Constant back pain, diagnosis, and prognosis.

I'm 41 years old and have suffered from intermittent low back pain for years. It was determined that I have degenerative disc disease and an MRI was ordered. I went to the doctor yesteday and he said the results of the MRI show I have 4 vertebrae that are messed up (can't recall which ones he said), a bulging disc that is pressing against both sides of my spinal nerves - causing the extreme and now consistent low back pain, and I also have another bulging disc that is torn. He said the degereration is so bad that there's nothing that can be done other than to continue my steady course of pain management medications. In addtion, I have both osteroarthristis and rheumatoid arthritis and I have yet another MRI being scheduled (brain) to determine whether or not I have Mutiple Sclerosis, as he suspects from other symptoms and because my paternal half-brother was diagnosed with MS several years ago. Not intending to joke, but I'm much more accurate than the local weatherman. I can only sleep on my left side with a pillow between my knees to keep my hips as even as possible if and when I can sleep....I have more pain on the right side than the left. There have been many days over the past 2 years that I've literally had to have help getting out of bed and/or crawl to the bathroom, crying in extreme pain. The pain itself is located in my lower back, both hips, shoots sharply down the back of my legs and even into my groin area and into my knees. Rarely does it go any further. I have numbness and tingling (pins and needles) in part of my right hand as well, fall or teeter like a drunk occasionally, and have trouble with motor skills rendering me unable to hold onto even small things. I cannot tolerate the heat like I used to, but the cold brings on even more pain. I know things are only going to get worse as time goes on and it really frightens me to think I may end up in a wheelchair one day. I've read and read and read some more on each condition and nothing I've seen has done anything to show me a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. So, I guess my question is how or what, if anything, can I do to lead a semi-normal life in the meantime. I get extremely depressed, as I'm sure you can imagine and the quality of my life just plain stinks, I raised three sons and two nephews. I have a grandchild and two more on the way and I never once thought my "golden years" would be overtaken with such pain, misery, and despair. I want to be a part of my grandchildrens' lives. So please, any suggestions? Thank you, Tab