Thanks Gabbycakes for your reply. Unfortunately, the surgery is based on symptoms, and my symptoms, (I had only listed a few) are debilitating my life. I have prayed, researched, and prayed some more on what to do.

My symptoms are the inability to be mobile most days, limiting me to be in bed most of my days, the weakness in my arm/leg, the headaches, the burning sensations, the slurred speech, memory issues, tingly hands and feet, to name a few of them, have taken over me. I feel this is the only answer after doing so much research. (Been researching it since my MRI in August) just had a neurologist that insisted I was "attention seeking", suffering from Conversion disorder, and that my mental status was a "cry for help", he felt all my symptoms were in my head and that I would be a better patient for a psychiatrist. And that the low lying Cerebellum tonsil was nothing to be of concern. It was actually my family doctor that informed me of the low lying Cerebellum tonsil. I obtained a second opinion from one of the Top 5 neurosurgeons here in Michigan (she is also a specialist in the treatment of Chiari) and after 2 hours of intense examination, reviewing my MRI's, CT scans, and history, it was obvious what I had believed all along....chiari. I feel the surgery is my chance to lead a somewhat normal life again.

I did contact the other neurologist to inform him, and his staff had never heard of Chiari. That is scary, even though it is not widely diagnosed or known about, I would think a neurology office would have at least heard of this condition.

Will keep the board posted as to my progress. I pray that your daughter's herniation and tumor never develops any further, and she is able to live a full, healthy successful life.