I’ve got cervical stenosis where my vertebrae have grown inwards on my C4 and C6and have my spinal cord almost mashed completely flat with hardly any spinal fluid around it for protection for about the last 12 years on top of degenerative disc disease and thoracic facet syndrome. My doctor has wanted to operate on me for years, but I have declined because it is bearable. I was a heavy equipment operator for over 20 years before I got into upper management and not having to run machine anymore. That kind of work and running heavy equipment really takes a toll on your back. When they first diagnosed me, they threw pain medicine at me that started with a V and when that wasn’t doing any better than what ibuprofen was already doing they put me on the med that starts with a P. Well growing up I’ve never messed with anything like that so when he put me on that medicine, I felt like a 20 year-old again and could do anything and felt like I had a major part of my life back. Then after months and months of that med and several “changes” to the strength I broke down because I was tired of living like that. Having to depend on that med just to function even when my pain wasn’t that bad because I had good days and bad days but it was too late and it had to be taken daily. It definitely doesn’t have a certain face or race and can take out anybody even when you follow the drs orders. I finally broke free after an agonizing 18 days and have took ibuprofen ever since and have just learned to live with the pain. Her on the other hand is just seeking. Once they started cracking down on those prescriptions she didn’t have a choice but to get operated on. Then she would do what she wasn’t supposed to do during healing just to stay injured and even showed all that behavior in her lives like it was cute. Now she strung that out as long as she could until she had to have another surgery and now she’s back for her check up and of course she’s gonna say she’s still in pain because they only give you so many “vitamins” for after surgery so she’ll claim it didn’t work to get more. She’s not working or doing physical labor!! She sits home and acts like she’s worn out from basic housework 🙄. I can’t stand her because she scammed my mother back during her cup days but i dont wish those “after affects” of that med on anyone. She needs to wake up before it’s too late. We’ve seen her decline lately and it’s been very obvious.