More and more, with time, Mike’s and my skills as physical therapists became interwoven into the fabric of Matt’s ongoing recovery. Two therapists, one family. Collectively, my husband and I had 79 years of experience. Sounds impressive, and it was. I graduated from the University at Buffalo one year ahead of Mike and took a job in Youngstown, Ohio. We weren’t an item yet, but because he was interested in the possibility of growing our relationship, the job was right, and the pay was good, a year later he came to work for Youngstown Physical Therapists. We worked together in a modestly large teaching hospital that included a certified rehab center. That combination exposed us to a wide variety of medical conditions and therapy needs. During those early years, I enjoyed working with neurological and medical diagnoses that included strokes, TBI, amputations, and multiple sclerosis. Mike leaned more toward orthopedic and sports injuries, along with burns and wound care—but we did it all. It was a wonderful experience working together, and I mean that. Even after all these years, I respect and value his opinion over any other therapist with whom I have had the opportunity to work. He is a wealth of information, and treatment techniques, and works hard to stay current. I have always used him as my go-to resource.

Over the years we went our separate ways, primarily because it was hard to get time off together working at the same facility. I drifted towards opportunities that allowed me to still practice while taking on administrative opportunities. Clinically, I branched out and specialized in stroke rehab, soft tissue massage, spine pain, headaches, breast cancer rehab, and lastly abdominal pain management. Mike specialized for at times in work hardening, aquatics, and wound care while continuing to address sports injuries and spine pain. As he neared the end of his career, Mike’s focus shifted to fall prevention, post-concussion rehab, and vestibular rehab (e.g., vertigo and balance issues). Our professions have been rewarding, ever-growing, and never dull.

Our children and extended families have also benefited from our skills and knowledge. We have taped sprained ankles, manually treated back pain, sore shoulders, and so forth. But never, in a million years did we ever anticipate one of our children suffering a TBI. This was a totally different experience. In the clinic, we treat individuals for 30-60 minutes and send them home to their families or back to their hospital room. Now we lived and breathed the process ourselves. He was our son. There was no saying goodbye or walking away from this patient. It kept us up at night—either worrying about the future (his and ours) or trying to imagine the next something: whether a specific strategy, technique, or exercise that would help further Matt’s cause. And at times it still does.

So, did Matt have an advantage? Absolutely. But to those who are in the same boat, don’t let this fact define your situation. Don’t think all is lost or that you can’t accomplish what we have achieved simply because you are not a physical therapist. As you read this book take note of the many resources and strategies, within and outside of traditional rehab services. Our list is not exhaustive. The brain has a great capacity to restructure or rewire itself when challenged to adapt and the ability to learn if adequately stimulated. To this day I continue to look for the next whatever that will help Matt achieve his heart’s desire of living independently and being a college professor again.