Physical Therapy (PT)/ Occupational Therapy (OT)

Are there Angels among us? If so, there must be a higher concentration in the field of medicine, and an even a higher concentration in the PT/OT field specifically. PT/OTs must not only possess a complicated set of knowledge regarding human muscles and how they are used, they must also devise a therapy plan to help their patients recover the use of the targeted muscles. Sounds reasonable until you realize only the patient can make the plan a success. The exercises are the hardest work anyone will ever do and much harder work than most people have ever done. It is very easy to become discouraged and want to give up, especially when one reaches what one would consider “a good enough” stage. The PT/OT must constantly motivate, encourage and push the patient forward. This one to one human interaction in such adverse human suffering circumstances takes a very special human being. An OT at Methodist Hospital said to me, “I wish I could be paralyzed for a day so I could feel what my patients feel”. I have been blessed to know two other angels: Julie Whitley, my OT and Shannon Lutz, my PT who showed me how to dress myself and moved me out of my wheelchair.