Was recently diagnosed with cervical spondylosis. my dad is in a wheel chair because of it. how does this disease progress?

Very variable,slowly: Most people have some form of cervical spondylosis as we age. It basically is a fancy term for cervical arthritic changes. It is a bit early for a 35 year old such as yourself. Spondylosis by itself won't put anyone in a wheelchair unless it causes cord compression resulting in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Also not everyone with cord compression gets myelopathy. Hope this helps.

This is a universal: Finding as we age. It did not place your dad in a wheelchair but spinal stenosis leading to spinal cord compression may have. There is a genetic component to this as well as age related changes. Smoking accelerates this process as well.

Slowly: The typical course of spondylosis (i.E, arthritis) is slow progress. Most patients can go from having just neck pain to hand/upper extremity numbness/pain to leg numbness, unsteadiness, and then trouble walking and/or wheel chair bound situations. I suggest you just keep in close touch with you primary physician or neurologist in order to better understand new symptoms/signs you are feeling.