Back On My Feet Again
A Man’s Journey to Get Back to Work
Pat Laundry has always worked on his feet, so after a long day it was no surprise to him that they hurt. Repeated injury and strain to his Achilles tendon ultimately required surgery. “My surgeon had to go in and shave down parts of my bone and literally re-shape the back of my foot. After multiple casts and being on crutches for weeks, it came time to start the rehab process” recalled Pat.
He came to us barely able to walk, and non-weight bearing. “At the beginning I experienced the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. Even the slightest touch would often send fire shooting through my entire foot. At times I honestly felt that I might have to live with this pain the rest of my life. So, with that in mind, it is remarkable to look back at how far I have come. It has been a long process, but my therapist Anna has been a tremendous help and very supportive through a painful and difficult time. If it wasn’t for her and the entire staff’s help and support, I wouldn’t have been able to get back to riding my motorcycle or even return to work.”
Pat’s job is very physical, so it has been a long road to returning to work but he has returned on a limited duty status and is continuing to make improvements to get back to his prior level of function every day. Therapy has now shifted to focus on occupational tasks like pushing and pulling very heavy objects, and Pat is looking forward to getting back to full duty in the near future.
