CONGRATULATIONS! You've been accepted...

I went on line and looked up the Chiari Institute in NY. I read through the web site. I knew all about the doctors there because it was their research that lead me to my first diagnosis of Chiari Malformation 1. They had come quite far in 11 yrs and now had their own Institute. I watched the video on tethered cord and I knew that was what I had. I felt this huge sense of relief. I filled out the questionnaire and checked almost every symptom. The question that blew my mind was " did you have an excessive amount of growing pains in your legs as a teenager". Wow! I just couldn't believe it. My mom was always calling my pediatrician about my legs constantly hurting. He would assure her that they were just growing pains. If that were true, I should have been 6 ft tall, not 5'2"!! So anyway, I completed the questions and mailed them in with my MRI and copies of my Neurosurgical notes. Weeks later, I received the call. It was the Institute saying that I was a candidate for them to evaluate me. I was thrilled! I was hopeful but guarded. Remember, I had been let down so many times before. I psychologically could not deal with another dead end. I made the appointment for the following month and then impatiently watched the days go by......