Cubital tunnel syndrome

So after 9 years of fighting the system, i finally have a diagnosis for my pain although i now fear its too late.

In 2008 i started developing a problem with my left hand were my thumb would have what can only be described as a very deep itch. Being a typical man i chose to ignore it and went about my life.
In 2010 it gradually got worse to the point it was keeping me awake at night. so i made a doctors appointment to discuss the problem.
The first doctor said it could just be a muscle related problem and put me on a course of amitriptyline as a muscle relaxant which it did kind of work.
2011 the itching got worse and i started to develop shooting pains from my thumb to my elbow and across my wrist so once again i went back to the doctors who said it could be early onset carpal tunnel and that at night i was to sleep with my arm dangling over the bed.
i tried this up until 2013 but by now the pain was in my thumb, wrist and elbow so back to the doctors i went who then sent me off for an EMG test. This came back as a possible slight trapped nerve in my elbow and i was sent for physio for 6 weeks but this still didnt help me and by now i was starting to think it was just me.

2016 when it started to get to much too the point i had pain in my neck (left side), shooting pains from my shoulder to the hand, pins and needles/ numbness in my little finger and ring finger and a very painful elbow i once again went back to the doctors.I was sent for another emg test but this time i also was sent for an mri test on my neck to rule out TOS.
The mri test came back normal but with slight wear to my c4-c5 and c6-c7 discs but nothing out of the ordinary for someone my age (40) and the fact im a long distance driver and lift over 35kg items daily.
However the emg test came back with grossly positive left cubital tunnel positive of which i have been told i need cubital tunnel release surgey and/or possible cubital tunnel transposition.
Now what im unsure of is the recovery time and if i will ever be able to go back to long distance driving and heavy lifting or wether i now need a career change.