more questions for Cheri

Hi Cheri,
I had another MRI yesterday. I am attaching a few images which don't look much different from the ones taken a year ago which you saw last month. Unfortunately I don't really know how to read the images which look down vertically so I didn't include them.
Anyway, my pain seems to have improved a bit since my last e-mail. However, I have been having more neck pain lately, and I'm not sure if that is related. Also, my lower back pain seems a bit more localized on the left side, and I don't know if that means anything either. I'm somewhat worried about my facet joint arthritis issue, which Dr. Delamarter mentioned. Do you think that would be a major contraindication for surgery?
How is your pain level after the surgery? Are you pain free or have you ever been? Has the pain changed at all in the years since you had the procedure? Do you feel "bone pain"? Do you think your facet joints are doing OK?
Thanks again for answering my questions. I hope that you are doing well.
Brent