@billsapp Welcome to Connect. I think your surgeon has given you good advice about the timeliness of needed surgery. Also in Phoenix is Barrow Neurological Institute with some good surgeons. Typically there is a wait for a good surgeon for a consultation, and then to get on the surgical schedule. I hope you will be able get help soon. You can make a followup call to Mayo scheduling to find out if you are able to get in quickly.

Surgery is not going to give you your life back before spine problems. Your spine is in a delicate condition now, and surgery may stop further deterioration, but there may be some lingering damage or pain. You may need rehab after surgery. When you have a spinal fusion, it does increase the risk of adjacent segment disease, although, you likely have that now without having had surgery. Activities like surfing and motorcycles will put pounding stress on your body and spine. I am a spine fusion patient, and I do all I can to prevent extra stress on my spine. I know you were looking for a different answer, and it's OK to be sad, but realize that in making a choice now, you have a chance to prevent disability and a wheelchair. That is valuable to have a choice in what your future would be. For now, do the best you can to prevent falling. You don't want to add further injury to spinal cord compression. It's something I worried about too. I had spinal cord compression and have a fusion at C5/C6.