Dang I hate to hear that about Bob Hunt, sucks the fun out of life right now I bet.
Bob, if you are reading, i know they say misery loves company....there are a few of us with similar issues, Gene Martine just had a lumbar disk insert and lock device put in, maybe you should give him a call for some encouragement. His surgery went very well and he is even doing overhead eights already.
Personally, I've got a C3/C4 disk injury in my neck that if i think about it, leaves me with constant pain down my left arm, and when i screw up and over do something can take me out of action for a day or two... But, if i behave, it is manageable. Some day i may opt for the Peyton Manning surgery if they perfect it for us without multi million dollar salaries, or it gets to where i cant stand it or it shifts to my Right arm.
Hoping you have some good options to choose from and can get back what you have lost soon,
EricV