Hi, and I do know how difficult it is to get SSD. I lost all my savings. As far as specialists go, write a letter to the one you want to see. No kidding, lay it out on the line. There are doctors, who give of their time and talent to those who cannot pay. I did this very thing, and he didn't charge through the time I was waiting to get the SSD. My neck was so bad I would have been paralized, and he helped me to get the 1st surgery so that didn't happen. ginnie