Ingrid Winters
November 13, 2017 22:57
I heard about Comprehensive Health from a good family friend and I was pretty excited. Finding a chiropractor in my town who uses the activator that I was used to already sounded incredible. In the past, this method worked wonders on my lower back and sinuses/allergies and helped me just feel my best overall. Shortly after, I saw Dr. Mike and Dr. Margaret on news 12 and now my referral from a friend became a definite must to look into. However, life made me halt my pursuance. In February of 2017, I was diagnosed with a recurrence of stage 0, non invasive DCIS in my left Breast. I decided to get a left side mastectomy and reconstruction using my own stomach tissue, otherwise known as a Diep Flap surgery, on April 26th. Recovering from the surgery turned my world upside down especially with the devastating news when pathology came back that I actually had invasive cancer in my left breast that had spread to one of my lymph nodes. Even though the surgery was successful, it came with some tough months ahead. They say a good 6 months to a year for almost full recovery while undergoing chemotherapy in between. Walking straight up was an issue from the 'tummy tuck' and getting my range of motion back in my left shoulder and arm after the removal of 13 lymph nodes was a challenge. The hospital sent me home with pt exercises. All well and good if it works for you. Well it didn't for me and I needed more. We asked my doctor for a Pt script and that's when I knew the place I wanted to go.
So instead of seeking out Dr. Mike for my perpetual back issues, I am now a patient of Dr. Margaret for physical therapy. Dr Margaret got my range of motion back in my left arm through exercises, stretching and massage. We started with baby steps squeezing Thera putty and doing cane exercises and pulleys. She continues to build me back up with that left arm incorporating stretching and strength exercises with hand weights, bands and some exercise equipment. She also helps me with getting my stomach muscles back to feeling their best by doing exercises that focus on the core and breathing.
My world is definitely less upside down and more positive because of Dr. Margaret. Her knowledge and dedication to her practice and patients is amazing. She was patient with me during those Chemo days that were bad and I could not make it. She worked around my schedule and did not push me on those days that I did not feel my best.
I'm stronger today because of Dr. Margaret and I am so grateful. My therapy will be ending shortly but I will feel good knowing the care that I received and feeling the energy we both put into helping me recover. I will continue to go to Comprehensive Health for acupuncture. Sarah was able to help me a few times during chemotherapy as well to help my body cope with some of the side effects. She was very willing to work with me and had wonderful knowledge and was compassionate to my condition and wanted to help me. I'll hopefully get in for adjustments with Dr. Mike too for my lower back and allergy symptoms in the early spring.
Thank you Comprehensive Health.....