I'm just sitting here this morning reading about all of the bad surgeries that different folks have had. I'm 80 yrs. old now and my first bout with back pain was at age 32. The first doctor I went to after months of pain, told me my back looked like I was an 80-year-old lady who worked on a farm all her life. I have seen many doctors over the years, I've had left foot drop, lots of leg weakness and nerve pain, ex-rays, MRI, anti-inflammatory drugs, etc. I have been afraid of surgery, which one Nero surgery doctor said I needed. I deal with the pain by sitting when the pain is bad, but for the most part, I walk 2-3 miles on good days. It hurts when I first go out, but after about 1-1/2 miles it is bearable. I do walk bent over and do not have good posture, and I cannot stand for a long time at the kitchen counter because of mid back pain. So I sit and it will ease off. I stretch, do hand weights, walk, and just try to keep as active as possible. And Tylenol is my go-to for pain because I also take blood thinners for AFIB. I also have had 7 joints in different parts of my body injected because of pain, so I may have a type of arthritis that no doctor has ever seen before. I try to keep positive, I deliver meals on wheels one day a week, help a neighbor who is in a wheelchair and have a huge family that keeps me busy. My thoughts control my feelings, so I try not to let the pain rule my life. Cheers!