@minneapolis123 John, I will be curious what the Spine Institute may tell you! It is almost always a good thing to have more than one opinion when facing something profound. Hearing different approaches to the issue, you can make an educated decision. Ask your questions! And don't settle for an answer that doesn't feel complete. One thing that many of us do is use "Dr. Google", which can lead us down a rabbit hole of misinformation.

Chronic pain can really mess with our body, and our heads. When we take a step back and look at it all, often we will see little things that we can address. Knowing you are going to call Seattle Spine is a step in the right direction! Maybe they cannot offer you a solution, but they may be able to point you in another direction, to a place where you can research further. And maybe they will be able to offer you assistance.

Motivation when you don't feel good can be a stumbling block. Trying just a little thing will help, and you will be looking forward to doing something else. Trust me, I know this all too well!
Ginger