Dooley Noted: 3/16/2014
My dear friend and colleague Dr. Randy Menser had 6 strokes in one year.
Defying the odds, he survived all 6.
He was told he would never walk or talk like he had. Of course, these crystal ball theories tend to only pan out when you believe them.
After one year of rehabilitation and excellent medical and not-so-medical treatment, Randy made remarkable recovery strides. He returned to his doctor.
Doctor: “After a stroke, what you’re left with after one year is what you’re stuck with.”
Randy: “Where did you learn that? A fancy school like Wash U? That’s bulls—.”
Randy now treats his clients, and he iis fully back to playing guitar and singing with his band. Doctors had the audacity to tell him he’d never do those things again.
Randy noted: “If I would have quit after one year of rehab, I would have been stuck there. It’s been 6 years and 6 strokes, and now I’m helping others so they don’t believe that s–t.”
Randy performed 3 hours a day of walking blindfolded in his backyard, to demand his proprioception and motor control to return.
It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t the one hour, three days a week of rehab he was suggested to perform.
When I asked Randy why he didn’t listen to the doctor’s prediction, he said this:
“Doctors treat without listening. They shouldn’t make predictions of something they can’t treat. They should just refer to people who are getting results.”
That kind of open mind and diligence is helping Randy beat all odds.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley