The thing about spines is that it requires some really sophisticated brains and equipment. My lower back, for example. has three vertebrae in a row that need to be fused but it is a very dangerous surgery if done old school, however doing a lot of internet searches I discover a new procedure that recently started to become wider know. Also with that type of surgery I would lose a whole lot of ability to move my upper body to the right or left. The new procedure is laparoscopic surgery done with a new tool that will cut through bone and clean up the area so the pressure from the stenosis is cleared up and the tool is designed to not affect that actual nerve bundle that runs in the center of the spine. Accidental contact of the spinal cord with the old bone shaping tools was the main cause for things going dreadfully wrong where as this new tool ends that problem.
Here's the deal with my situation. The VA Hospital in Durham (14 miles away) is overseen and staffed by Doctors that work in the hospital across the road from the VA. That hospital is the Duke University Hospital. They are world renowned for their medical program and attending Doctors but that type of surgery is in all likelihood a problem for more than one reason. Number one would be cost. I had a Coronary MRI there and the VA was billed $12,000 for that less than hour long procedure. (of course the VA only paid about 10% of that). Can you imagine what a surgery for my situation would run? The along with that, because of the equipment involved and the surgeons that actually know how to work it, it would have to be done at Duke Hospital and it might break the government spending limit for those of us that are, at best, a young old, but still make it a temporary fix and before to long we are taking that long awaited dirt nap. Life very often is not fair.
The VA has taken really good care of me over the years and have saved me a lot of money (it's almost like living in Canada
). But like Canada it comes with some limitations and one of them is age and mobility or current quality of life. The don't advertise it, but there are committees that make the decision about if a person is well enough for high end surgeries and care. Just the way it is. We all risked our lives while in the military, but all of us still around didn't give our lives for those causes. So they do the best they can and I want to tell you that I have many problems that are being followed very closely and well, and the surgeries and hospital stays have been if not pleasant it wasn't because of the nursing and doctor staff. All have been great and always made me feel like I was important.
Now BACK to the topic of backs!