I am not a down person on the contrary I feel that everyone has to look at every little bit that isn't going right with what is going right. When you do that you can see how you might better your position - like pain. When you are in pain - you are in pain there is no getting around that so the next question is always then is what caused it ( when I used the term degenerative disc disease - that is what the docs at Stanford tell me not some term I made up). It might be that I have been washing dishes or sitting up too long - so I say I'm glad the dishes are done or I'm going to lie down and rest my back. All is well as long as there is a solution for the next step - not to the problem When you ask that question that is your solution. For me when I go to my doctors and I tell them everything that is going on healthwise I will tell them I not saying any of this because "I expect you to cure me," but maybe in a year or two you'll look at this and say to yourself Hey! this could be the reason this is happening. I'll mention to my ophthalmologists, my job is to make sure I come to you so you can make sure nothing is getting worse; I have AMD, macular edema, glaucoma, and also the best doctors in the world. You have to stay positive