I just wanted to finally say hi. I managed to register without having a panic attack. I've been expecting to have back surgery. However, it ended up worse then expected after my discogram. I have 3 grade 5 tears on my L3/4, and a grade 5 tear on my L5/S1. My neurosurgeon sent me to Plano,TX to get evaluated for the Charite--perfect for that supposedly, my ins. won't approve. Now, they want to put me in a research group. If I agree, I'll either get the Charite disc or Kineflex disc and boom most of my medical bills will be picked up through the study. Call me cynical but I'm freaking out. I've been in pain for so long. And all they do now is up pain meds, up this new drug, and I'm miserable. I really hope that by coming here I can connect with people who have experienced something like me. I have a son who will be 2 in May, and another son who just turned 9. I'm tired of living on the peripherals of life b/c of my pain. But I don't want to end up getting a disc that the FDA never even approves of to begin with. I'm so frightened that I won't have all of my bases covered. All of the right questions asked, etc. If any of you have been through this,please feel free to offer you opinion. Right now, I feel like I'm drowning in mud and I can't get started. Please help me....scared to death in TX Thanks