There’s No Place Like Home

Image credit: http://www.sundanceresort.com/summer/

Nestled in the gorgeous Wasatch Mountain range is the beautiful Sundance resort. For the past several years my brother Steve has pampered us along with our parents and other siblings to a delicious dinner and outdoor theater tickets. Just a few days before Mark’s surgery in July, we found peace and entertainment surrounded by the huge pine trees as we enjoyed the Wizard of Oz. The storyline and music were perfect timing for the turmoil ahead. A few tears streamed down my face as Dorothy sang, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The promise of blue skies, dreams coming true and troubles melting like lemon drops gave me hope for a brighter future. I’ve reflected on the story often through Mark’s recovery.

Image credit: http://www.sundanceresort.com/summer/

In the classic story written 77 years ago, of Dorothy and her dog, Toto, being caught in a tornado’s path which took them to the magical Land of Oz where life is strange, but beautiful. Wishing to return home, she is helped by the Good Witch of the North, but in trouble with the Wicked Witch of the West. She follows the yellow brick road to Emerald City where the great wizard lives in hopes he can take her back to a familiar way of life with the people she loves. In her travels she meets a scarecrow who wants a brain, a tin man who yearns for a heart and a cowardly lion who desperately needs courage. They all hope the Wizard of Oz will help them before the Wicked Witch of the West catches up with them. There are many twists and turns in their journey to meet the wizard who everyone says can help Dorothy return home and grant her new friends their wishes for a brain, heart and courage.

It’s common to hear in the halls of a rehab center, “I want to go home.” I’m quite sure it is the sentiment of most patients and the motivation for everyone who works hard in therapy. Some landed in rehab after surgery, while other storms such as a stroke, illness or loss of limb brought them there. All have left the comfort of their home in an effort to improve or save their health. The physical condition cyclone has taken each of them to a life that’s strange and unfamiliar. It’s made beautiful by a caring environment and other patients who understand the pain and share the goal of recovery. Wishing to return home, each is helped by good doctors, nurses, aides and therapists. The patients follow their advice like Dorothy followed the yellow brick road in hopes to get the help they need to return home. In real life there’s no Wizard of Oz who can magically get you home with all your goals achieved. Instead it takes persistent and painful work. Just as the scarecrow, tin man and lion found out, most patients learn from the journey they have within them what it takes to obtain their desire.

Dorothy was right, there’s no place like home and on Friday we were finally able to return. There is nothing more restful than sleeping in my own bed. However, I appreciate wonderful places like Rocky Mountain Care when we’re not capable or safe to be home. I’m filled with gratitude for therapists who work a bit of magic with their knowledge, and a caring staff that is all heart. I value the friendships we made there and am motivated by their life stories and courage. The environment there is very different from home, but it’s made beautiful as people improve and friendships form.

It’s hard to say goodbye to people we may never see again, who have inspired us in our lowest hours and have been with us daily in the pain and success of recovery. We return home changed by our experience and blessed by many people’s influence.

I am grateful to Steve for a wonderful annual summer tradition and for this years play which reminded me that Somewhere Over the Rainbow, skies truly are blue.

Greg Nordfelt’s Story

Image credit: Greg & Laura 2011

One of the benefits of my caregiving journey is the people I meet and have the privilege to rub shoulders with. I met Greg and Laura Nordfelt at the 2013 Annual Brain Injury Conference. Immediately, our hearts connected when they shared their story with me. The circumstances which caused Greg’s traumatic brain injury (TBI) were different from Mark’s, but the feelings and experiences with therapy and the fight to return to a familiar way of life are very similar. They agreed to let me share their story on Uniting Caregivers in March of 2014, Greg and Laura Nordfelt’s Story. We have kept in touch over the past two years and I’ve enjoyed my friendship with them. Watching this couple grow and seeing the amazing outreach they both give to others inspires me. Thursday, September 17, 2015, Greg shared more of his story with Channel 4 News. With their permission, I share what Laura writes and the Channel 4 News interview.

“I am so proud of Greg Nordfelt and this interview on Thursday with Channel 4 news. Most of the recording ended up on the cutting room floor, but what showed was a glimpse of what he has been through in the last 4 years with his recovery process. More than all of this is the amazing job he has done volunteering with the TBI patients since then at TOSH, who meet twice a week working through their aphasia issues. On top of all this, three weeks ago he started volunteering at Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) on the very floor where he learned to get his life back with Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy, giving hope to TBI patients and their caregivers. This is my sweet, giving and incredibly loving husband. xoxoxo .”

http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/new-study-provides-better-treatment-for-traumatic-brain-injury-patients

Image Credit: Greg & Laura 2011

I appreciate the inspiration Greg and Laura give to everyone who knows them. I am grateful for the awareness of TBI they spread by sharing their story. Together they are a powerhouse and are making a positive difference in our community. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish next. They are wonderful and I’m blessed by their friendship. Ride on Greg and Laura!

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

2015,  My Dad

“I just need to work it off,” Dad says whenever he has an illness or any physical trial. He grew up on a farm and made his living working construction, so work for him has always kept him physically active. He’s a talented heavy equipment operator, but has never shirked from digging with a hand shovel if needed. My parents taught me how to work at a young age. No excuses were ever accepted. My dad still goes to work every day operating equipment and some days when they’re short-handed he’s also found with a shovel doing the hand work. He’s amazing and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Dad believes work will cure whatever ails you. I’m proud to be his daughter.

Work for me is sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Tapping my fingers across the keyboard or calculator as fast as I can isn’t much of a workout. I have to intentionally exercise to be physically active and I haven’t been able to do much of it lately. I’ve noticed my mood isn’t as pleasant as it should be and I don’t feel as well as I do when I exercise or can spend time outdoors hiking, biking or gardening. I’m missing my Vitamin D and unfortunately, summer ends in a few short weeks.

I shouldn’t complain because I’m surrounded by people who have physical challenges that make it difficult to be active. A few are like Mark and it’s impossible to do exercises on their own. At the rehab center most are concentrating on therapy to build strength and improve coordination.

I’ve notice a few people which resist therapy. I’ve heard a few say they don’t need it or give excuses to get out of it. Others push themselves with exercise and hope the insurance company will prolong the benefit because they feel the improvement. I suppose it all depends on the circumstances and their pain tolerance, but it’s evident to me that the ones who push themselves are the happy ones.

“You’ll be surprised what you can do when you put your shoulder to the wheel,” is a phrase my dad said to me often. “If we all put our shoulder to the wheel we’ll get this job done in no time. Many hands make light work,” are the encouraging statements I grew up with. I can’t sing “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” without thinking of Dad. If you haven’t heard it, here are the lyrics:

1. The world has need of willing men
   Who wear the worker’s seal.
   Come, help the good work move along;
   Put your shoulder to the wheel.

(Chorus)
Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

2. The Church has need of helping hands,
   And hearts that know and feel.
   The work to do is here for you;
   Put your shoulder to the wheel.

(Chorus)

3. Then don’t stand idly looking on;
   The fight with sin is real.
   It will be long but must go on;
   Put your shoulder to the wheel.

(Chorus)

4. Then work and watch and fight and pray
   With all your might and zeal.
   Push ev’ry worthy work along;
   Put your shoulder to the wheel.

(Chorus)

Text and music: Will L. Thompson, 1847-1909

What does put your shoulder to the wheel mean? The metaphoric term, alludes to pushing a heavy handcart as many pioneers did. The dictionary states: “To apply oneself vigorously and make a concentrated effort.” I’m inspired by those who do. .http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+shoulder+to+the+wheel

Last week while I was visiting the new Neuroworx, Dr. Dale Hull said, “there are some sad stories here of people and their struggles, yet this is a happy, positive atmosphere.”

“No surprise to me,” I said. “In our years of experience, I’ve noticed people are happy when they are striving for self-improvement.”

I try to imagine what it’s like to be trapped in a body that can’t function like most of us do, with ease and with little thought. How shattering it must be to lose abilities you once took for granted. It must be disheartening to see others move freely with capabilities you were never given. The world has need of willing men and women who wear the workers seal. I’m so grateful for those who come and help the good work move along by putting their shoulders to the wheel. I appreciate many who do their duty with a heart full of song. I’m inspired by the need for helping hands, with hearts that know and feel. The work to do is here for me and you, so lets put our shoulder to the wheel.

It’s a proven fact that exercise is good for us physically and mentally. It doesn’t matter what your age or limitations are. Everyone benefits from being as physically active as possible. It’s why I work and watch and fight and pray with all my might and zeal. Therapy for Mark is a worthy work which needs to be pushed along. If it isn’t, he suffers with blood clots and joints that calcify and are no longer able to function. Some days I wish I could stand idly looking on, but the fight for improvement is real. It will be long (a lifetime long), but must go on because it’s better than the alternative.

I’m trying to do as I’ve been taught. Working energetically towards a goal. I realize we all have work and I don’t want to be the one that shirks.

I was raised with the philosophy that work cures whatever ails you. If it can’t cure you, at least it makes you feel better. I’m grateful for a mom and dad who taught me this valuable lesson.

New Hope

We’ve looked forward to the completion of Neuroworx for nearly a year. Today I toured this new facility for outpatient therapy and wellness program. I’m so excited! It was everything I’d hoped for. I had the pleasure of  meeting with Dr. Dale B. Hull, who currently serves as the executive director of Neuroworx. “He graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 1985. Following graduation, he completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah Medical Center. He practiced general obstetrics and gynecology for ten years in the south portion of the Salt Lake metropolitan area.

In 1999, he suffered a spinal-cord injury that resulted in paralysis from the neck down. This life-altering event, which prevented him from returning to active practice, required Dr. Hull to devote approximately three-and-a-half years to his rehabilitation. His physical therapist during this time was Jan Black.

 

He was fortunate to have an early return of neurological function. With hard work and Jan’s expert guidance, he was able to take advantage of that return to make significant progress.

 

Dale and Jan realized there was an unmet need to provide others with access to the extraordinary rehabilitation he had experienced. He joined his therapist in forming a non-profit organization and opening Neuroworx in 2004.

 

During 2002, Dale had the opportunity to be an Olympic torch bearer for the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. In 2009, he completed an underwater marathon in the Neuroworx pool to commemorate the ten-year mark of his injury. Dr. Hull is married and has four sons.”

Source: https://neuroworx.org/drupal/content/executive-director-dale-hull-md-mpa

“What is Neuroworx?

Neuroworx is a nonprofit, community-based, outpatient physical therapy clinic focusing on neurological rehabilitation for individuals experiencing paralysis from spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and stroke.

We also offer a limited pediatric therapy program for children with neurological conditions requiring specialized care and equipment.

Mission

Our mission is to promote the rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions and to create and support the finest comprehensive neurological rehabilitation facility in the region.

We will:

• Develop a comprehensive plan for restorative and functional rehabilitation
• Provide superior equipment & expertise for as long as necessary
• Focus on the individual by providing customized care
• Generate the greatest level of independence & recovery possible
• Extend our reach to all who need access to care–regardless of resources

Source: https://neuroworx.org/drupal/mission-and-objective

Check out the amazing KSL documentation on 08/27/15. It is definitely worth the watch.

https://www.ksl.com/?sid=36206608

Another KSL documentation recorded on 09/26/13.

Guess where Mark will be doing outpatient therapy?