Hi CJ and welcome to the forum,
You've come to the right place but you do need to calm down. Others have walked in your shoes and come out whole so take a deep breath.
Fusing should be done only as a last resort and only when you completely understand exactly what it means and what to expect. Your personal insurance and finacial circumstances come into play as well.
Your discs are herniated, bulging or any other word that means the same thing. The discs are named for the vertabrae they lay between, eg; S1 is the only sacral vertabae, the one on the bottom and L5 is the bottom lumbar vertabrae. The bottom disc is called S1/L5. This appears to be one of the discs causing your pain. The one above it is called L4/L5 and also appears to be a pain generator.
My very first suggestion is to call Mark. His website is
www.globalpatientnetwork.com. He'll calmly explain your situation as he understands it (he's not a doctor but a spinal patient advocate) and if he can't recommend a doctor in your area, Fresno isn't really all that far from Los Angeles. You absolutely need another opinion. Going straight to fusion is the old way. While you may ultimately have this surgery, you should exhaust other options first.
Insurance companies don't like to pay for ADRs, artificial disc replacement. If you have the funds to pay for it yourself, it may be in your best interest to do so. If your finances don't allow for this, there are also trials but I'm getting way ahead of myself. Then again, insurance companies are beginning to come around and you may be lucky, assuming that you are indeed an ADR candidate.
So please call Mark. Get yourself educated so you understand your condition and your options. Ask questions and don't let your doctor bully you. You are paying for his services and if he puts your off or diminishes your concerns, find another one. And ditto to the second, third ... opinions.
I'm very sorry for your pain but there is help out there. We're here to help you, offer support and suggestions. We've been there, done that and understand exactly how you feel.
I wish you good luck, Dale