My Why
My Why: I lived for dance. I loved it. Maybe I wasn’t as good as some others, and maybe I wasn’t as good as I “could” have been if only my family had unlimited resources for private lessons, off-season intensives, unlimited classes. Or maybe it was better that I just got to be a kid sometimes and have a well balanced childhood.
I had friends; I ran around barefoot on the country roads; I biked and rode horses and climbed trees. I was in band, church youth group (2 actually), I took every advanced class I could in school, and was in many clubs. But my home was always the studio.
I was fortunate enough to not have any serious injuries. But boy did I have lots of little ones. Multiple ankle sprains. Back strains. Patellar issues. I was sent to PT for my back and my knee; but I felt so much disconnect as to my goals, my abilities and what I needed to do to get better. I still remember being told on my day of eval after a patellar dislocation “I’m not sure what to do with you, you’ve already passed my 6-wk goals for your diagnosis”. This came after an hour session in which I wasn’t challenged, and wasn’t given any valuable information. I didn’t want to go back. My mom made me for 2 more sessions— but the treatment didn’t change. The PT never asked about my dancing. I did basic exercises which didn’t correlate to anything I wanted to do (or at least I couldn’t see it and he couldn’t explain it). So I quit and I went back to classes and rehabbed myself by listening to my body/pain and working on technique.
I knew there had to be more. Then the summer between Junior-Senior year of high school, I was working my first job— working as a “Can-Can Girl” at the local Western Theme park. Not going to lie- best job ever! Except the basic “saloon” stage and spending all day in Character shoes (2” heels) on sand, and dancing 3 shows a day for 5-6 days/week didn’t agree with my back. I ended up going to see a Neuro-Osteopath provider. Finally! Someone who listened, explained, showed me anatomy and started to help me understand. At 16 I was starting to think about my next career and realistically dance probably wasn’t it. But 11+ years for med school sounded like so much! And then I found a 5-year dual degree PT program. SOLD!
Fast forward now 17 years later and I am so proud of the path my career has taken. I was able to work with brilliant physicians, surgeons and dedicated PT’s during my time in Philly, and have grown more in my years at Fort Bragg. But in 2021 everything changed. There was a shot. It was mandatory for my job and thanks to Medicare for my career. But it was new, unstudied and just didn’t make sense. God told me “no”. I went to a dark place, I questioned why He asked me to make a stand. And then slowly in the months after while awaiting my fate, Restore & Reform was born. A dream I had many years before that I never thought possible. A clinic where my patients come first and I provide a caring, holistic and integrated plan working towards their goals. Not just a diagnosis, not just a reimbursement or payment. But a PERSON who has a life— and wants to get back to it!
This is My Why. God gave me a passion and has provided a path to see it come to light. I am thankful for so much and so many along my path. It’s impossible to name everyone but just know this: If you crossed my path for any period of time, you probably taught me something that has helped lead me here. THANK YOU.
