The Walk to Graduation — A Story of Achievement

While trying to determine how best to introduce this new post on the Patch site I thought back to all the many experiences I have had in healthcare as a provider and receiver. I wanted to share with the readers many aspects of physical therapy that can enhance their lives. So many tidbits of information came to mind but none seemed to sum up what physical therapy (PT) is and the power that PT, exercise and healthcare has to affect our lives. 

Then I remembered the story of my greatest success as a PT. I will share with you how meeting and working with this young man 25 years ago affected his life, my life and how I care for people. Being a physical therapist has the power to help make dreams come true and allow many obstacles to be overcome.

It was in the early '90s. I was a therapist with about seven years experience when I met Dan. He arrived at a summer rehab program for people who had sustained a spinal cord injury and had not achieved all they wanted to out of conventional rehabilitation programs. Dan presented himself to my clinic encumbered with a host of assistive devices, gadgets and tools to make his new life in a wheelchair more efficient and easier. He shared the story of his injury and his plans for the future with me. He was injured in an accident that led to a fracture at about chest level causing paralysis from the chest down. He was to be going to university in the fall and his goals for his work with me included walking to his college graduation in 3-4 years. No small requests here for a guy whose legs no longer worked!

I took on the challenge to meet this great goal. We found a way to make improvements so that Dan did not need all the assistive devices and gear he came with. We outfitted him with braces for his legs and crutches for his arms. We strengthened every muscle that still worked and taught those muscles how to do new and different tasks as well. Dan and I worked in the parallel bars, figured out how to balance, move his feet and stand up from his chair. We both worked hard and found ways to make things happen. At the end of six weeks he left stronger and committed to keep working while at school.

Each summer we met again and continued to work on this project of college graduation. We had lots of laughs, a couple of falls and one or two setbacks. When Dan left that last summer before his senior year I moved on as I had each previous fall and waited to see him again the following year. But this year was different. It was the year leading up to graduation. How would the winter go? What would happen come May?

In the spring I received a call from Dan. He was set to graduate. He had ordered his cap and gown and ... ordered one for me too!! He asked if I could come to his graduation, walk with him in the procession and stand with him as he accepted his diploma. He was ready to check off the goal of walking at graduation and he wanted me to share in his success. Of course, I agreed immediately!

We met before the procession. He impressed me by standing up on his own with his braces and crutches, reached out keeping his balance and shaking my hand. We completed the procession into the hall, stood with the rest of his class. Although he did not walk up the steps to the stage (the Dean came down), Dan stood, walked across the room, shook hands and took his diploma all in the roar of a standing ovation from the crowd! I guarantee there were not too many dry eyes that day.  

Dan set his mind to a goal and pressed me to help him achieve it. This is why I love what I do. Dan taught me much over the course of our relationship and I believe I taught him as well. I do not know where Dan is today but I am sure with his perseverance and committent he is doing exactly what he wants to be doing and being very successful at it. 

Physical therapy has many areas of specialty and all of them are designed to help improve the way you live. The grandma who has a hurt shoulder needs help to be able to lift her grandchildren, the athlete with the sprained ankle needs help to return to the field and the worker with the bum back needs help to return to the job. I hope to use these posts to share with you some of these success stories as well as inform you about various conditions that can be addressed with just a little knowledge or arm you with information if you need to seek medical care. I will share tools, resources, give you some thoughts on how you can learn about your body and the different ways you can help yourself achieve your “walk to graduation,” whatever it may be.