As the appointment to see the surgeon had still not come through and I was starting to get really down, I decided to pay to see him privately 2 weeks ago rather than waiting till late January.
I had to consult the flood maps before I left home as the hospital is in Worcester but in the end although the river Severn was very high I had no problems.
After taking my history and a quick poke with a paper clip of my legs to test for sensation loss we sat down to discuss options. I went in expecting to come out with decision to make about paying for the operation or to wait for it on the NHS but he surprised me by saying he thought I should not have an operation this time and should try another injection.
I had been told up until now I had a disc bulge that needed shaving off but he indicated the scan shows a full disc prolapse with a blob of disc floating around inside the nerve sheath. Apparently this blob will dissolve over time and another injection should just take any remaining inflammation down whilst this happens.
So I am back waiting again although with a different attitude. I know now after 15 months that any thoughts of racing elite again in the next couple of years are gone and it is more about trying to get fit enough to get back riding, walking and running recreationally and I have accepted it and am just concentrating another stuff.