@jayjay1926 I didn't think pain after cervical fusion surgery was that bad. The pain meds nauseated me, so I didn't take them at all after I left the hospital. I did just fine. It was exhausting. Ice helps. If you fear pain, it makes it worse. I accepted that this was healing pain and that was a good thing. All of the spine symptom pains that I had before surgery were gone after surgery when I woke up. Think of that as progress when you get there.