Will check that out. With respect to your question about what kind of specialist I was trying to see at Mayo Clinic - Jacksonville, it was Dr. Michael Osborne in the Pain Management Center. He was recommended by one of his former and now retired colleagues who I know. Dr. Osborne’s clinic interests were Complex spinal disorders
Spinal neuromodulation
Regenerative medicine of the spine which seems to hit everything I was dealing with.

What was so surprising was that my contact had actually communicated with Dr. Osborne who said that he would take me on as a patient. I went through the onboarding process for admission which took almost 6 months, largely because I need to provide an updated MRI of my lower back / spine. It took much longer than expected because radiologist who did the MRI said that my first one did not take because the images weee not clear because I had so much hardware in my back. I had to to another one on a machine that had a different kind of magnification. That appointment was canceled because of issues wirh the machine. Finally on the third attempt I was able to get it done and sent the results to Mayo Clinic as instructed. My medical records had already been sent as soon as I started the admission process.
I got a form email that basically thanked me for considering Mayo Clinic but said that they were not taking patients at the time and gave me two doctor’s names in the state where I reside with practices that were over 5 hours from where I live. To say I was surprised and disappointed was an understatement, particularly after being told that Dr. Osborne would see me as a patient. I have just reconciled the fact that I will just have to live with my pain and declining mobility issues (I spend a significant portion of my day in bed or on the couch in a horizontal position), and prepare for a transition at some point from a cane / walker to some kind of motorized wheelchair.

Again, thanks for your response. The Mayo Connect forum has been an excellent support group. Feel that you finally get to talk to people who understand what you are dealing with and offer encouraging and supportive suggestions / advice. Wish the admission staff and medical staff was as accommodating.