After a few weeks of waiting (and a rough night at our hotel last night), I saw my new Neurosurgeon this morning, Dr. Ashraf Samy Youssef, at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora.
Along with the paperwork they gave me to fill out at the clinic, I also had 5 pages of information typed out for them that includes all my symptoms, current medications, past medical & surgical history, etc. His nursing assistant and PA were very grateful for that, as it would make it much easier when doing their documentation.
After they reviewed my symptoms, history, and my MRI, Dr. Youssef is convinced that I do, in fact, have Chiari, as I have strongly suspected all along based on all my research. He actually pointed out something interesting on my MRI that I was not aware of before. At the base of my skull, there is supposed to be a curve in that part of the bone, but instead, that part of my skull is flat, so that's what's taking away the space for my brain. I had no idea about that, as it had never been brought up to me before. I've added a pic here to indicate what exactly he pointed out to me.
Dr. Youssef also answered a lot of my questions right off-the-bat without me having to ask him, and his PA gave me a business card with their direct office number if I have any other questions. He's ordering a Cine MRI, and he has offered me the posterior fossa decompression surgery. I know it will be a risky procedure, but at this point, after having to deal with other treatments that have failed, I'm willing to go ahead with the surgery. It would just be a matter of when, and then making sure we have a plan in place for before and after.
I am grateful that I pushed my doctor to put in a new referral, because now I have a good doctor who is actually listening!
29-MRI8282015skullnote.jpg (100 KB)