Cleveland Clinic is supposed to be good too. I'm 5 hours away by car from Mayo myself, but it was worth the drive through some really beautiful country and since everything gets done in a few days, I didn't have to stay there long. You can try some arnica gel topically. It does help pain and muscle spasms. I was putting that on my neck to stop spasms. I'll still be here if you wanted to discuss anything. I recommend looking up and reading any medical literature authored by a doctor you want to see, and check that their area of interest is close to what you need, so they should have had lots of similar procedures in anything that is offered to you. Hang in there. I know it's difficult and I hope you have some answers soon. You can also check Becker's Spine Review for info on surgeons around the country.