Personal Narrative: A Career In Physical Therapy

In my mind I remember watching a young boy crying in the mirror as he saw the reflection of a person he no longer recognized. The frail child who had just gone through a major brain tumor surgery less than three days ago was both scared and daunted by the thought of how he will ever overcome the loss of his vision, and newly acquired hemiplasia, and how he would ever be successful in life given his new disability. Yet, after overcoming such difficult times, he realizes that because of his disability, full exertion should always be present in order to give back to the society that helped him. He quickly learned that loss of vision affects the eyes, not the arms, legs, heart, or head, so don't let it define what the rest of your body can do.i remember the moment, the pain I was only a boy, but I grew up that day.
I made it my goal early on to become a patient who learns and knows what is being done and what options are available. I may know what it's like to have hemiplegia, but I also understand the significance of how afos provide structural stability at the ankle thus limiting plantar flex ion during the phases of gait and how it may be assistive with foot drag and other means some. I also know what it's like to have excruciating back and neck pain due to bulged disks resulting from a massive car wreck, and yet I understand the basics of how manual and mechanical lumbar and cervical traction is performed and its long term effects. I believe that by having this level of empathy, as a clinician I will be able to better assist my patients and provide them with the ultimate physical and emotional support they