I currently live in the Columbus, OH area, where I work for Qwest Communications in the IT department. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I ride / race motorcycles for fun, when my back is willing and able. Since August of 2004, my back is definitely neither willing, nor able. If you look here, you will find some pre-op pictures of the two herniated discs in my lower back. Trust me, it just hurts. All the time. A lot.
19-OCT-2005: After a trip to Yale University Hospital, looks like I will be participating in an Activ-L vs. Prodisc study sometime around September 2006. This means that I have a 100% chance of a two level disc replacement, at no cost to me or my insurance company (who probably would have denied me anyway).
5-APR-2006: Here are some ADR (Artifical Disc Replacement) documents that I find interesting / helpful: ADR documents
7-NOV-2006: As much as I tried to wait for Dr. Yue’s study, it just wasn’t in the cards. Seven days from today, I will be on the operating table in Straubing, Germany with Dr. Bertagnoli. Not the perfect outcome (at a cost of around 28,000€), but I was left with no other options (other than waiting more).