New here and freaking out a little (ok a LOT)

[momoftwo]

I feel a little bit like I have been living the last coupe of weeks in medical hell. On Monday I went to see a Neurosurgeon here and left in a shell-shocked stuper scheduled for ACDF (not sure if it is 1 or 2 level) surgery next Tuesday. After the crying fits subsided and I started researching what all this is about, I am more confused than ever and don't even know what questions I should be asking my Dr's or what kind of Dr I should be seeing. I called yesterday and canceled my surgery and am currently scheduled to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon on Monday. I also want a seond NS eval.

So here's my story... I am 40 yrs old, never had any major back or neck pain until about last 6 months, when I started gradually getting a stiff neck and some arm pain (shoulders, triceps, elbow and two numb/tingly middle fingers). The pain is constant but by no means dibilitating and really about a 1.5 on the pain scale. I have no other symptoms really. At the end of August I was swimming (something I do often) and during a normal casual stroke I felt searing pain down my neck and arm and almost passed out in the pool). It was really sore for a few days and then ached a little more to about a 2-3 on the pain scale. My regular Dr gave me prednisone ofr two weeks and it was like a magic bullet, no pain at all. She also sent me out for an MRI. When it came back, the radiologists report caused my reg. Dr to send me to the Neuro guy. That brings us to this week, the NS told me I need surgery ASAP and when I asked about waiting or physical therapy, he said "you don't have weeks to make up your mind".

I think I was so stunned and scared I pretty much shook my head and agreed to everything because I was so overwhelmed and scared. When I got home, I freaked out on my poor DH and then all the questions started coming. So I have pretty much spent the last 48 hrs researching and have come to the conclusion that I am being pushed into MAJOR surgery without exploring any other options. I will post the radiologists report below because I don't really understand it, but it certainly doesn't have language in it that indicated to me I was in a serious situation with no time. (Someone please help me understand if there is and I am missing it!!!!!).

In general, I ahve DDD and neck arthritis with one disc herniated pressing on my spinal cord "mildly". He told me no physical therapy because there was compression on my spinal cord and it would do damage. He also said I could be causing permenant nerve damage with possibilities of gradual damage leading to paralysis.

So here is the weird part, I am not limited in any activites, I am not laid out writhing in unGodly pain (Thank God!!!) I have NOT ONE thing I can't do that I normally would. I have some pain, but it is certainly managable with a couple advil. Am I crazy or does my neurosurgeon need to make a payment on his Ferrari? What are all the other alternatives and where can I go find out about pros/cons to each (Cervical Disc replacement, foramenectomies, laminectomies, MAST... etc.?)

Can anyone offer me some advice what to ask? Thank you sincerely if you are still reading this!

Here's the report:
FINDINGS: At C5-6, there is a dorsal disc osteophye complex which causes at least modest stenosis. There is some increased T2 signal within the right lateral aspect of the cervical cord which may be some edema. The degenerative complex extends towards the origin of the right neural foramen. This could be causing a right C6 radiculopathy. Uncinate degeneration is found bilaterally which is mild. The canal measures approximately 7.5mm in maximal AP dimension.

At C6-7, a similar degenerative disc/osteophyte complex dorsally extends into the left neural foramen. Modest canal stenosis is found with the canal measuring approximately 8mm in AP dimension at it's narrowest. Modest left-sided foraminal stenosis is also aoccurring. Correlate for left C7 radiculopathy.

The remainder of the cervical posterior disc margins are maintained. There is no edema signal within the marrow of the cervical vertebral bodies. There is a hemangioma within the left side of the C7 vertebral body. The craneocervical junction is unremarkable. The perivertebral soft tissues are unremarkable.

IMPRESSION: Degenerative changes at C5-6 and C6-7 as discussed with at leadt modest canal stenosis at these levels. There is suspicion for soem edmea in the right side of the cervical cord at C5-6. There is some narrowing of the origin of the right neural foramen at C5-6 and of the left C6-7 foramen. Correlation for radiculopathy in the right C6 and left C7 nerve root distributions is suggested."