Gettin' Physical....Therapy that is

It hasn't been the 'funnest' thing I have ever done in my life, but I am feeling the benefit of just how having therapy makes things better...the physical type of therapy that is.

The PT group associated with the local bone doctors do a really good job in my opinion. This being the first time to have this level of physical therapy; I must tell you the treatments have been administered in the most professional manner while keeping a casual and friendly atmosphere.

A lot of you may not know about the injury to my shoulder. Back in the middle of May this year, I was pushing on a big old piece of equipment at work and felt something give in my upper chest / shoulder area. Right away I knew that this was not gonna be good.

Just for your information...screaming like a little girl...doesn't make it quit hurting any sooner.

The pain pretty much stayed with me over the weekend and early into the next week until I got to see the local shoulder doctor.

Tests would conclude that I had partial tears in both my rotator cuff and the bicep tendon along with an agitating little bone spur that digs into to stuff that doesn't like being dug into.

Note to all who care...unless you have ever experienced the 'joy' of a shoulder injury, you just don't realize how much you use your arm and shoulder in simple things like opening doors, turning steering wheels, putting your vehicle in gear, and even brushing your teeth. These simple motions will remind you quickly of better days.

So far, there is no surgery scheduled...possibly within the next six weeks we might look at removing the bone spur....but for now it's physical therapy for me and my shoulder.

Spending at least an hour with these folks every other day and listening to them as they go through their tasks while tending to the 'patients', I couldn't help but pick up on some things that I want to share with you.

Top dog in here is Mr. Jim...or Dr. Jim as the tongue depressor reads while you are lying on your back getting stretched out by Jim. Someone drew a little face on the stick and stuck it up along the ceiling tile for you to look at.

Mr. Jim runs the ship....or maybe it's Pauline and Margaret who work the front desk that 'let' Jim run the ship...will check on that and get back to you. Pauline and Margaret will always greet you with a smile as you sign in for your therapy sessions.

P.J. does a great job with chasing down the insurance necessary for those of us with claims. She basically works behind the scene somewhere beyond the single door that leads away from the command cubicle.

Before any therapy is performed on anyone, Mr. Jim will check you over and decide what he thinks is best for your situation and in line with the doctor's orders. This information is then passed on to the able bodied crew of therapists. On a really busy day, I sit in amazement as to how everyone is moving from station to station without knocking someone over...

Although there is more activity on some days than there are other days, the whole operation is pretty much like clockwork. There are plenty of heat packs and ice packs to keep track of during the course of a day. Not to mention the nifty little voltage producing gizmo and the ultra sound treatment thingy the crew uses to manipulate that specific part of your body needing attention.

Speaking of the crew... now I know someone will possibly get their feelings hurt simply because I didn't list them first, got something wrong like the spelling of their name....so here is my disclaimer.

Sorry for your luck...get your own blog.

I am doing this mostly by memory from information I managed to pick up just sitting and listening.

I will start with Katie since she took the initiative to write the names down for me. Katie hopes to one day work in either the college or professional ranks as a physical therapist. I hope she makes it. In talking with her it sounds like she has a good start.

Kristen will soon be leaving the crew and heading to A&M, College Station..... Aggieland. I understand she really wants to go to A&M...and she would like to stay and keep this job also....

My money is on her ending up in Aggieland...

We have at least one military veteran in the mix. Will has served 2 tours in the middle east. Thank you Will for your service to our country and good luck on your summer classes.

Oh yeah, Will is also a University of Texas fan who keeps the rivalries stirred up every chance he gets...."Hook 'Em Horns"

Jessica will be leaving soon heading to Baton Rouge. Talk about rivalry. She claims to like the University of Texas but her fiance is from LSU. Other than politics, college loyalty is the only other factor that can keep the fires of rivalry burning.

The recent college world series was a mixed bag around the therapy room. LSU... National Champs in baseball and football... imagine that.

Ana is always in the background. Kinda quiet but most efficient. Always with a smile...makes me wonder if she is up to something.....you know what they say about the quiet ones.

I believe she told me she is taking classes for radiology and she was the one that first pointed out how the ultrasound treatment will disrupt the radio playing in the corner. The secret is out now Ana....

Amy, Alisa, and Doug come in around the time I am finishing with my round of exercises. Sorry to say I don't have much scoop on them other than...

Alisa says that most folks will call her Alice and she also hopes to work with athletic departments like Katie. Amy reminds me of my niece from Houston who I haven't seen in a few years...and Doug is pretty much safe since I haven't been able to gather much on him...yet.

Janine is one of the other quiet leaders of the group...seems to always be busy with her regulars....but does speak and asks how my day is. Janine is one of the two more experienced therapists who keeps a watchful eye on the younger crew members and will help out when and wherever needed. I hope I got your named spelled correctly...if not, I am gonna blame it on someone else....

The last but certainly not the least member of the crew is Ms. Pat.

Pat always has a word for you...or a name. I have managed to miss a nickname from her so far, but my luck may run out after she sees this. The big thing about Pat is her technique of greeting you.

She "young manned" me just the other day.

A few years ago, I started using the greeting on my older more mature co-workers. Realizing that most of the men I worked with had more experience in our line of work and I hoped to glean as much knowledge as possible from them as I could, so I tried to keep the daily grind of our jobs...light and humorous. I would greet them with:

'Hey young man, how you doing today?'

Well she 'young manned' me just last week.

At the time, all I could do was laugh about it. Pat had got me....and she is passing it along to her co-workers also. I hear that very phrase all over the exercise room when any older and more mature patient arrives.

Just today, I heard Pat give out a 'Hey young lady...' I reckon that just proves the crew treats all their patients the same....yep...I reckon so.

Hey, It Is What It Is.