Friday, March 5, 2010

A mini miracle

If you have a minute, and would like to make your day better, take a look at this link.

http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-disabled-skier-hidden-valley-030110,0,1517859.story

This is the story of Willie "Wild Man."  I met him while I was an intern at Logan Chiropractic.  My professor/director of the Sports and Rehabilitation Center is named Laney Nelson.  He was made fun of a lot for his crazy ideas.  Sometime, rightly so, he is a little crazy.  But he also encouraged us to think outside of the box.

 There was one day we had a MD come in that was born with numerous birth defects.  He was also wheelchair bound and at the end of his presentation, all Dr. Nelson could ask him about, instead of questions relevant to his talk, was about what his chair could do, and how he felt living in it each day.  He asked about his low back pain, his pain from the scoliosis he had developed while in the chair, etc.  At the end of it all, he told the doctor that he would like to modify his chair to eliminate his pain, and treat the scoliosis.  Something no one had thought to offer that MD before.  Since that day, I've never thought the same way about the disabled.  I always want to stop and ask those in a chair how their back is, offer to adjust them and change the cushions, etc.

Dr. Nelson did it again I'm afraid.  When I was at Logan I really wanted to help with the programs for the disabled.  There was a ski night for the blind, swimming lessons for those with Downs and all kinda things.  I couldn't help with skiing, because, well, at the time I'd never been and I just had to admit that I don't have that skill set.  I was there the day Willie came in to the rehab center and Dr. Nelson told him he was gonna get him skiing standing up.  Willie was SO excited.  I just can't believe he did it! It's awesome!  Check out the video and you'll see the contraption Dr. Nelson thougth up and Willie, skiing!!!

 

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