Hey Patrick, I just wanted to wish you well on your surgery! I had to have neck surgery while evacuated to Houston during Hurricane Katrina. When the doctor told me, I couldn't believe it (as if being evacuated, house damaged, a 3 week old kid, etc. wasn't enough). However, I was sitting in the hospital to get my pre-op watching images from the TV of hospital workers in New Orleans hanging sheets out the window to send help back home and thought, this could be much worse.
Anyway, I have my limits such as how much I'll lift and avoiding roller coasters, etc. However, that is pretty minor to be pain free and live my life. Those few months of constant nerve pain shooting down my arm and into my hand that pain medicine had no effect on was eye opening. You realize how crappy it is for those that live with chronic pain b/c it affects EVERYTHING you do.
Best of luck on the surgery and to a speedy recovery man!!!!