I knew someone who had spondilytis of the neck. Got so bad he couldn't move. He was virtually paralysed in the end.

Apparently it was incurable and progressive.

Died young too early 50's. although I think that came as a relief to him.

I read in the paper once about a guy whose leg hurt so bad that he laid it across a train track to get rid of it because the doctors wouldn't amputate.

He died of course.

Good luck with it.