DPS... please talk to the doctor about them putting IN one of those new replacement disks. I don't want to throw a wet towel on the surgery, but I have yet to meet anyone who was not in pain after a disk was removed (if it wasn't replaced.)

They have a nifty spongey disk they can insert, so you have proper support etc. Please talk to them about it!

In any case, good wishes on a good outcome.