Well todays visit to hospital revealed that the specialist spine surgeon is quite concerned about my back and says I'm just of the 'emergency treatment' scale and if it gets any worse at all before they can get me in for surgery I'll need to go straight to a&e.
So it looks like im going to have to have an operation, really a bit concerned about this.
I'm gutted I cannot sue HM forces for their lovely illegal PT sessions, I'm also very cross with my former workplace for thinking I was putting it on and writing me a shite reference despite the fact I was dragging myself into the bastard place and in agony while teaching.
Not a good day.
So I can happily ref and attend games, actively participating in stuff might be off the agenda until I've had the MRI scans and or op.
(post duplicated in PBI orgnaisers so evo and major can see it)
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Not for me to say but I would say it's a good day Gadge. It needs sorting and if it's an op that's needed, it's an op it will be.
Things started happening very quickly for me once I'd got to see a consultant, GP's are just a bunch of of pushers...
Also, you should discuss your bad reference with someone in the legal profession as it's very bad form to provide a bad reference and actually something you can sue over.
Did the consultant discuss disability allowance with you?
I've my union on the reference issue.
I dont want disbility if i can possibly help it as its going to hinder getting further work
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Sorry to hear that dude.
Regarding the Disability allowance, thats pretty much what others have told me. Once thats against your name potential employers wont be able to show you the door fast enough (sad, but true)
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........
Exactly, i'm currently on benefits and doing 16 hours supply work a process.
Means im activley looking for work and doing as much as i can handle as well.
If i can find a sedantry job in education i'll be able to do it but i reckon i'll need at least a week off post operation to heal up
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Did the consultant say what the op entailed?
Releiveing the pressure on my sacral nerves, at the moment i have 'saddle' numbness... i 've very little sensitivity from thigh to navel.
Its a bit like having an incredibly tight pair of swimming trunks on feeling wise... 
I cant feel much of my little toes either.
Problem is although I prefer this to the utter bloody agony every time i stood up or walked with the sciatic pain its symptomatic of much greater damage
I'm not up for finding out but i do wonder how much it would hurt wihout the painkillers patches.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
LOL, like the simile - I feel like that when I have to wear underpants (which I rarely do!) Sounds like keyhole surgery then - in and out of hospital and no sitting, only perching for three weeks 
As long as there is no risk of losing the use of my legs or my wedding tackle i dont care
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
I'm sorry ot hear all this Gareth , although hopefully an operation in your early 30's will avoid major problems in your 50's , plus you're probably fitter than most people going in for this op . Anything we can do to help otherwise just ask . Best of luck , keep us updated mate .
Cheers guys will let you know
It just shook me when numbness in the arse arised replacing bloody agony in the left leg (i was triple dosing on tramadol before they gave me morphine) and instead of this being 'healing' as i thought it was (i.e. less pain) its actualy really really bad....
(apparently)
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."