An Open Letter To PRO Physical Therapy

Dear sir or madam, My name is Wyatt Earp, and I was referred to your Northeast Philadelphia office by my personal physician, after suffering a knee injury while playing ice hockey. An MRI and x-ray confirmed that I was suffering from a femoral contusion near the left knee, which resulted in excruciating pain and instability of the entire leg. Every step was insufferable, and I was unable to walk up stairs without pulling myself up by the handrail. I thought the days of playing with my children and playing ice hockey were over. Enter Mike and the therapists at PRO. My first evaluation took place of September 22, one month after suffering my injury. Mike was assigned to be my therapist, and he questioned me about every aspect of my injury. Not only did he ask the right questions, but he also listened to my answers and concerns - a rare thing in this day and age. After taking measurements and checking my MRI and x-rays, Mike stated that my tracking problem was one of the worst he has ever seen. Undaunted, Mike assured me that he could get me back on my feet and - hopefully - back onto the ice. It was slow going at first, but Mike and the PRO therapists always challenged me. When I thought they were expecting the impossible, in reality they were simply expecting great effort. I did my best to give it to them, and saw immediate results. Once I conquered an exercise or activity, Mike was right there to increase the weight or add another program. The therapy was never boring, and the atmosphere was conducive to good morale. Good morale, in my opinion, is Mike's strong suit. In my four months of therapy, I never saw Mike in a bad mood, I never saw him angry, and I never saw him give up on a patient. In fact, when I was having trouble early on, I quickly became discouraged. Mike saw this, approached me, and told me that my rehabilitation would take time. He said the right things to keep me going and keep me optimistic. And, on a personal note, when my friend and co-worker - Philadelphia Police Officer Chuck Cassidy - was murdered, Mike did his best to keep me positive and focused upon my training. It was a tough time for me, but he helped me through it. Today was my last day at PRO Physical Therapy, and I am happy to say that my knee is at 100%. I am playing ice hockey again and can play with my children now. Taking stairs are not a problem, and I am completely pain free. Although Mike said that I was the one who did all of the work, I know how modest he can be. Without Mike and the therapists at PRO - especially Kevin, Danielle, and Bill - I don't think I would be where I am today. The entire Northeast Philadelphia staff treated me with courtesy and respect, and it is little exaggeration to say that they saved my life. I will never be able to thank them enough for their efforts. (A copy of this blog post will be sent to PRO PT's corporate office.)