Fear not. We do survive these approaches. I have a titanium plate which was mounted from anterior surgery to fuse my cervical spine. It was far more frightening to me NOT to have the procedure since to have failed in taking on the help would have consigned me to the loss of the use of both of my arms due to dramatic degenerative yuk. My nerves were being systematically sqeezed off/choked off so the arms were getting zero contact.

Now five months post surgical I am grateful to even be able to type this message...... something I could no longer do pre-surgery.
Yup,
Pray for ya,
Mark56