Help!!! They want to cut me.

hello all, i am a 37 year old truck driver and on 1-30-08 i got hurt while on my job. i am in extreme pain and 3 fingers on my right hand are completely numb, i also have lost almost all use of my right arm(tricep muscle). have been to one neurosurgeon in macon,ga who wanted to cut me and do a 4 level fusion. i am getting a 2nd opinion at emory spine center in atlanta on 4-18-08 which will probably be the same as the first one. my experience with these types of surgeries are not good, friends and relatives that have had them are either no better off or worse. i finally had to hire a lawyer because workers comp. was giving me such a hard time and now my employer seems to be joining in. my atty. says i will probably not be able to return to work driving a truck after this surgery due to the extended periods of sitting and excessive road vibration shock. i would love to hear from someone who has been in a similar situation and could give me some advice as far as my career goes. should i start thinking about a new line of work? i will post the radiology report below, thanks in advance for any advice.


HISTORY: Degenerative disk disease.


MRI OF THE CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST
Sagittal TI. and fast spin—echo T2-weighted images and axial Ti and gradient~-echo images of the cervical spine were acquired.

Comparison is made to plain films performed on January 30, 2008. The fourth ventricle is normally located. There is no evidence of tonsillar herniation. Cervical spinal cord has normal signal and morphology. Vertebral body marrow signal is within normal limits. There is mild annular disk bulge at C3—C4. At C4-C5, there is posterior osteophytosis with minimal cord compression anterolaterally to the left of midline and spinal stenosis. At C5—C6, there is posterior osteophytosis with minimal cord compression and spinal stenosis. Cord compression involves the right anterolateral aspect of the spinal cord. At C6-C7, there is posterior osteophytosis and a right paracentral disk herniation with effacement to the lateral recess and compression of the anterior lateral aspect of the spinal cord. Oncovertebral joint degenerative changes are seen on the right at C5-C6 with neuroforaminal encroachment. Paraspinal soft tissues are unremarkable.


IMPRESSION
1. Cervical spondylosis.
2. Annular disk bulge at C3—C4.
3. Posterior osteophyto.sis at C4—C5 and C5—C6 with minimal cord compression.
4. Right paracentral disk herniation at C6-C7 with minimal cord compression and effacement of the lateral recess.
5. Facet arthropathy on the right at C5-C6 with neuroforaminal encroachment.




Exam Physician: Frederick Falchook, MD


Dictation Date/Time: 02/01/2008: 1707 Transcri~ption Date/Time: 02/01/2008: 2223