Hi Corry:
I am a fellow wordy person.
We probably bore the **** out of people from time to time. My Board President asked me a couple of months ago if I knew what the word; "Brevity" meant. I said yes and, he asked; "Do you ever practice it?" This was right before a speech I was supposed to give so, I discarded the speech and, kept my comments down to less than 5 minutes. He gave me the thumbs up sign so that was very good. It's hard for wordy people to be not wordy.
That said, welcome to the forum though, not in the circumstances you are presenting in. I know the feeling of doing more than the body is supposed to be able to handle. Tried to lift an engine by yourself?
You're still too young to be experiencing the level of surgery that you need. That said, it does not sound like you have many choices either as you sound like you have advanced DDD for a young man.
I ruptured all through my twenties until my last one in 1995 when I was 38 years old. That was 4 total ruptures and, led to my first spinal surgery. I also liked the Maverick disc and had some mild facet issues so I was a good candidate for this surgery. I had 4 level ADR surgery; 2 cervical (Prestige); 2 lumbar (Maverick). I am one year ten months out of my surgery and am doing fabulous. I also liked the center of rotation for the disc and, believed it put less stress on the spine. My recovery has been a roller coaster ride though has stabilized in the last couple of months. I tell people flat out that it has taken all of twenty months to start feeling like I could kick Superman's ***.
Do some more research though as you want to go with something that is going to last you a good many years. You are still very young. Ask away as there are many here that have been there before.
Again, Welcome.
Terry Newton