I always look forward to the beginning of March.  Besides during dinnertime (I love Family Feud), the TV normally isn’t on much in my apartment.  However, in March, that changes.  I love watching the March Madness basketball tournaments.  I setup a bracket challenge for my family and friends;  I follow the games pretty close.  That said, basketball isn’t the only TV I watch in March.  For years now, if I’m home, I watch the CP Telethon; it’s always the first weekend in March. You see, although it has completely changed over the years, it brings back memories.  When I young, I was on a couple telethons.   I started private physical therapy when I was eight months old and it was associated with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).  The telethon used to raise money the UCP organization.  UCP has since disbanded; the telethon now raises money for the CP Center in Green Bay.  Nevertheless, watching it makes me reminisce. While watching it, I usually post something on Facebook and tag my first physical therapist and a few of my friends who had therapy with me.  It’s amazing to think about how far we’ve all come.

It also makes me reflect on all of the therapies I’ve had in my life.  Cerebral Palsy, which is the condition I have, has various types and severities. Obviously, outcomes of therapies and treatments widely vary based on individual circumstances.  With therapies, some people are able to learn skills to lead almost a completely “normal” life.  Therapy can help people learn how to do things such as walk, talk, dress, and feed themselves independently.

I happen to have pretty severe physical limitations, so for me, therapies were more about learning how to do things functionally and adapt as well as doing range of motion exercises to keep my muscles loose.  For the first few years of my life, my parents drove me to Oshkosh (about 30 minutes from Fond du Lac where we lived) five days per week—often early in the morning before work and school—for physical therapy.  On the days I didn’t have therapy, my parents often worked with me at home.  Things such as weight-bearing on my legs and arms, working on head control, and sitting unsupported were just some of the things I worked on.

In addition to receiving physical therapy privately, I also received physical, occupational, and speech therapies at school.  When I started Kindergarten, private physical therapy was moved to after school a few days per week.  School therapies were focused on educational based goals.  Oftentimes, speech and occupational therapy worked together to find the right assistive technology equipment for me.  As I got older, school therapies were cutback so I could participate in regular classes.  Speech and occupational therapy would step in when it was time for a new communication device or if I needed support in the classroom.

Private physical therapy was also gradually cutback.  Homework and after school activities took priority for my sister and I.  It was important, though, for me to go therapy once per week.  If I missed a week, my body would feel it.  At UW-Whitewater, there was a physical therapist on campus.  I went twice per week to get stretched out.  I scheduled the appointments, but, if I didn’t show, the therapist wouldn’t chase me down; it was my responsibility to go.  When I was home in summers, I’d go to therapy once per week.  That continued after I graduated until the insurance company decided it was “preventive” instead of “rehabilitative.”  In other words, in their eyes, more therapy wasn’t going to improve my condition. 

Even though, I never took independent steps or anything like that, I did make some significant strides thanks to physical therapy.  When I was little, with some assistance, I was able to use a walker to take a few steps.  I also learned to crawl when I was in third grade.  In fact, one Christmas morning, I managed to get myself out of bed, onto the floor, and crawled all the way down to the living room by the tree.  To this day, my parents have no idea how I did that. Unfortunately, due to my body getting older and not getting therapy, I’ve kind of lost those abilities.  Those are just two of the many examples.

Oftentimes, I wonder why insurance companies stop paying for therapies when people want to try to improve their abilities. It doesn’t make sense to me. I haven’t had any physical therapy since September 2012 (when Medicaid approved eight sessions after a major surgery).  Although, my body has gotten used to it, I know I’ve lost some strength.

All that said, I wouldn’t be where I am today without all those hundreds of therapy (physical, occupational, and speech) sessions over the years.  Thinking back, I feel bad because many times I remember complaining about having to go to therapy. Now I realize what good all of it did.  My younger sister is now an occupational therapist.  Sometimes, she tries to suggest things to help me, and, admittedly, even though I know what she’s talking about, it’s really hard for me to take therapy advice from my baby sister. She and I are working on finding a happy medium!

It’s interesting to reminisce about all the therapies I’ve had.   Sometimes, I wonder if I’d had more therapies, would I have more abilities?  Probably not.  Did all those hours of therapy really pay off?  I think so!

***The views expressed here are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of InControl Wisconsin, the Network or any of our sponsors.