Life has a strange way of making connections, mostly for good of life but there are those that go in the other direction as well.
Oh I know the first sentence is a little weird so let me just explain myself in what happened in the course of less than a year. This is a story about Darrell meeting Selina who in turn referred Darrell to Elizabeth. Why these connections were made and a little more about each person starting below with Darrell Rhoades of WhatPond.
Besides the day job or 33 years in tool & die I have a small business working with ponds from small to many acres, dealing with weed control, water clarity, reducing muck and most importantly aeration system design. My wife Wanda and I also volunteer for the Erie County CERT team. Community Emergency Response Team, I know that is sort of a mouthful but in short CERT is an individual 24 hour training for personal and family preparedness. Once that class is finished you can sign on to continue education to be available in the event of a large disaster. So we train, train and train in hopes of not being needed. If we do get activated it will be a major event.
Ok back to the connections. I had been called on by Estate Services to clean out a small pond and get it back under control from over growth, muck and leaf litter. Everything works out for the next few months of caring for the pond until I got the email the property had been sold and my services are no longer needed.
Yes that was a bit disheartening but so be it, who knows maybe the next owner will track me down to help out with the pond. Guess what? I did get the call, “the pump had stopped running and wondered if I could check it out”. Good news for me but not so much for the new owner who had to put out more money just moving into the new place, but no pump means no waterfall or stream that really is part of the calming affect this property has on you, almost could say it is a sanctuary.
Introducing the new pond owner, I first met Selina Uglow of The Way to Healthy Living I was a little jealous of her energy level, maybe this was just being a little wound up with moving into her new place and the pump going down, but no, each time I stopped in for the pond she was at that high level of energy. Selina also noted the walking cast on my foot and made a comment that she knew someone who could help out with my foot. I still had another appointment and time in the boot so that was put off for another month or so, it’s only been 3-4 years of feet pain so what’s a little longer.
Back to the connections, over the next few months I ran into Selina a few more times working with her on the pond, stopping in for the open house and finally closing the pond down. By this time I am out of the walking boot and no change in foot pain other than increased drug dose which I don’t want to be on. So I asked Selina about who she was thinking of about helping with my foot pain and to get set up on the meeting.
Let’s introduce Elizabeth Darling of Keystone Physical Therapy over on 5928 Old French, a good location for leaving from work or stopping in from home. My first meeting with Elizabeth was a little over an hour, explained everything I could for the past few years and she did a little testing, bending, movements and some exercises to see where I stood. You could tell my feet had her thinking, digging deep into her training and experience. When I left from the first visit I had relief with one of the issues of both feet and a reason why my feet had ended up this way. As the visits continued Elizabeth continue to introduce different exercises, massage techniques and taping to help alleviate the swelling in one foot which helped a great deal in the pain department but still had pain until the most recent visit she reevaluated some thoughts, pulled in another therapist to help and the new findings resulted in different taping which gave me relief thru the long Thanksgiving weekend. So nice to stand up and walk without pain. Can’t wait for my next visit to let her know how great I feel.
By the way, my first visit to Keystone Physical Therapy was awkward for me as I watched other folks go thru their exercises. From kids to adults I thought to myself wow they are pretty good and make their exercises look easy. I’m here to tell you they are not that easy but as strength builds the exercises do get easier.
More about Selina and her business is about what her website name is The Way to Healthy Living from eating healthy to doing the right exercises with coaching and accountability make a recipe for success. You see, Selina is a testimony in herself, she got her weight down and maintains it and best of all she beat cancer practicing what she teaches.
I know this was a long story but just wanted to put this out there to show how connections work with others and adds to your own personal Rolodex of friends and their friends, and who knows where it may lead you in the time of need or change in life you are looking for.
