[Craig T]

Mike, I had the surgery in 2000, but only the C6-7 fusion. I took a risk and did a "Allograft" (cadaver bone) fusion rather than "Autograft" (your own bone). The Autograph has a MUCH better chance of fusing, but requires they harvest a chunk of your iliac crest (hip). That can be painful in itself. I was a heathy non-smoker, so the odds of allograft fusion was pretty good. If I was to do it again, I'd do the autograft.

I also elected to get a titanium plate "fixation". The surgeon told me the fixation stabilizes the fusion so that I can be more active earlier.

I've had a VERY good outcome and was working out with weights, golfing, and back to racing cars within a year. I had some trouble in the first 6 months, but physical therapy fixed that right up. If I'm inactive for a couple months, I can get stiff and sore, but I go back to the neck strengthening exercises and it clears right up. I do have arthritis around the fusion now 18 year later, which is common, but it doesn't seem to bother me that much.

18 months ago my SIL ruptured a disc in the sheriffs academy and got the artificial disc replacement. He is not doing well. He's going to UCLA this week for an MRI and re-eval. Apparently, his bone is growing up around the artificial disc plates in an attempt to fuse itself. Artificial disc replacement is still pretty new, and many are having this same bone growth problem. I would avoid that.

There are risks, but I wouldn't be afraid of the surgery. It sounds like you're have a pretty tough time now.