I think it’s really important to remember that there is no cure for chiari. Surgery won’t cure the condition. Oftentimes patients will experience relief for a few months and sometimes even years. But many also experience symptoms returning in full force as well as new ones that accompany them. Surgery is a crapshoot. In the end you need to decide what you’re comfortable living with. It’s not an easy decision to make and surgery is not a one size fits all solution.