What happens if you damage your L3, L4, and L5 spine?

Oh my gosh, what if something happened to my L3, L4, and L5? The thought alone makes my stomach churn. Seriously, it’s terrifying. I mean, my hips, my legs… my ability to walk? Poof, gone? Just like that? That’s not even the worst part, is it? I remember my aunt, bless her heart, she had sciatica so bad she could barely get out of bed. That agonizing numbness shooting down her leg… it was awful to watch. She’d be crying from the pain. And then, there’s the cauda equina. Those nerves at the very bottom of your spine… they control so much. Just thinking about the possibility of losing bladder and bowel control… I get physically ill thinking about it. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how that would change my life. My friend’s cousin went through something similar, and he still deals with the repercussions daily. It’s heartbreaking. So yeah, L3, L4, and L5? Treat them with respect, people! They’re way more important than I ever realized.