As long as you have a standing/squatting job and you can't stand for 6 out of 8 hrs,disability is basically a slam dunk.

I also have cervical spine problems and the last thing I would do is get a back operation. Like you say there are no guarantee's. My uncle had a back operation and something went terribly wrong and he never was able to walk again.

Mu husbands job required lot of standing, crawling, lot of dirty work, getting on his knee's, etc. He had a spinal fusion back in June, was on std, then tried to go back to work for a week, but his employer said he couldn't do his job 100% anymore and they had no jobs he could do, so they put him on LTD and he is pretty much taking a forced retirement. Thus, why he has had to apply for SSDI. LTD requires you apply. He has degenerative disk disease, 11 knee surgeries, one prosthetic in one knee and arthritis in both knees and spine, and also spondylilistheis, osteopenia, osteoarthritis. Waiting to see if he qualifies for disability. He can't sit or stand for more then 2hrs.....

I went back to work for 4 hrs and couldn't do anything . This was due too mostly heart problems but was disabled also with severe generative arthritis . Both the heart problems and arthritis prevent me from standing 6 out of 8 hrs.
I went through the LTD process and they got back their backpay. I will get paid LTD until I'm 65.

Congrates...

Thank you and good luck to you all. It is a huge load off of my mind knowing that at least financially we will be ok. Went to a massage therapist this mourning to try to lose some of the knots in my back. It helped a little, I just hope it lasts for more than just a couple of days.