Arnold Chiari Malformation 1

[Mz_Vann]

I'm intrested in knowing how much hair is shaved to prep the area for surgery, and how long is the incision?

[syamantha14]

hi my name is Samantha I'm  and I live and Jacksonville Florida I need help I'm scared and I feel like I'm going to die they had told me that I have Arnold Chiari malformation 1 for the past five years nothing has changed till this past two months where I had another MRI and it says it's moved further down and it's pushing against my spinal cord I have no insurance I don't qualify for Medicaid I workself employed grammar I don't know what to do I need surgery I feel like my head is going to explode my symptoms have changed before it was just laughing coughing and sneezing now I can't sleep at night because I get a headache I get a headache from bending over I'm only 34 I'm married with a daughter I am the breadwinner in the family I don't know what to do or where to go I don't have money for the surgery I don't know who to talk to can please somebody help me I need surgery I just don't know where to start I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon at Shands but I know that they're going to ask me for money does anyone know of doctors who help people like this who don't have access to healthcare thank you for reading this I don't know how much longer I can take it

[toolmaker]

my daughter had her surgery in mid december.her hair was bradied and pinned down out of the way and shave a length about 2" wide and 4"to 5" .She got 26 stiches and with her hair down to her shoulders you cant tell anything had been done.

[alangbein]

I had Chiari decompression surgery in 2006. My hair was just above my shoulders at the time, and no one could see the shaved area or the scar. They shave you from just below the nape of your neck to about the center of your skull. But my surgeon only shaved the spot that he would be working on, so the rest of my hair covered everything up.