I had a ACDF C5-6-7 and I was the same way. I'd been through 9 other surgeries before but on this particular one I was worried about the big sleep. It invaded all of my thoughts. My pain levels before the surgery were about 6/10 with pain meds. Not well controlled.

So what did I do? I weaned off all the meds. Everything even the anti-inflamms. For 8 weeks I was in living hell. My pain levels were 9 or 10 all the time. By the end of week 8
I called the neurosurgeon and said let's get'r done. At that point I would have welcomed death as a warm friend. The pain I could no longer tolerate so the whole issue became a moot point.

I'm still leary of the big drug induced sleep. Last month I had to have surgery on my foot.
The surgeon said he used a general anesthetic. I told him that regional would be fine as all he was cutting on was my foot. For a minute he was at a loss for words. Then he said no one had ever questioned him or requested that before. I said it's either the regional or I'll find a new surgeon.

Needless to say the surgery went off without a hitch. No problems. The whole recovery thing was anti-climatic. Once he got it all sewed and bandaged up him and the anesthesiologist(sp) just stood there for an akward moment. Then the surgeon said "I guess you don't need to go to recovery your already awake, you might as well just go on home". The nurse wheeled me out to the waiting room, signed some papers, the wife brought the car around and off we went. From the end of surgery until I was out the door was 32 minutes.

Why can't they do that on spine surgeries???? I know the answer but still can't I still ask why???