hi. i just started an account with the mayo clinic and you are the first post u clicked on. i had two spinal surgeries as well this past year and it did not turn out ideally. i am 51 years old and i hide my pain because most people don’t understand what you are going through. i had c3-c6 dissection and fusion of discs and the verbal collapsed due to the hardware. and then i had c2-c7 dissection and fusion of vertebrae. it’s been a tough one for me and if i could go back in time i would just let myself be on the couch and let someone take care of me. there is no shame in that. none. also i got a memory foam set of pillows if you can call it that from amazon and that made my life much easier. you can put the pillows together however is best for your comfort and need of support for whichever area you need it. that was a game changer for me. hang in there! be patient as i’m being told constantly. it takes time.