Posted by Barb D. (64.12.105.22) on July 12, 2001 at 20:18:12:
In Reply to: Hey Chuck, I got to tell you about Donald's appt posted by Cheryl on July 12, 2001 at 14:50:17:
Chuck and Donald!!!!
First of all, I've BEEN to Dr. Matthews and I think he's a QUACK! He's probably good with migraines, but doesn't know a damn thing about Clusters. He almost killed me! The only thing I wanted out of him was AWAY!!!! YOU ARE CRAZY IF YOU LET HIM OPERATE ON YOU!
If you HAVE to have the surgery go to WAYNE HURT in Houston. He worked with Dr. Sweet, the neuro who came up with the surgery in the first place and is probably the best there is. He KNOWS CLUSTERS! His credentials are impecable. But, he WILL give you every downside there is before he operates. He WILL NOT let you go in blind - that I guarantee.
Wayne Hurt operated on me. I KNEW the odds going in - he did NOT pull any punches with me. I and I alone took the chance. He told me everything that COULD go wrong BEFORE we went to surgery. You've both met me and you know that I have a facial paralysis and it causes a little speech problem (besides my "southern accent") and I have an optic problem that will probably be with me the rest of my life. The left side of my face is numb. And the surgery was NOT successful.
But as I said, I KNEW the odds going in. I also knew (Dr. Hurt told me so) that I could die. My question was, "And what's the downside of that?" That was the condition I was in when I decided to have the surgery.
Since the surgery I've found Topamax and gone into remission. If I had waited I wouldn't have had the surgery, but if a frog had wings ... and all that.
Chuck, I know this is bad on your wife. But YOU are the one who has to live with it. Let her read what others have gone through after the surgery and the results of the surgery. But in the end you're the one who's going to have to decide what you're going to do.
Donald, all I can tell you is to get the hell away from Matthews. I'm sorry, but I just don't trust that man.
I wish both of you the best of luck and hope you're both pain free soon.
Hugs BD