Ageless Al
Al Griggs is a pretty active guy. He has to be. At 81, exercise counteracts many of the progressive effects of his Parkinsons. It’s something he enjoys though, as you can find him biking, lifting, hiking, and, by his own admittance, “Golfing terribly” in his free time. Back in May though, Al had an accident that would hold him back from all these activities he loved. While doing pullups at his home, the device suddenly fell and he went along with it.
In the end, Al ended up rupturing both his quadriceps and required surgery. After a period of rest and at home PT, he received a recommendation for outpatient PT at Cioffredi & Associates. “It was a particular hope of mine to go because I had heard such wonderful things and it was also quite close to where I live in Sunapee. Lo and behold I was lucky enough to get an appointment with Marsha Wykes. She was just terrific. I needed to be challenged and Marsha certainly did that. She had me doing things I really didn’t think I could do. But with her help I could do them!”
Looking back on his treatments, he remembers the dynamic. “My sessions were so informative, but Marsha’s encouragement and just getting to know her was really meaningful… I see her as a teacher. And I was motivated to learn! I was impressed by the skill that she gained through education and experience, the various ways that she knows how to exercise the different muscles. She explained what I needed to do, showed me how to do it, and encouraged me along the way.”
As a result of all their hard work and dedication, Al found himself reaching his recovery milestones ahead of expectations by two months, and he wasn’t the only one who noticed. “I was recently at a reception and all my siblings were amazed at how I was essentially back to normal. They all had an expectation, as did I, of a much longer recovery. It makes me feel really good about the work I’ve done to get to this point.”
Now, Al is getting back to all the activities he enjoys. This October, just a little over a month after he started working with Marsha, Al rode his ebike over a hundred miles and is out walking three miles at a time. “It’s so wonderful to be able to get back out and enjoy the outside. Now, looking to the winter, I’m looking forward to snowshoeing and cross country skiing!” Many lessons learned later and back to the things he loves, keep an eye out for Al as he hits the trails!
