@bonnie111 You are not to old for surgery in your early 70's. I am just a few years behind you, and my spine surgery was done in my very late 50's. I'm glad you are seeing your primary care doctor who will help you make sense of all of this. Endoscopic surgery isn't an option for everything, and with 2 levels needed, it may be better as an open surgery where the surgeon can easily see what he's doing. With minimally invasive surgery, they operate through small tubes so the field of vision is very small. They also need to put something in place to fill the space after a disc is removed, and that can't be pushed down a small tube because of the size of it.

Both neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons can do his surgery. I saw both specialties when I was getting an opinion, and ultimately I gave the job to a neurosurgeon who also had orthopedic fellowship training in spine deformity. Find the best surgeon who has a great track record and who is well respected by his peers.

I understand the fear too. Facing spine surgery was my biggest fear in my life. I had to do a lot to comfort myself and understand the fear and why it had such a grip on me. That was a journey that changed my life completely. I know how disabling fear can be and it does help to talk about it and work out your own plan of how to cope with it when the fear is rising up in your mind.

You may want to look at this discussion about facing fear.
Just Want to Talk - "How can I defeat my anxiety about medical tests and surgery?"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-can-i-defeat-my-anxiety-about-medical-tests-and-surgery/
I'll be interested to know what your primary doctor advises. Would you check in after your appointment?