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Hello Tina, My name is Joyce and I've had PD for 12 years. I am scheduled for a pallidotomy in Toronto in a few short days..May 13. I am looking forward to this like it will be my new birthday!!! Naturally, Im a bit anxious both to have it done and about it but from what everyone who has had it relates, it "not as bad as a bad day at the dentist" but "its not a walk in Central Park" and as a comparison, a c-section is TOTALLY bad. The improvement in the quality of my life will be worth any "inconvenience" of a Pallid. When we first questioned our insurance carrier PRINCIPAL MUTUAL who has covered me for everything since day one, they initially said yes. But, two days later they called to say SORRY but because its investigational and/or experimental they will not cover. However, I was told to submit a letter detailing "the situation". I wrote a single spaced two page letter specifically detailing the financial "benefit" to them if they approved. Together with that I sent some information from this list from those who have had coverage. Nothing happened for about two weeks, then I got a letter from them asking me to have my primary PD doc send a complete history from the first day till present and the surgical team send a detailed letter with the surgical plan and anticipated results. They will base their decision on these two packages. In the meantime, we are prepared to go ahead inspite of the insurance decision. My symptoms are not tremor or dyskenisia but from the hips down I freeze, have severe complete body stiffness and terrible leg and toe cramping. Ill detail for the list my experiences when I get home. Joyce