I have a few general questions for those that have had surgery already, hoping some of you may shed some light on the process.
Was there a defining reason which led you to choose that particular doctor? What was your process like?
I talked to a couple people who had surgery with that particular surgeon and I did research about him online. We had a consultation appointment first so I got to meet him and had a list of questions written down(my hubby was with me all the way). I chose him Dr. Heffez (Wisconsin ) because he answered all my questions and my hubby's too and more. He took the time to read the MRIs with me and explain everything.
I had a consult with a NS at UVA and he offered to do the surgery but some of the things he said about symptoms didn't match the research I had read so I didn't feel comfortable with him. I did some online research to see if there were specialists nearby and found the Mayfield Chiari Center in Ohio. As soon as I met with Dr. Ringer I felt comfortable. He went over all my tests and explained everything thoroughly. I just had a good feeling about it. So even though the UVA doctor would be fully covered by my insurance and Mayfield wasn't I just went with my gut instinct. I'm 5 months post-op and doing very well! No regrets!
Thank you everyone for responding to this. Like you, we're hoping to find the one that just feels right. The search continues.