@chasitie
I’m really, really sorry you’re dealing with this. Reading your story honestly makes my heart hurt for you. This is exactly the situation so many of us are scared of — doing the surgery hoping for relief and ending up in more pain and more stress, while life just keeps piling on.

This is what I’m afraid of too. At some point you have to ask… do the risks outweigh living every day in constant pain with no real quality of life? It’s such an impossible spot to be in, and it feels like doctors don’t always see how much is at stake outside of the MRI.

Being told “you’ll be fine” doesn’t help when you’re clearly not fine, especially when your job, your home, and your kids are all affected by this. That’s real life.

You might want to look into short-term disability, FMLA if it applies, or even Social Security Disability — especially if your doctors can document nerve issues and that you can’t work right now. A hospital social worker or patient advocate might also be able to help point you toward some kind of financial or emergency support. You shouldn’t have to figure all of this out on your own.

Just know you’re not alone in this, and you’re not crazy for feeling overwhelmed. I really hope your surgeon listens to you and takes this seriously when you see him. Sending you so much strength — you truly deserve better than this.