I’ve always loved skateboarding. It’s something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. In fact, I could never picture what life would be like without it until suddenly I was facing that reality.
Here is the short of it: Electric skateboard, wearing protective gear (thank you helmet and wrist guards), electrical malfunction, wheels lock at full speed, 25mph+ to 0 in a blink. I had no time to react. I shattered my shoulder, tibia, fibula, meniscus, ligaments/tendons, broke ribs, and needed stitches above the eye etc etc… basically wrecked the entire left side of my body. I spent a week in the hospital with numerous scans, probes, and pricks.
A couple surgeries, one just to put some scary rods outside my leg to straighten it. Eventually, I rolled out of the hospital with plates and screws in both limbs plus a year-ish of recovery ahead of me. I spent a few months with in-home therapy learning to get dressed and scoot up the stairs.
After a few months, it was time to look for a serious outpatient therapy program.
I crack open the laptop, pull up Google and begin the search. BOOM! There it was. The one word that brought chills to my still aching bones. IMPACT. I quickly scrolled away. Clicking on ANY link that sounded soft and pillowy. I jumped to the images tab and found this super nice looking place. The people in the photo all looked kind, the equipment and space looked inviting and clean–general great vibes. I click the image in excitement…IMPACT Physical Therapy. Ok, it’s a sign. I decide to get over my Onomatophobia (yeah I Googled THAT too) and decided to call. I’m suuuuuper glad I did. I reached out and got Kristie who was so friendly and funny. I can’t think of a better person to make a first impression with. I had no idea what PT was going to be like but I was more than relieved – I was excited to find out. During the recovery process, you go through a bunch of emotional ups and downs (at least I did) so it meant the world to me to feel hopeful for the first time in months. Thank you Kristie. Seriously. That call was everything I needed in that moment
I worked with several of Impact’s specialists, finally settling in with Chris as my regular therapist. Chris has a kind and gentle demeanor, but don’t let that soft delivery fool you. Dude WILL make you work for your goals–and he will help you reach them. He has a playlist for every scenario (seriously, try to stump him) and is a great person to talk to as you work together toward your recovery. He is a proud new father and fellow gamer, so we had a lot to talk about as I winced in progress. Thank you, Chris. A million times over dude. You pushed me as far as I asked you to, and I looked forward to our conversations about music, culture and life. You gave your energy and time cranking on my frozen joints and muscles, putting your own physicality on the line to help progress mine. I’ll never forget it.
Thank you to all of the assistants who helped with my recovery and floor exercises. The conversations with you about your own journeys, recoveries and studies helped move the clock and kept me entertained when my body was screaming to stop.
I took my first steps at Impact. Learned to raise my arm again. And, after months of work, you all helped me do something I never thought I would: step on a skateboard again. Thank you. Thank you from that little boy who first got on the board and from the 50-year-old man who has no business being on one anymore (sorry mom). Don’t change a thing–especially the name… I get it now because of the Impact you’ve made on me.
Your pal forever,
Brandon
(A real client of IMPACT Physical Therapy & Sports Recovery – Naperville)
