Yes, I have the World‘s best orthopedic surgeon in the world as far as I’m concerned! I’ve had four opinions and they were all different but when I met Dr. Z at Ucsd, I knew I found a prince! I had my lumbar surgery six years ago and it was magnificent. Unfortunately, I have degenerative disc disease and bones and discs in my spine. Have all the other degenerative effects of stenosis, herniated discs bone deterioration and everything else that goes with it overtime. Every time something else deteriorates we have to review where I am in the process. I was still working when I had the first lumbar surgery and my work required mobility and bending. That’s why we agreed on the plan we originally did. There is nothing on earth that is going to removedegenerative disc disease as I age. People have to realize that the only thing that can be done is “management”. This involves an orthopedic surgeon. Degenerative disc disease as I age. People have to realize that the only thing that can be done is “management“. This involves an orthopedic surgeon that listens well, is magnificently competent and highly creative. I have had three surgeries with my surgeon and each time there’s a huge amount of creativity and on the spot decision-making that happens when he opens my body up. People better have all the confidence in the world with their orthopedic surgeon before they let them work on their bodies. I have a horrible story of a surgeon who got mad at me and wouldn’t do my back surgery and he was gonna do the whole entire back and I would’ve lost my mobility and my work. It was the best thing that happened to me, although at the time I was devastated and I didn’t understand. Well my surgeon that actually did my surgery told me that he did the guys revisions meaning that the guy, although published and on television and working for the local hospital was not confident when it came to spine surgeries. Since I had my surgery, the bad doctor showed up with negligence lawsuits. I was very lucky to have escaped his clutches. People will spend years looking for a car, but they won’t spend years researching their doctors!