My New Life: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do!

I broke up with my physical therapist...or she broke up with me??!! I'm not sure. I was in such disbelief that I could hardly speak. When I first started going for therapy she talked about how hard it is to break up with some patients. She said some of them just won't leave; now I understand why...

A few weeks ago I told my therapist that I had 2 more appointments and then that would probably be it...I didn't mean, but yet I did. Since I have started another job, I realize that taking half a day off each week is probably not the best idea. It has been about a year since I first started physical therapy. That is a long time to take time off work, drive 1 1/2 hours one way, and to ride in a car for that long since riding is difficult for me at times.

My therapist has been talking a lot about all the progress that I have made. It just seemed like the right time to stop going regularly. But when the time came and she said she thought I was ready, I didn't feel ready at all. I felt like a little girl whose friend told her not to come back to her house anymore! I felt like I was not going to see one of my best fiends, a confidant and the best physical therapist a girl could ask for.

As we smiled, hugged and said our goodbyes, it seemed like a dream. Like one of those many bad dreams I have been having lately. As soon as I stood in the elevator to leave, I realized that it was all real and the tears began to flow.

So much change in my life now...I don't like it. My one and only daughter is getting married next week. And I am happy for them, yet a little sad too. Even though I enjoy my new construction job, I love my telephone company job and the people I work with and soon I will have to let that go too.

Although I know I can email, call or visit my therapist at any time, I know things will never be the same again...I will never be the same again. She is not only a good friend to me, but I believe she changed my life forever. As a physical therapist she gave me part of my life back that Interstitial Cystitis (IC) had taken away. If I had not went for therapy, I was headed down a path of being physically unable to walk or do much of anything.

When I was first diagnosed, all I wanted to do was sit or lay on my heating pads. She encouraged me to walk daily and do stretches. I thought I would never exercise again, but thanks to her guidance and encouragement I exercise everyday now. Each week she held me accountable for what I did or did not do.

She also encouraged me to look at my diet. I made some needed changes that will be better for my bladder. It also encouraged me to look at ways to control my IBS through my diet.

But the main thing I love about her is her enthusiasm. She is excited about what she does and really goes above and beyond her call of duty to genuinely show her patients that she really cares about them. She was the first person that I talked to about IC that didn't have it who seemed to honestly understand it...that alone was amazing in my book!

She is also a Christian. We openly talked about the Lord and it was so encouraging to me that someone as young as her has such huge faith. Her Christian influence with stay with me the rest of my life!

And of course her suggestions will too. Drink water, water, water and walk, walk, walk!!
She told me she thought I was ready and her advice was to keep doing what I am doing. My words to her were few, but I have already told her many times before that I think she was an angel sent by God to me, to never loose her passion for what she does and that I felt such a great connection to her that I know God put the two of us together.