Okay, the NS did not seem too concerned about the degenerative disease at C5-6. He was more concerned about the disc at C7 compressing my spinal cord. He showed us on the MRI films what he was seeing. My spinal cord is only 1/2 the size at the herniated disc, compared to the size at the healthy discs. He told me that it is not going to get better. I will have some days better than others and I will always have to be careful with everything I do. My options are therapy (done it and it has not helped), live with the pain or have surgery. I am a pansy and don't like pain, so don't want to live it. Plus, if I would be afraid that it would just flare up one night and then I won't be able to move in the morning. I know that is silly, but I am always looking at the worse case scenario of things! I think I am going to do the surgery, which he explained pretty well, I just need to decide if I want to be 90 min from home, or find someone only 30 min. from home. I am thinking that if my primary Dr. wanted me to see someone closer, he would have sent me there. This NS had patients from 2 states over waiting to see him today. That kind of leads me to believe he is good at what he does. Thoughts?