I have to write and convey my gratitude and praises regarding my recent medical adventure. I had a long overdue L5 S1 spinal fusion with spacer on December 1st, 2017 and returned to work on the 26th of December. From the moment I contacted Nicole in the Spine Center, every single person I encountered was friendly and kind and responsive to my unique needs as an employee who had a very challenging work schedule to accommodate. Dr Yen and Dr Mazur were very informative and Dr Yen even suggested he could do a modified minimally invasive approach to my surgery, which was somewhat out of the norm and more difficult for him, but it meant that my recovery time was shortened considerably. This allowed me to return to work more quickly than most patients with this procedure. NP Laura Myers was so helpful in teaching me what to expect and it's so reassuring to know I can reach her anytime if I have any unexpected needs. On the day of surgery the staff in the pre-op hub, SAS and the OR folks were informative and protected my confidentiality well. I also felt a sense of authentic care for what I was going through. My husband was pleasantly surprised at how often he was updated on my status throughout the day. I woke up on Six West and the staff there treated me like a queen. I was so impressed with the new bed. It has a USB port. And the comfort measures- the eye shade, the ear plugs and headset were very welcome and helped make being in a semi-private room very easy. My pain was managed very well. The nurses knew better than I how to help me avoid severe post-op pain and walk me through every step of my hospital recovery. The hospital stay was great. Even the food was good and hot. My bones are fusing as I write this and I'm so happy and grateful to be free of the unrelenting pain. I feel like a new person.