Thank you so much for your kind & informative reply, Lookieloo.

L&I = labor & industries - they want a 1 event injury to account for a workmans comp injury - when it is established fact that back injuries occur through years of wear & tear. I went to 1 neurosurgeon years back, typical corporate type who said no this is not L&I. I ended up going to a different neurosurgeon I knew (I knew both from working with them before) who didn't see it that way, & thankfully told me at least 51% of the injury had to be from lifting as a nurse. I have been involved in ballet & dance most of my life - that is damaging to spines too.
I might have been able to get the original claim reopened, but it would not do me much good. It would have covered the medical bills but they will not pay time loss (monthly income) on a reopened claim unless it happens within 7 years of the time closed. And they are pretty safe with lumbar fusions, they tend to last ten years or so, at least the successful ones do. I think it's a wrong system - they know these surgeries don't last forever especially for active people. But those are the rules.

I will go find a different doctor. I've been checking reviews & many seem to be of the ilk of my present surgeon - great guys if you do well but the worm turns if you aren't. Then you are just a whiner / malingerer, don't ask them for the time of day. He told me that I should go back to work because sitting around & getting depressed while your world shrinks will only make the pain worse. Well, I'd be happy to go back to work if my pain wasn't so bad. He thinks people who go back to work do well - but that's backwards thinking. The people who are doing well naturally go back to work - work doesn't fix them! I just don't want to find another corporate sell out. I was going to use a different term but don't know if that will get me in hot water here.

If anyone in the seattle area knows of an orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon who is capable of being an advocate for patients with many objective findings (my MRI is a hot mess of stenosis, bulging disks - all post surgery when it should have been fixed - plus I have a bad scoliosis now that happened post fusion) please PM me. Or post here. Thank you!