Me and many of my friends have been through this.All i can tell you is we still have all the bad discs and we have no pain and i can carry you or your father to the end of my street. If your father has a shred of an open mind get him "Healing back pain " by Sarno (head of orthopdcs at NY Univ.) Barnes and noble has it or can order it in paperback($10). This is the situation that lead to the largest revelational learning experience of my life (58 yrs.) Everyone who is interseted in their own health should read it.