Thanks alot for your reply and I don't live near memphis so thats not really an option although I do live about 20 minutes away from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus so I might try calling them but I am not really sure what I need to say to the receptionist or what department to even ask for but guess I will find out when I call.

As for the free medical clinic goes I can no longer go there since you have to be working in order to go so as long as I stay out of work I can't go there either.

It's interesting you say it's the L4/L5 disc that is herniated and the guy from the hospital said it was L5/S1 herniation so which one is it or is it both. As far as pain goes I am not really suffering very much at all for what I expected with a disc herniation although I am in pain I have never felt that pins and needles thing most people talk about the the leg pain just feels like a bad cramp most of the time which is why I don't take anything other then a tylenol PM at nite I also don't have alot of numbness in my foot which is another thing I read alot about. I know I am one of the lucky ones when it comes to that or I have not had it long enough for it to get to that point, either way I don't have the same feeling most people seem to describe when they have a herniated disc.

I would also like to thank you for the advise about work. I have a heating pad that is built into a belt that I wear sometimes it doesn't seem to do alot but it does help a small amount. As far as ice goes I have tried it and it does nothing for me but make my back cold and sting so don't know bout that one.

The finding a place to lay down I think I can do on my lunch break in my car and like I said I take 5 minute breaks every hour and go outside to walk around so I could do some mild stretching at that time.

As for the water I have that covered I drink it like a fish (about 100 ounces a day) so I think I am pretty well hydrated. Eating hmmm thats a hard one because I barely eat anything these days because I have really bad stomach problems but I do eat healthy when I eat.

Finally I have a massaging back pillow that I bought about 2 months ago when I first started having the pain and use it most of the time so again I have that covered.

I will try to call the university in the morning to see what they might be albe to do for me other then that I think I am pretty ready to go back to work and even if I can't get the university to look at my charts I can at least go back to the free medical clinic once I have my job and show that Dr my scans and then he will not have a reason to not send me to a specialist.

I have rambled on enough it's time to take action and hopefully everything will work out in the end. I don't expect a miracle or anything I just want to be able to work and support myself like the majority of the rest of the world does thanks for the advise and allowing me to vent you all have been great.

Cheers,
Mike