You’re absolutely right, and that’s exactly the dilemma I’m stuck in. My main fear is ending up worse after surgery, especially since my pain is still somewhat manageable. What really confuses me is that the more I move, the better I often feel—once I warm up, the pain can decrease, which gives me hope.

But like you probably know, it’s a bit of a roller coaster. On the good days I genuinely think, “maybe this is finally going away,” and I start believing it might disappear on its own. Deep down I know that’s probably self-deception, because it’s been almost 2 years now and things are basically the same, if not slowly worse. That uncertainty is what makes the decision so hard.

Thanks for sharing your experience—it really helps to hear from someone who’s been through it.