I can so sympathize with you. I have had cervical spine surgery for 2 diskectomies and fusions. That one was easy to deal with because I could go out walking.

I had surgery Nov 2007 for severe spinal stenosis. They did 2 levels and what I had myself convinced would be a breeze was, let's say, anything but. My doctor kept telling me it would take a good 4 months and one day I realized I wasn't hurting so much. I looked at the calendar and it was almost 4 months exactly. I still have 4 herniated disks and spondolysthesis which has caused some pretty good arthritis in my lumbar spine. I'm up to walking a mile a day and about 15 minutes on the treadmill in the morning. I just try to push through the discomfort.

Have you tried an epidural at all? I had 2 and the first one was amazing. I literally had NO pain at all for almost 5 weeks. The second didn't do jack.

Good luck with the surgery. You will get through it and be happier for it.