DogMama ~ Sounds like a big ole NO FUN painful diagnosis. So sorry to hear about it.

I was also going to mention that you might consider a recumbent. A good friend of ours with chronic neck pain (he's tried everything short of surgery) rides one and has ZIP neck pain on it. Yeah, I know it's not quite the same, but there is a lot to be said for pain-free riding. I can vouch for that since I've still got pain at the back of my ilium since my pelvic fracture when I ride longer or hillier courses. It's easy to take riding pain-free for granted until you can no longer do it. Pain takes a lot of fun out of our sport.

Thinking of you and sending healing wishes,

Emily