I'm another Ohio success story and was glad to stay close to home. I sent my MRI to House and they were very prompt in getting back to me....and they disagreed with my Ohio neurosurgeon's and neurotologist's recommendations. But, I researched and researched, knew exactly how qualified my Ohio surgeons were in these types of surgeries, and put myself in their competent and compassionate hands. I am doing great and have no regrets.
You absolutely can drive yourself crazy and you remind me of my quest to have ALL of my questions answered prior to the big decisions. Although you can't possibly guarantee your success based on good research, it is very important to know how experienced the surgeons are at these surgeries. Folks on this forum told me during my decison-making phase to trust my instincts - they said once I had met with a few surgeons who I had found through good researching (House was included in that research), I would know. It worked out just that way for me.
Best of luck to you...I'm wishing you peace of mind whomever you choose for your surgery!
Kathy