[Stonewall_Boris]

tpatti,

We agree on most things but I disagree with you on this point, that I would have travelled to have seen Dr. Bierstedt. As a Canadian I would certainly not go to a US location. We do have passports and have gone to the US many times, we're not concerned about being picked up for anything or crossing the border. Cost is a concern. Well I don't know about this BUT, so I meet a doctor for 30 minutes to go over my MRI'S that he's never seen before and he comes up with a diagnosis. Not comfortable with that. When I had my MRIs digitalized and sent them to 6 clinics/doctors and 5 came back with a 3 level procedure that's when I focused. Spoke to the last 5 eliminated them one by one. I don't think you need to meet the surgeon in person before the operaration. I do think that you need to be very comfortable with the answers that your potential surgeon gives you.