Hello @dearestdeana, I would like to add my welcome to Connect along with Chris @artscaping and other members. Is the question you are trying to get answered whether or not to have surgery or have a spinal cord stimulator implanted? If that is your question, I think you have to learn as much as you can about the options and discuss the pros and cons with your doctor/surgeon.

You may be interested in the following Sharing Mayo Clinic story from this past January -- Spinal Cord Stimulator Ends 17 Years of Chronic Pain: https://sharing.mayoclinic.org/2020/01/20/spinal-cord-stimulator-ends-17-years-of-chronic-pain/

You may also be interested in another Mayo Clinic Newsfeed story on the same topic -- New Developments in Spinal Stimulation for Pain Management: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/adult-pain-medicine/newsfeed-post/new-developments-in-spinal-stimulation/

I'm guessing you think surgery is the answer but your doctor is recommending a spinal cord stimulator and that only treats the symptoms and not the cause of the symptoms -- is this what you are thinking?