[Scared]

I am a female in my 20's who has been suffering from extreme pain in my thoracic spine. I found a surgeon that thinks he can help me by doing a fusion. I just wanted someone who understands to tell me if it's the right decision. How painful is it? Is it worth it? How was your experience? I'm absolutely terrified! Here is what has been found:





Findings: On the scout localizer there is reversal of the normal cervical lordosis with mild disc osteophytic ridging in the cervical spine with still mild spinal canal and neural foraminal stenosis. There is a mild dextroconvexity within the thoracic spine. There is no definite subluxation of vertebra and no compression fractures. At least mild to moderate degenerative space narrowing in the mid thoracic spine. There is mild associated degenerative endplate irregularity and mild associated endplate spurring anterior in the mid and lower thoracic spine. Overall the neural foramina in the thoracic spine appears mildly narrowed.
T4/5: Disc space narrowing on the left side with a left lateral disc osteophyte complex, this is foraminal and subarticular without significant spinal canal narrowing and no more than mild narrowing of the left neural foramen. T5/6: Disc space narrowing on the left side. Mild anterior and posterior disc osteophytic ridging with a slightly more focal left lateral, subarticular and foraminal disc hernia with mild mass effect on the left lateral recess. Only mild spinal canal narrowing is present. The left neural foramen is mildly narrowed. T8/9: Right central there is a disc herniation with mild extrusion of disc
material. The disc remains unchanged compared to the previous exam and measures approximately 5 mm from anterior to posterior and approximately 8-9 mm from superior to inferior. On the right side the spinal canal is mild to moderately narrowed with mild mass effect on the right ventral aspect of the thoracic
spinal cord. There is no frank spinal cord compression or spinal cord edema. This is still relatively small to medium sized right central disc herniation. This is unchanged compared to the previous exam. Minimal disc osteophytic ridging at other levels for example T6/7 and T7/8. Mild or subtle degenerative facet arthritis for example on the left side at T9/10. Mild degenerative endplate signal changes best seen at T8/9 representing a
combination of Modic Type-I and Type-II. Impression: 1. Mild scoliosis in the spine with mild degenerative disc and facet disease. Small left lateral disc herniations at T5 and T5/6 with only mild narrowing of the left neural foramina. 2. Right central disc herniation at T8/9 remains stable with mild to moderate spinal canal narrowing and minimal mass effect and displacement of the thoracic spinal cord. This appearance remains unchanged. No spinal cord edema and no frank spinal cord compression. 3. Mild degenerative changes in the cervical spine.