<HTML>Hazen,    Sorry to hear about your back.  From experience I know how miserable they can be.  I had a disc removed about ten years ago.  Luckily I suffered no complications other than occasional stiffness.  And this includes playing tennis, softball, crashing my bicycle a few times, and wrestling with shoplifters during my previous retail career.   Get several opinions, and surgery is indicated, don't be afraid of it.  To my layman's understanding, the true key to recovery is aggressive rehab.  You're going to have to become a serious jock, which will include stretching, keeping your weight down, tons of leg-strengthening stuff and lots of ab work.    Best wishes for a full recovery Dan Dannenfelser Sacramento, CA</HTML>