I was in severe and excruciating pain from a pinched nerve causing sciatica. I could not stand, sit, or walk. The only comfortable position for me was laying down in bed. I tried alternative modalities like chiropractor and pain management including epidural steroid injections. Nothing was working. So I went to the spine surgeons at HSS, where Dr. Lovecchio was recommended to me. Dr. Lovecchio immediately made me feel at ease, answered any questions I had, and led me through the diagnostic process. As I began to understand what caused the pinched nerve in my spine and structurally, what needed to be done to solve this was spinal fusion of L5 and S1. I was terrified of spinal fusion and I expressed my fear to Dr. Lovecchio, who understood my anxiety and walked me through the surgery, answered my questions and my fears so that I began to trust him. My surgery has been very successful. My sciatic pain is gone. I am recovering rapidly. My experience at the HSS with their staff has been a remarkable one. I feel so grateful to have had access to a gifted surgeon who also was empathetic, concerned and kind plus HSS staff who were always helpful and well wishing. I am looking forward to resuming all my activities in the months ahead free of pain.