Spinal Surgery!

I have been suffering sciatica-like pain for the last year or so as a result of an issue in my spinal column. It came to my attention one day in September 2022, while I was working in the shop, however the doctors think it was under development for years ahead of that! I was sitting on the floor, installing a set of storage drawers. When I tried to get up, there was a severe pain in my back that took my breath away. In the immediate aftermath, the pain was debilitating—I could only walk about fifty metres. Over the year plus since then, it has played out as lower back pain, pain points in my butt, a burning sensation in my thighs and calves, and neuropathy in my feet. Helpful suggestions from family and doctors have allowed me to achieve significant relief. I am now able to walk about 1 km without negative repercussions. I can even walk up to 5 km, but then I suffer significantly the following day. The lower back team at the hospital has assured me that only the lower back pain is real, and that the rest are phantom pains caused by the impingement on the nerves. I had my pre-admission meeting on Wednesday morning, and now all is in place for spinal surgery on Monday, January 22nd. The plan is to reformat the spinal column between L4 and L5 to create some room for my spinal column and the nerves associated with it. In the MRIs you can see the narrowing of the spinal column at the L4-L5 area; the doctor calls it severe spinal stenosis. He was not surprised that I was experiencing discomfort while walking, in fact, he seemed to be more surprised that I was walking at all! One of the pictures has encouraged me to think that it's only soft tissue pressure caused by the ruptured disc, but the surgeon did not accept that conclusion! So, he'll see when he gets in there. He predicts that I will be released from hospital on Monday unless there are complications. After that, he assures me, I will be feeling real pain in the lower back, but I'll have drugs to allay that! Then, he predicts I will get relief from the butt and leg pains in short order, but that the neuropathy can not be expected to dissipate very soon, or possibly ever. Is it delicate, risky? Of course it is. No surgery is risk-free, and the spinal column is particularly complex. Thus, I covet your prayers over the surgery and the rehab work to follow. Thanks