@ralphysmom Good evening Andrea. This is Chris, Jennifer's fellow mentor, and also a cervical spine surgery recipient. My claim to fame today is that number one.......I have lived in Hawaii. I understand the medical service situation as I lived next door to the technician in charge of imaging. And across the lawn was one of the nurses.

Most important for what Jennifer has shared with me is that you are facing a thoracic spine surgery very similar to mine, complete with titanium cubes to hold everything together. Your distance from the islands impacts your decision of a surgeon and surgery center.

I did not have my surgery in Hawaii and then travel back to the mainland. What happened was that after moving to the mainland, I had my spine surgery in California and then moved to Minnesota. Sort of the same thing. The immediacy issue was the severity of my condition. Scheduled shoulder surgery was canceled because of the spine issues.

What needed to happen did happen. I was actually flown to Minnesota a few weeks after the spine surgery. A local airline, Sun Country, was apprised of the situation. First of all, they have more flights during the winter as MN folks head south for the warmth and sunshine.

After contacting them and explaining the situation, ( that I would be flying post-surgery with a comprehensive neck brace) they did everything they could to ensure that I had a safe and reasonably comfortable flight. One of their staff met us in the parking lot with a wheelchair.. (I had a friend drive me to the airport) I was seated in the front in a row with the most leg room and made quite comfortable. During the 3-hour flight, the attendants were very helpful. Upon landing, I was wheeled out to meet my life partner and once again escorted to the car.

So, if you can find the same sort of transportation assistance, it might be supportive enough for you to have your surgery on the mainland.

I do admire and respect your efforts to be with your children on the island. I also think it may now be possible to fly from the Big Island to the mainland directly without a stop in Honolulu or vice versa. And I also want you to know that we live about 3 hours from Rochester and that we are very willing to support your MN stay in any way possible.

My best to you and hats off to my fellow mentor. She is just amazing and so helpful.

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris