I'm just curious. I had my decompression 17 years ago and was pretty much sent home from the hospital with almost no instructions at all about what happens next. Before my surgery, my neurologist had told me that I had a Chiari but not to worry because they were going to "fix" me. To me fix meant actually fix like taking a car to the shop to get repaired. You wouldn't get a car back that wasn't back to normal and running properly. I learned at 28 years old that fixed to a neurologist or neurosurgeon does not necessarily translate to the general definition of what most folks think fixed is. I am really curious because there seem to so many folks on this blog that are kind of in the same situation that I was almost twenty years ago. It does not seem like some doctors explain the condition to the patients and their families, and do not really prepare them for what comes next after the surgery. I'm wondering now if patients are getting therapy referrals to either a physical therapist or an occupational therapist to help them get the range of movement and such back in their neck muscles. I remember when I got decompressed that my jaw did not line up right( still doesn't but finally got sort of okay). I could not chew, and I was sent home with huge oral pills to take that I could not swallow without choking even if they were broken up. I remember trying to explain to my neurologist that I couldn't eat or swallow my meds without choking...and he asked me if I was depressed. Anyway, I am hoping that things are totally different today and that when folks go into surgery that there is a system in place and therapist and professionals that help the patients along the way to recovering. I'm just curious though how many folks go into decompression surgery without a recovery plan. Anyway, I'm older but I'm planning on applying to graduate school in Occupational Therapy. I'm doing observations now in clinical setting as part of my application process, and I have yet to see someone recovering from a Chiari in therapy. I haven't heard anyone on here mention about going to therapy after decompression. I kind of thought that surgeons send patients to therapy after pretty much any surgery.I'm not really in an area where anyone would ever go to have their brain decompressed, so that may be why that I am not seeing any Chiari patients. I'm especially curious because my daughter also has a Chiari, and I am hoping that things are better now and there is a system or therapy plan in place for recovery from Chiari decompression surgery. My daughter has not had to be decompressed. No one has mentioned it though. It seems that many folks here are asking questions that I feel that their medical providers should have thoroughly explained to them..however when I went through the process, no one explained much of anything to me. I had to know to ask the right question or the doctor would not give me an answer, and how in the world could I have known what to ask. Anyway, any info or input would be appreciated. I know that if I get my doctorate that part of what I want to do is make things better for patients, not just for Chiari patients. I have been a patient myself for a very long time, and I often feel like I am rushed through the office as fast the doctor can be get through. For every life altering event that I may have, I feel like most providers have allotted 5 minutes of their days to deal with it. It doesn't seem like a lot has changed. If there are really good places and hospitals out there doing something really great then please let me know where they are. I really want to check into them.