Hi Mike, good to meet you. I had the same surgery in 2002 and have never regretted it. I have continued to have other spinal degeneration and still deal with pain but it is nowhere near the pain that I had before my first surgery! I have a wonderful ortho surgeon and I went the whole route of conservative treatments for years before fusion. By that time I would have done anything to reduce the pain. I know that there are more spinal problems in my future but I am still moving and can even still play some golf on good days! So you are right, there are successful surgeries being done all the time. Think positively!
Kat