I had typical sciatica with severe pain running down the back of my right leg and even under the foot. I could not walk unless bent over and standing for longer than a minute, my leg would go completely numb. I had an MRI that diagnosed severe narrowing of the nerve canal at L4 and L5 but the local Orthopaedic surgeons wanted to do a triple laminectomy with fusion. I could not get my head around this and another 18 months later I was recommended to try a lady Neurosurgeon. She looked at the MRI and said that she could do a partial laminectomy at the single level L4/L5  One week later I had the operation. Two days after the operation I was home and the following day I was walking the dog three times a day.

For the first time in nearly three years I am totally pain free, can walk and stand, but I have been told never to lift anything heavier than 5 kilograms. 

The best time of the day used to be going to bed at night, now it is getting up in the morning. It has given me a new lease on life - I feel like a new man.