Living Well with Parkinsons Disease
Dancing in the Rain: Lessons Learned on my Personal Journey with PD (more at www.PDPlan4Life.com) Copyright 2013-20 Sheryl Jedlinski
Cruisin’ on two bionic knees
Today was my first day back at outpatient therapy after having my right knee totally replaced two weeks ago. I strode into the building on my own power …. no walking stick, no one beside me… just me cruising in on two, brandy new bionic knees. The receptionists applauded and my physical therapist greeted me with a big smile and a bear hug.
“I knew this is how you would look when you came back,” Beata told me. She had every reason to be confident in and proud of my abilities as she was the one who prodded and cajoled me through a grueling five weeks of rehab for my left bionic knee to prepare me for this day. She reminds me that I did the actual work.
A graduate of the “no pain, no gain” school of physical therapy, Beata is always there to push, pull, raise or lower a foot or toes to make my body work a little harder. “When we’re all done, you will thank me for this,” she says.
This is not the first time that Beata has brought me back from the depths of despair. Ten years ago, another physical therapist suggested I learn to use a walker because I had “irreversible” structural changes to my spine, likely caused by poor posture related to Parkinson’s. My solution was to find another PT who could help me walk unassisted again — and I did. That PT was Beata.
“You have amazed me so many times in my life, this is just one more time,” she told me, “but don’t think we are done yet. Your work is just beginning.”
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Read more of Sheryl’s humorous stories and helpful tips at PDPlan4Life.com
Living Well with Parkinsons Disease 
You are awesome, Sheryl! I’m so happy for you!