Katherine Anderson

I started my journey at HSS with Dr. Toresdahl for a torn hip labrum in July 2015. With an easy and smooth cortisone injection experience and physical therapy, I was healed! Dr. Toresdahl and all the staff involved were so friendly and informative and I always felt like I received the highest quality of care possible at HSS. Prior to this injury, I had been suffering from multiple degenerating lumbar discs in my spine. First was a severe herniation at L5/S1 that occurred when I coughed in September 2013, and then I slipped backwards while walking on snow in March 2015 and herniated L4/L5. After finally healing from these and a ton of physical therapy, I was on a business trip in October 2015 and twisted getting into a cab and couldn't get up when I reached my destination. I decided to return to Dr. Toresdahl at HSS and got an MRI. The L4/L5 was severely herniated and a bone fragment was loose, with severe compression of my sciatic nerve. After injections and physical therapy could not alleviate the pain, Dr. Toresdahl referred me to Dr. Girardi for a surgery consultation. I felt completely comfortable as Dr. Girardi explained I was in need of a microdiscectomy at L4/L5 and that I would recover well and be able to live my life and recover the muscle strength in my legs. I had my surgery in January 2016 and I feel like I have new legs free of nerve pain and an incredibly positive outlook for my recover. The thought of having spine surgery was terrifying to me, but HSS made it a wonderful experience from start to finish and I can't thank everyone enough for their dedication to getting everyone back in the game.