Jan 30 at 2 pm so I will get some answers hopefully from the VA then.

Wish you well let us know.

Is this Just an appointment to discuss possibilities of surgery?
I told him NO 15 Yrs. ago. They said they could take out and put together and on and on but they could not say what the results would be. Hope things have improved 100% in U'r case.

I am also seeing a Neurosurgeon local to me that isn't connected to the VA at all. He thinks I should have surgery, but we haven't had a chance to sit down and discuss it yet. I have an appointment with him on the 11 of Feb and he ordered the steriod injections for the 9th.....The VA does know about me getting a second opinion with him. They actually said they were going to order one too, but I would have to go down about an hour and a half away to get it. This way it is local to me.

Your injury sounds like a back problem...
I went the surgery route while on active duty because I couldn't live without taking 800mg motrin 3Xday and I was 31 years old. While my pain has somewhat returned, I can still walk around and had a few years with no pain (now 41). My view was simply if the surgery didnt work, then I would still be in tons of pain.
-Phoenix