Thursday, February 26, 2009

So I am a physical therapist

When I first decided what I wanted to be I just knew I would spend a career working with professional athletes! For those of you wiser than I you know things change. While completing my clinical training in school working in hospitals, acute rehabilitation centers and out patient clinics my mind set began to change. It was tough to watch countless individuals who had suffered massive strokes and heart attacks fight to regain the most basic function that many of us take for granted. It was sobering to take in what families dealt with as they prepared to start hospice services for the 43 year old father of 3 who was dying of lung cancer due to his unfortunate 2 pack per day habit. These things changed me. All of us need special people who can support individuals and families through terrible times like those. Working to return physical function to those who forgot how or even worse those who knew how, but their bodies just would not listen. The hardest part of it all was knowing that so many of these cases could have been PREVENTED. Not with expensive treatments and drugs, but simply with a little knowledge and a few healthy habits. Now with some experience under my belt I have realized this business of "wellness evangelizing" can be pretty tough- its hard to find converts I tell you! So in this, my first blogging experience, I hope to share with you my journey in trying to follow my own advice as well as the experiences of others (with their consent of course). Along the way I hope it can provide some knowledge, motivation and even a little inspiration to those charting their own course. It's a journey well worth the time and effort.