@bilt4pain Thank you! You must be familiar with golden retrievers. Our 5 year old golden is the best! I'm glad to hear that the recovery from cervical surgery is not as hard as lumbar surgery. Yes, the cervical surgery makes me squeamish too! And for the same reason! The idea of an incision in the front, if there is one, really bothers me. I have been living with neck pain for many years already and I don't relish the idea of making it worse before it can get better. I have already discussed post op pain control with my spine surgeon and he assures me that it will be done differently this time. My post op pain control after my lumbar fusion was not optimal because I have complex regional pain syndrome. I will definitely address the range of motion issue in regards to driving with him. Thanks for your information and your encouragement.