Thanks for the good humor and links. After reading the linked content closely and carefully cataloging my symptoms it seems the worst of it is the C7 nerve. My index and middle fingers are far more impacted than the ring and pinky fingers. It was kind of a trip to learn about nerves 7 & 8 this way.
I had one question about the surgical options and that was fusion versus replacement. Some of the articulated prosthesis devices look attractive. Is it just fantasy on my part to think beyond “fixing” to restoring some kind of earlier healthier state?