Miss Ginnie, I do so appreciate your prayers and posts immensely.

Here's how it went:
He said that he could "fix" the nerve pain in my legs with an 80% chance of a good outcome.
He "could" fuse my back now with a 50 percent chance of a good outcome or no change or the pain could be worse afterward, but right not now he could see nothing in the MRI reading that would definitively cause the level of back pain that I have, and the back pain outweighed my leg pain (although when asked to rate leg to back pain on their questionnaire, I said 50 / 50). Maybe he made his assertation from the fact I never sat down while he was talking to me - I was either leaning over a table or squatting in the floor). He wants to do a CAT as he suspects there is a hidden fracture which may or may not have healed - incorrectly healed by itself on the anterior (the side of the spine facing your front) and that is what is causing the level of back pain - mostly....
He also said that he does not prescribe drugs unless he does surgery on a patient BUT he could send me to his physiatrist (I had to look this word up - not sure I'm spelling it correctly here either) i.e., another doctor, another bill. That in itself leaves me up the creek, as I have been taking Percocet and Gabapetin for 3 months now in order to halfway function, and both require weaning off of. He said "then we have a problem". ???????

As far as his bedside manner, he could have checked his ego at the door. Young guy, granted he does practice at a major highly rated facility and obviously Highly educated (he made a point of stating he treats cancer patients - very honorable of him - but what does that have to do with anything right this minute?), only been practicing for 5 years. He talked about money and cost more than either of the other 2 doctors I've seen. One of those was a pain specialist anesthesiologist who did the epidural and told me I needed surgery. This dr. totally disregarded any opinion that guy had. I guess the anesthesiologist's MD is not as important as HIS MD. He said I expect alot, but I have no insurance yet here I am in his clinic. My thought was "I just paid a $1000 UPFRONT to be here in YOUR overly decorated CLINIC" but of course I kept my mouth shut.

The fact I do not have insurance is as messed up as my back. I rightfully take the fault for no insurance.

I did not schedule the CAT - which would be done in HIS CLINIC. Need to mull over all this some.