Background

I started experiencing symptoms after my third daughter was born in 2000. It started with terrible "sinus" headaches...at least that is what I thought. At first the headaches happened only when I lifted weights, worked out, laughed, etc. I am grateful that I was diagnosed on my first trip to a neurologist. MRI confirmed Arnold Chiari Malformation. The first neurosurgeon recommended surgery. I didn't like the answers he gave me to my many questions. I heard about TCI on the internet. I meet with Dr. B and Dr. Kula at TCI. I was told that I have a retroflexed odontoid. It was explained to me that they would typically recommend surgery for someone in my situation if they were functioning at 70%. However, since I had a RO, I should wait until I was functioning at a 30%. They recommended Dr. M in Iowa City for another opinion. I flew to Iowa City. At this point, I decided to wait for surgery. Now, several years later and another trip to New York, I am scheduled to have surgery September 11, 2008. See links below to sites that provide additional information.

The most information on the surgery (for those interested):
http://www.chiariinstitute.com/Videos/index.html The Chiari Institute has several videos on their website. Click videos. Click Patient Education. Click Chiari Malformation Surgery. Other links:

http://www.chiariinstitute.com/contact_us.html , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_herniation , http://www.csmc.edu/5722.html http://www.csmc.edu/5722.html , http://www.conquerchiari.org/index.htm http://www.conquerchiari.org/newly%20diagnosed_files/frame.htm ,
http://www.chiariconnectioninternational.com/