[drewrad]

For what its worth, as short as a few days ago, a member here who just had overseas surgery told of a radiologist arguing with his surgeon saying surgery wasn't necessary. Meanwhile, the surgeon pointed at his patient lying on the floor. *ahem* Lying. On. The. Floor.

Point is, MRIs while not entirely meaningless, are not very meaningful when it comes to VAS scores. And there's also an argument that VAS scores are meaningless since they are subjective and arbitrary. And we all have good days and crummy ones.

So... the best way to look at it is this way. Functionality. What can you do and what can't you do? Can you sit for long periods of time? Can you drive a car? Can you stand? Can you lay down? How long can you lay down before pain starts to impede?

Functionality is the only real way to determine whether or not you need surgery. Not VAS scoring. Not MRIs. Not even pain necessarily since it drifts in and out, but function. How is your function limited by pain? What are the actual constraints placed upon your life at this point?

Me? I never sit down, ever. I have other people drive me around. I don't go out to a restaurant. I don't carry heavy things. Not even moderately heavy things. I don't go to movies(because I have to sit).

So... then I have to ask, how much is sitting to me worth??? Is it worth the money and risk of surgery? Just to sit? At least eventually? I can live a life without sitting no problem, but what if it advances to another level and I can no longer stand either?