[sahuaro]

Mark:
You've piqued my curiosity about the difference in instrumentation...

The EMG findings are indeed exciting and important given the background to the decision to have surgery: I've been sitting on the fence, dealing with these cervical issues for just about 7 years, but what pushed the issue was having a repeat EMG a year ago which showed changes from prior studies and definitely demonstrated radiculopathy for the first time. But then the neurologist who did the pre-surgery EMG's insisted that the nerve damage was permanent and therefore I should not have surgery. I decided to go ahead with the surgery anyway and it looks like I made the right decision--I don't have the complete EMG report from the surgery so there may indeed be at least some permanent damage but it looks like at least some damage was indeed reversible.

I think this is an important and hopeful piece of information for others who are also on the fence and/or having neurologists claiming to knowledge they may not really have.