The diagnosis

     In short, the sports medicine specialist took an x-ray and told me he knew why I was having the pain.  I had what is called spondylolisthesis which is a condition where the pars of the vertebrae is defective and cracks which leads the vertebrae to slip forward out of alignment with the rest of the spine.  He said I am at grade 2 which is 25-50% slippage in L5 vertebrae over the S1. He referred me to an orthopedic spinal surgeon.  About a month later I met with the Orthopedic surgeon just long enough for him to tell me I needed to get an M.R.I. A couple weeks later got the M.R.I. and the results were a 40% slippage.  I had caught the slip just as it was beginning to pinch that horsetail of nerves that branches off from the spinal cord.  My symptoms for were confined to my lower back with the very rare exception of a shooting pain down either of my legs while lifting improperly, or working hunched over. 
     I was given the choice of conservative treatment of rehabilitation therapy to strengthen the core muscles to alleviate some of the pain, injections, patches, narcotic and non-narcotic pain medications, electronic stimulation or TENS treatment.  With no guarantee of a reduction in pain and nothing to prevent further slippage.  I figured that further slippage would lead to more problematic symptoms such as increased pain, decreased ability to walk, inability to continue with my current employment due to the pain medication treatments which could mean loss of insurance, decrease in my options for new employment.  I apologize for the grammar but I'm on a lot of medication right now and I'm doing my best to get my point across in between nurses visits and dosing off. 
     Now the other choice was surgery to fuse the spine from the back, then replace the disc and further stabilize the spine with a bracket on the front of the vertebrae from the front.  Honestly, I had made my choice before visiting the surgeon, I was not led by the surgeon to surgery because "that's what surgeons do".  I fully expected to have to convince the surgeon to proceed with the surgery as a first choice, with all the research I did over the internet (yes I know the dangers and misinformation so I verified all with the medical professional before made a full judgement.) I assumed that rehab and therapy were always the first "hoops" that you had to go thru in order to be considered for surgery unless you were already severely disabled.    
    To my pleasant surprise the surgeons office was asking which way I was leaning which I presented my case.  My condition is caused by a break, this break will not heal itself and no amount of therapy will bring that vertebrae back into alignment.  Surgery would almost have to be the answer at some point and since I am young, I have health insurance before the major overhaul of the healthcare and whatever that entails.  I have heard the predictions of long waits and doctors retiring and boards deciding who gets what treatment... no matter where you fall politically in my circumstance right here in the known is way more appealing than in the future unknown.  I am young enough and with the financial help of family and government I can change a career path and adapt.  If I'm going to go thru an extended period of strengthening muscles to support this spine of mine, might as well get it fixed first.