I agree with your decision, Catrin, and you must have been surprised by his quick recommendation for surgery. Hope you get some relief.
I don't see any difference in my memory or cognition. In fact, I think it's actually better now. Not that I was dumb before (), but I think all that writing I did for my second master's, and being with young people have kept me on my toes.
Physically, I've had chronic, weird stuff since i was 15. It's just worse now, though I deal with it much better. I do think I have some arthritis, but mysteriously, it all gets better if I stop exercising so much! That won't happen, so I am used to it.