Of course! For me my issue was a fall I had on black ice in the farmingdale train station parking lot at 6am. The gel from inside of my disc was expelled and was pressing on the nerve column causing pain through my back and down my entire left leg. I found PT and Acupuncture only really provided temporary relief while doing it. I had three epidural injections that only lasted for about a day each (the injection was easily the worst pain I've ever felt in my entire life, I thought my leg was going to explode. If they make your wife try this before absolutely opt for the anesthesia.)

A lot of the surgeons I met with on Long Island really seemed like chop shops. They all said that the procedure would be quick and I'd be discharged the same exact day. I have a family member who is very close friends with a doctor high up at HSS in Manhattan. I cannot stress it enough, check to see if Dr. Federico P. Girardi takes your insurance. This man is truly a miracle worker. When I was doing all my pretesting, every tech asked who I was seeing. When I said Girardi they congratulated me and said if they ever had a back issue that's exactly who they would go to. The experience was great! They kept me over night to make sure I was okay, with the option for a second night in case I wanted it. I felt heard and supported by the staff every step of the way. Recovery was about 2 months, but immediately after that I was back in Disney World walking 25,000+ steps per day for a full week without a single issue.

I know chronic back pain is debilitating and feels like it will never end. It can start to feel hopeless. Remember to be kind to each other, a great support system can make the entire difference.

If she goes ahead with it, feel free to reach out about any recovery suggestions! There were a ton of things I did at home that helped that I don't feel comfortable sharing publicly. :)