A year and a half ago I was told by a neurosurgeon, that I had Chiari and a Tether cord and that it would be a high risk surgery because of my age(72), and weight. He had no idea that I am a very active person, have my own business and on the go all the time (until this came up) I took a fall and tore my rotators cuff, it took 4 hours to fix it., and I came through it find, came home the same day and have full use of the arm. They said this triggered it. The doctor exact words were "At your age how much longer do you have, live with it:", I have a terrible balance problem and he put me in balance PT. He the sent me to a neuro doc, and he sent me in for a cortisone shot in the neck I questioned this, and when I went in the doc, refused to do it. I also saw another neurosurgeon in Chicago and he looked at my MRI's and came in the room and just said "I wouldn't touch you, lose weight" and walked out of the room I should say I am over weight, I'm 5' tall and weight 177. I just sat there and wondered what he meant by that. I ended up in the hospital in Dec. dehydrated because of dirraira, after a little over a week, the new neuro I was seeing called in a new neurosurgeon who was really great I thought, but after I saw him in his office, he order more MRI's a Fiesta(S) of the brain and one of the thoracic w/ contrast. When I saw him next, he told me I don't have Chiari, just a tether cord, and he could fix it, but it was somewhat risky, if I don't have it, it will progress, and since the fall it has progressed very fast, and the chances if I do have the surgery are questionable, but I'd have the surgery, because there is a chance of getting rid of this pain and having control on my colon. I have to use Lidocaine patches daily and they don't help totally, it hurts when I cough, my balance is bad, I get dizzy a lot, and bad headaches, I had an appt. to see him on the 12th of May, they called and cancelled it, he had surgery, rescheduled for today May 26th, they called last night, and rescheduled for June9th. In the mean time I sit here in pain, and just got a call from my son in FL. he was in a rear end accident in Feb. and they just found he has Chiari. Now I'm wondering if this doc. really knows what he's doing and if I really don't have chiari, should I look into another doc. if so I have no idea where to look, We live 30 miles from Chicago. I haven't been able to keep working, between the pain, the dizzyness, and the colon, I can't do my job and I really miss it. I'm on so much medince, it's hard to keep track of it all. I need to get back to life, and don't know where to turn, should I wait to see this doc that is putting me off, or try to find another one. Please help me what direction I should go in, I'm so confused. I am not a person that sits are and says poor me, I want to get going, but I can't I do what I can, and I fall asleep without even knowing it, I'll be on the computer and wake up in the chair 2-3 hours later. Please give me some direction, I don't know where to go from here. Thank you for any help.