[jss]

Renee,

Sincerest condolences and welcome.

While I am a huge proponent of European ADR surgeries, you should know that they may not be appropriate for everyone. If your case is one that has a high incidence of excellent outcomes and a low incidence of complications and revision surgeries in the next several years, then you are a poster child for a foreign ADR surgery. If however you ... are "a mess", and will require extensive follow up and/or multiple surgeries, then there are significant problems with a foreign surgery when you need further surgery after returning home. Transatlantic communication and time zone differences aside, a great many US doctors will refuse to treat or even evaluate you. For subsequent care you will not get the US doctor of your choice, but rather the first one that is willing to see you, or even be required to borrow money to back to the European surgeon. If you are going to require long term follow up care and don't have money for much/most/all of that care in Europe, that is not a good formula.

If you condition is as extensive as it sounds, I would strongly encourage you to gain the support of the US doctor of your choice before traveling to Europe.

Good luck!