The Otology Group of Vanderbilt is excellent. Dr. Jackson is considered to be one of the best in the field, but he has retired. Dr. David Kaylie and 2 others there whose names escape me at the moment have trained under Dr. Jackson and are very well credentialed and experienced with AN surgeries and treatments. They have a team of neurosurgeons, associate physicians, audiologists, opthamologists - you name it - that work together very well.
I always check out the background and training of my doctors beforehand (I'm a nurse, can't help it), and the resumes ( or Curriculum Vitae for those of you in the medical field) are very impressive. If you go to the Vanderbilt University Hospital website, you can access any of that information. - or their direct website it
www.theotologygroup.com. (Betcha couldn't have figured that one out, huh?)
From the person who scheduled my appointment right down to the people who delivered me my meal trays at the hospital, I was extremely happy with the care I recieved. There are some nurses in the ICU at Baptist Hospital (part of Vanderbilt) that have worked with AN patients for 20 years and really know their stuff. I was very nervous before meeting with the surgeons and everything, but I immediately just felt a sort of peace come over me when I met them for the first time. I know it sounds kinda corny, but I really did feel that this was the best place for me to be. I know a lot of other people will tell you the same thing about their surgeons. Sometimes, it just feels right.
Now, just to warn you, Dr. Kaylie has accepted a position at Duke in NC and will be going there in early March of next year. He is working on a study involving the preservation of the facial nerve during AN surgery, which I was happy to be a part of during my surgery. Might as well use me as a guinea pig while I'm asleep, right? I have met the other surgeons in the office and I would honestly say that I would have had the same feeling of "rightness" with them as I did with Dr. Kaylie.
Reading about other people's experiences with the "fun" lingering effects of surgery, I think I am very lucky. While I still have some issues, I am 8 months out and my facial nerve is starting to come back stronger each day. My eye is producing tears, I don't have any pain, minimal balance problems, no ringing in my ears except when I'm really tired. I credit this to being pretty healthy to begin with and to having a talented surgeon. And I might throw in, he actually has a great bedside manner and personality, which is usually hard to come by in a surgeon!
There are quite a few hotels in town that offer medical rates for patients of Vanderbilt and their families. And who knows, you may run into a country star or two (not a country music fan myself, but hey..).
I hope this helps some. If you have any other questions or anything, let me know or send me an e-mail. I'd be glad to help any way I can. I know that in the end, you'll find the right choice for you.
Lori
