Hi Alfred
It’s horrible what you are going through, hopefully they can find away to get you fixed and pain free.

I am in the Illawarra, NSW Australia, i am 41 and have 4 children.
I am going through work cover so also finding it hard to get different tests and procedures approved.
My injury started in April 2022, I’ve been doing physio and hydrotherapy 2-3 times weekly since then until now (15mths)
it took the drs 5 months to figure out it was my neck rather than shoulder bursitis (April 22- sept 22) then took them another 5 months to approve and do the surgery.
I was like you sceptical of surgery, but with the amount of pain I was in, I was willing to try anything, I really did not have a choice.
I was told it was a very successful operation and that in 6-12 weeks I’d be back on my feet.

Before surgery;
C5/6 Disc: Disc osteophytic changes causing moderate right neural foraminal narrowing and indentation over right C6 exiting nerve root.
There is also indentation over the cervical spinal cord at this level.
C6/7 Disc: Disc osteophytic changes causing right neural foraminal narrowing and indentation over right C7 exiting nerve root.

After surgery;
Anterior spinal fusion at C6/7 level with satisfactory alignment. There is loss of disc signal at C5/6 level with disc height space reduction and there is stretching of the posterior longitudinal ligament at this level with disc-osteopnvte complex
There is effacement of the anterior CSF space with also undulation of the anterior surface of the cord. There is slight blurring of the signal at the right-sided dorsal root ganglion at this level and narrowing of the right neural foramen.

This has gone on almost 15 months now..
I also tried to look into the laser surgery but both the neurosurgeons I seen agreed fusion was the only fix.
The second neurosurgeon Dr Pope (he is head neurosurgeon at the matter hospital in North Sydney) supposed to be one of Australia’s best, just a suggestion to connect him, he also does Skype consultations.
They are putting me in for another ketimine infusion next week, and also want to do a spinal tap to check for MS as I also have multiple lesions (white/grey) matter on the brain which they found via mri after my last horrific migraine, they have been suggesting in future I may need a nerve stimulator implanted, which I am not keen on, I’ve heard horror stories.
I seem to think my pain now is from the nerve roots being compressed for so long prior to the surgery, so hopefully they can find a way to help you before your nerves are permanently damaged.

I find I sleep better in my recliner chair than in bed as I also have trouble laying down.

It may not sound like much but I have found nurofen gel (only the nurofen brand) rubbed on my neck and shoulder every few hours seems to help dull the aching burning pain.