[CindyLou]

Welcome Rick! You pose a tough question, should you have it now or wait? Honestly, (and, of course, it's never what you want to hear!) only you hold the answer to that question. However,you are certainly in the right place to further your journey to an answer that is best for you! If I may digress, to my own personal plight, maybe for your benefit, I hope: I too had my very first big injury as a young adult alpine skiing in the wonderful powder at Park City, Utah, college... winter break, 1973. The quintessential last day, last run, of course.... black diamond. When I fell, I could hear my left knee ligament rip. Ended up having to stay in Utah for immediate mcl repair and meniscus removal. All my ski buddies had to depart for their respective universities; my folks didn't come, guess they didn't think it was that serious, and I had that invasive surgery all alone, in a strange hospital, at 19. I had another arthroscopic surgery on that same knee 10 years later, which I now believe has contributed to my leg length discrepancy and eventual hip and back pain, some 35 years later. I never let it stop me. I continued skiing all thru the years with regular cortizone injections in my knee, back and hip. Then when I had that horrific bicycle accident in 01', sustaining two compression fractures, I started going south fast. I still skied and taught skiing up until last year. Not without pain, and certainly not with the finesse I usually skied with. Is it my time to finally have adr? You bet it is. I am 54 years young, and I have alot of living left to do, all of which revolves around sports, and fitness, love of our great Mother Earth, the outdoors. I cannot remember if you said how old you are, but life is short. We only get this one shot to live it; no reruns here. You will know when your time comes. My ephifany was something like: I refuse to live anymore with this crappy quality of life. I have all my faculties making this decision for adr, way too well aware of all the risks involved with such major surgery, to take a chance, that somewhere, down the line, after many, many months of rehab, there will be something better. I'm takin' that chance. (incidentally, I did not let money rule my decision making. Do I want to be reimbursed? Hell yes. Would I have maxed out every credit card if necessary, to pay for it? Hell yes. My time is now.) Trust me, with all the support and direction in this community, you will find answers to your questions, and you will know when it is your time. All the very best to you on your journey! I would be happy to chat anytime or feel free to PM me. (and forgive this lengthy response)