Thank you all for your best wishes. Sometimes there's a silver lining in what seems to be a bad situation. I just learned yesterday that, on top of the problems with my cervical spine, I have a torn right shoulder rotator cuff! Luckily, it seems, the first stage of treatment, before any surgery is considered, is to not put pressure on the shoulder and to allow the cuff to heal itself. Since I will be laid up for a month or so after my neck/spinal surgery and will not be allowed to do any lifting, turning, fixing, building, gardening, boating, or driving, I will be simultaneously allowing my rotator cuff to heal, possibly avoiding an additional surgery. Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor? Safe boating, all. Hy