmental anterior lumbar interbody fusion with the SynFix-LR device : A prospective 2-year follow-up study

Biomechanical comparison of two different concepts for stand alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion