The surgery he described is a bit different than the one you had, IFjane. He said I don't have a bone spur, but that the PF is too short and needs to be lengthened. He said they'd cut the entire width of the PF, then set it, cast it, and it would grow back together longer than before. He said I'd have a cast for 4 weeks, then I'd have to use the giant boot for a few weeks. He also said I couldn't run for about 3 months afterward.
I didn't ask many more details because I wasn't really considering surgery at that moment. I'm all about exploring EVERY other option before I go under the knife (but I think it may come down to surgery in the end).
I ran 6 today because I have a race this weekend that I needed to make sure I could do. During the run no pain at all. The rest of the day; pain on and off. He showed me a different foot taping technique that held my arch much more securely than before. Between the tape, the orthotics, and the motion control shoes: I think I did OK.