Dave
I have not got to the other side yet, but am going in for 2 level cervical surgery tomorrow after 13 years of trouble. The trouble has backed right down since being here, and I have had a few small patches of thinking 'what am I doing'! Especially when you sign the dotted line where you have to acknowledge the risks of the operation (albeit rare).
The thing that got me to this point and feeling good about it, is that I kept on asking myself this question "If I dont do this, what is the future?"
Always, the answer was that it will not repair itself now. If it fuses by itself, there is now spurs and osteophytes growing into the nerves that run out and into my arms/hands. And so this process will only worsen, if left unchecked, and it will squash the nerves in my arms as it does and I will lose use of my arms. I am an artist by profession. Its how I make a buck. Also the vertebrae have begun to bend into the spinal column. I have also pondered the potential catastrophic issues that could occur should I have a solid fall by accident, even slipping over. Things are too precarious, and spurs break off, and you can imagine the rest.
So I ended up counting my blessings that this medical technology was available to me, and that I could afford it. Two line crossers for me. That and of course to imagine a future if you DO NOT do it.
As for the surgeon? Dr Beirdstedt seems to be one of the best in the world, by his actions. Again like you, I am grateful for finding this forum so I did find out more about the finer points of ADR and the devices used, through the generous sharing of others here on the site.
Ill be posting in the post operative forum after tomorrow (as long as Dr Sleep wakes me up!)
You will be in hospital when I am at Medicos, by the sound of it. So hang in there and keep thinking of the consequences of not doing it! Sounds like you have nothing to lose except that serious pain.
Best Wishes
Heidi (helen)