Back and Neck Pain Exchange

Hello. My mother and I were in a wreck in March '10. We hit a ditch going 60 mph. The next day I woke up in severe neck pain. I could barely move my neck was so sore. I asked to go to the hospital, but my mother believes only those bleeding or dying should go (don't ask). So a month later we finally got into an appt with an orthopaedist. He passed on my case with some simple "exercises" and an NSAID. Needless to say, none of that helped. I went to a chiropractor next and stayed with him until I had exhausted all the options he gave me. I went to a clinic and that doctor referred me back to the orthopaedist. I disagreed going back to that same doctor. Next I went to my neurologist I stay with for my migraines. He gave me a steroid shot in the back of my neck. He said if my neck pain went away after the numbness subsided, then that nerve was the problem. Needless to say, that didn't help. Next he ordered an MRI of my neck (this was two or three weeks ago). His office called I needed an MRI of my brain, so I got one a few days ago. They called again yesterday and said the cyst that was in my neck (which i wasn't aware of) wasn't benign. They had no opening appointments so i have to wait until next January to get in. My neck hurts all the time. It hurts even more when I have to lean it down to read or write in school. Since I've had to do that even more lately thanks to exams, my neck pain is unbearable. It's sore, tight, achy. I'd give it a 7.5 on a scale of 10 most days, but lately it's been an 8.5. My right arm tingles and is numb when i lean my left ear to my shoulder (a recommended exercise by most). My neck is overall stiff, sore, and achy. I don't feel like I have full use of it. What can I do? Why is it still sore? Why does leaning my neck down (anything other than looking straight out) make it worse? Is it normal for my neck pain to be almost as bad 8 months later as it was on the day after it first happened?