I have a girlfriend go with me as its a 2 1/2 hr. drive from me which is no big deal but I want somebody to go with me for support and also another set of ears which I highly recommend. Do not do this alone by any means. Well, we get there about a half hour before our appointment time and aren't there too long--sorry don't actually remember but get in a room and this is a university so a resident is asking me the questions--I give the history and then she says to me and I will never ever forget this "how long has her head been tilted"? I about fall over from shock. I remember turning around with a confused look in my face probably and really in shock and saying something to the extent of what do you mean? I know the gal knew by my tone of voice etc. that I had never noticed it. To this day I look at pictures and think oh my god how did I not notice it. I guess all this is gradual and you see stuff and get used to it and probably in the back of my mind when I did see it probably thought it was her "cute" look. I also had a picture posted at cavaliertalk that showed her head tilted and nobody had said anything to me. Anyways, all her history was taken and then was told that it would be about 2:00 p.m. for her mri--it was probably in the vicinity of 10:30-11:00 at this time. We asked what was in this town for us to do and they told us of a shopping place etc. so my friend and I decided to go out for lunch and to go up to the shopping place which about all we did was go to a pet store and that was about it. We decided to go back to the clinic and be there when she was having the mri so when they came out we would be there. Well, then my cell phone rang and it was the clinic saying an emergency had come in so it was going ahead of Abbey--btw after they had assessed her they said she was stable and was not an emergency status BUT she would still have the mri so I'm not sorry that we did go. Well, they give another time and I can't remember how long but it was awhile and this is a fairly small town with nothing to do so I say lets go to a movie to keep me from going crazy literally. We go to the movie theatre and pick the one that had just started. After the movie as we are driving back to the clinic they call and tell me she has just gone in for the mri. We arrive at the clinic and we wait and wait and wait and I'm starting to panick that something has happened to her because she had to be put under. The receptionist checks and tell me she's ok. Finally at about 6:00-6:30 a gal comes out finally and gives me the news. As I just type that I'm sitting here unable to type remembering that day--remember though truly in my heart I knew she had this and I was the one who had finally figured this all out. She tells me yes she has it and of course I begin to cry with my friend trying to comfort me etc. She then tells me the neurologist has had emergency after emergency and they are behind and is there any way I could stay in town or something and come back in the morning and have the consultation so he has time with me. Abbey will be kept overnight. I agree but I take my friend home and come on home. I remember saying over and over and over again--why don't vets know about this??? I remember the gal that told me that yes she was positive saying "I don't know". As I type this I still get angry. My dog has suffered for so dang long and why--because my vet knows nothing about sm but yet I google cavalier and health and its plastered all over the place but yet I had never typed those keywords either. Always typed something like dog licking paws etc. grrrrr now I'm angry at myself too. On the drive home I cry practically all the way home.