The One That Got Away - The Story of John
When you hear “the one that got away,” you may be dreaming of the person of your dreams slipping through your fingers.
For me, it makes me think about one of my past patients. For the sake of anonymity, we’ll call him John.
Who Was John?
John was a patient of mine at the previous clinic where I worked. He was quite the character, and I always enjoyed my time with him. He was an absolute wild card that seemed to have lived 40 different lives. He was a hardcore runner, windsurfer, and alleged former top dog businessman who traded in the corporate life for the farm life.
At the end of one visit, he pulled out a shark tooth necklace and handed it to me as a gift. He says it was from one of the sharks he “caught” while living in the Keys. If he was making it up, his story was very compelling. I chose to believe him.
John had been all over the place for his low back pain that had been plaguing him for years now. He wasn’t able to run as consistently as he desired, working in the garden was getting increasingly difficult, and he didn’t have confidence that his lower back wouldn’t give out on him at some point during his annual windsurfing trip. All of those things were really important to him, and he was always trying to fix this issue.
By design, the clinic I worked at was high-volume, so much so that I would often see 30+ patients in one day. If you take an eight-hour workday and divide it by thirty, you’re left with… not a lot of time, at all. I had only 10-15 minutes with John every time I saw him. Fifteen minutes to tackle an issue that had been troublesome for years.
What I Wish I Could Have Done for John
I did the best I could with the constraints I had, but the truth is, I knew that I was going to be unable to provide John with the type of treatment he needed to truly get results for his low back pain – not just short-term pain relief. After a handful of visits with only moderate improvements, I eventually made a brutal choice to refer him to a physical therapist in Boone that I hoped would be able to give him a little bit more of what he needed. But deep down, I knew that their model as well wouldn’t be conducive to the specificity his condition required.
I had the knowledge and skills to truly help John, but was barred from doing so by the system that has fallen victim to so much of healthcare in this country.
Knowing that John got away from me makes me physically sick.
I’ve lost touch with John over the years, but if I could talk to him again, I’d tell him that he is the reason I opened my own chiropractic clinic in Boone.
My Chiropractic Process for Helping People Like John
I designed my process so that I can help the Johns of the world.
Those who:
Refuse to settle for “just stop doing X” as their treatment plan
Know that their weekly adjustments are just a short-term band-aid
Have had generic physical therapy treatment with no results
Do not want to slow down in their life
Have been pushed to surgery, injections, or medications before any other intervention
Have goals of being the best versions of themselves
Just want clarity about what is happening within their own bodies
Schedule Your Visit to Elevate Chiropractic in Boone or North Wilkesboro
My chiropractic and rehab process is designed to take the necessary steps to first understand why your pain is happening in the first place, then develop a completely individualized plan based on your unique goals, and then execute to the highest standard possible.
All of our sessions are an hour, and you better believe we make the most of every second. This is the only way to truly fix an issue for the long term.
No more guesswork, no more spitballing, no more wasted time.
John may be the one that got away, but rest assured, I won’t miss the next one. Reach out to us to schedule your discovery visit today.