[jsewell]

As far as i am concerned if you gave the mri or xray to 3 different people you will get 3 different answers. At least possibly.
I have had my thoracic discs not sound that bad and still cause unbelievable amounts of pain. So not a good comparison. You know how much this effects your life and you are way to young to be stopping activity.

I am a very active individual and spent years mountain trail running, then hiking after a hip replacement 2 years ago. Doc said no more running but anything else is ok. Now my spine just kind of fell apart in the last year and a half, although i had pain for a number of year. As an example of not being afraid. I in sept had T2 thru L2 fused and other things done to free up; the nerves and breaking the bone to reconstruct the spine in a few places. Following that my neck went into a rare position where my head was on my chest and i could not really raise it up. so back to a bigger surgery and fusion and other nerve freeing surgery from C4 thru T5 (some revision as the rods were coming out of my spine)
All is well now, except my lumbar spine.

But amazingly i can still move (haven't got the neck /back braces off yet)
But i am 53. Big difference.
I would try any minimally invasive surgery at your age, you can always convert to a fusion if need be (although i have no info on ADR)

Sorry it was so long but it struck my heart to hear you have given up things , you need to get back to them. My spinal surgeon always tells me he wants me to get back to what i want to do ,not to be able to just be a couch potato and comfortable.

judy