Physician Heal Thyself

Recently, when I went for my second Physiotherapy session, I went there knowing that I would have a different person from the one I had the week before and that this new person would become my regular physiotherapist.

When I first saw the lady I was a little perturbed. Why? Well you see, my new Physiotherapist’s back as much noticeably worse than mine.

Mine, at this stage at least, whilst giving me a pain in the leg and some other discomfit is not all that noticeable, but this lady's was.

As part of the original assessment of my back, after the initial tests by my Doctor, I was sent to a Neurologist for professional advice. His view was that they would treat my back with physio for two months before reviewing the situation, before considering any other treatment, which would ultimately, if not cured before hand, lead to an operation. But this was considered as a worst case, last choice proposition.

So you can see why I was even less impressed when after finding what my symptoms were, she then said that that was what her husband had, before the operation where they fused his spine. She then asked if I had considered that operation.

A completely different approach from her superior the week before! Now it may turn out that she is the best Physiotherapist ever and I may end up singing her praises for the rest of my life but there and then, it did nothing for my confidence or for positive reinforcement of physiotherapy!

So you can see why I was not encouraged by this whole experience and why I was not particularly perturbed when during the next week, the next weekly session was postponed to the following week, which was already booked as my next session.

As I thought over all the above events I couldn’t help but wonder if I too in my normal social intercourse, am not similarly communicating a similar negative message, without saying a thing.

Actually that thought did not last very long because recently I have had so many people come up to me and thank me for my positive attitude, that I am actually embarrassed by it all. But, what about you?

In all modesty and humility, can you say or even think the same? In our lives, both private and public, are we a good presentation of what we represent? Are we a good advertisement for our parents, our club, our Church, our School or work organization? Or do we and even worse, others constantly have to make apologies for our behaviour or presentation?

Do you really present as a fairly good positive affirmation of all that you claim to represent, or do you still need to work on it?

A word of warning to those, who like me who think that we are currently doing all right. And that is, we still need to work on improving, because we can still go backwards if we become too proud and arrogant. This is not a one off, one step practise. It is a daily, one step at a time, forward moving procession, where a slip or too can be expected, but even then should not stop our progress. Well that’s my say! What say you? Walter