[jss]

Jason,

Condolences on your dilemma. EVERYTHING I've read about Boeree suggests that he will give you the "right surgery in the right hands". If you are an ADR candidate and are able to swing going to Boeree, I would absolutely encourage you to do so.

There are a couple other slightly lower cost options that are (IMHO) just as good as Boeree. Dr Clavel in Barcelona did my double ADR, and I'm back to running marathons. Maddie had a very complex three or four level surgery done with Dr Pimenta in Brazil, and she is having a stellar recovery.

While I think the world of Boeree, Clavel and Pimenta, and would trust my spine to any of the three; there is at least one US surgeon on par with them; again, IMHO. That is Dr Zigler at Texas Back in Plano, TX. Rather than the M6 used by the aforementioned surgeons, Dr Zigler would implant a ProDisc in you, and you would almost certainly have an excellent outcome as his patients almost always do.

Be aware that it is possible to "dicker" with a surgeon and a hospital if you are paying cash. It might be worth a try to approach Zigler at TBI to see if he and Presbyterian Hospital (where he operates) can do your procedure for the $20k that you have available.

Please keep us posted, and good luck!

Jeff