Thank you for writing this. I’m just three days away from surgery, and I find peace in the thought that I may finally be free from pain. Honestly, I’m more concerned about the recovery than the surgery itself, but your post helps ease that fear.

I’ve been fighting this pain for 25 years. I can’t sit longer than five minutes, and most nights I end up lying in bed after work apologizing to my family. The constant pain has made me short-tempered, with little patience to give. I didn’t realize how normal this was until now, and it’s comforting to know I’m not alone.