‘They gave me my life back’
Local man thankful for Sawyer Rehabilitation Services
Father Pete Minelli of Gwinn never imagined muscle weakness
would lead to an inactive lifestyle.
In late 2004, Minelli began experiencing pain in his knees. The pain became
so severe that he was unable to leave his house, drive his car, shop for
groceries, or perform routine day-to-day activities. He sought treatment
from his family doctor who diagnosed him with general muscle weakness.
Marquette General Hospital physical therapist Jeannie
Wagner watches Fr. Pete Minelli lift dumbbells as a component of his strength
therapy at Sawyer Rehabilitation Services, a part of the Upper Michigan
Rehabilitation Center at Marquette General. (MGH photo)
On his doctor’s advice, Minelli turned to the expertise of physical
therapists Jeannie Wagner and Randy Carlson at Sawyer
Rehabilitation Services, a part of the Upper
Michigan Rehabilitation Center at Marquette General Hospital.
The programs offered through Sawyer Rehab are designed to teach the mind,
train the body, and lift the spirit to restore a person’s self-reliance.
“Our goal was to get him moving again,” Wagner said.
Jeannie
Wagner
Minelli, a retired priest, was grateful for the level of care he received.
“I can’t thank them enough,” Minelli said. “They
gave me my life back.”
In May, Minelli met with Carlson, who assessed his physical condition
by performing a working PT evaluation. He then designed a specific outpatient
therapy program to help him regain his strength
Wagner said that Fr. Minelli experienced deconditioning, a decline in
muscle strength and muscle bulk. Deconditioning happens to healthy, older
people causing a slow, chronic decline in physical health. It can also
result from a sedentary lifestyle or from an acute illness. If loss of
muscle strength affects the ability to perform daily activities, it’s
time to seek help.
When Fr. Minelli first arrived at Sawyer Rehab, he was unable to step
on the treadmill, let alone walk on one. As part of his exercise regime,
Fr. Minelli walked on the treadmill to improve his cardiovascular health,
lifted dumbbells to increase his muscle strength and function, and stretched
to expand his overall flexibility.
Under the supervision of Carlson and Wagner, Minelli continued on this
program three times a week until August. Wagner encouraged Minelli to
watch other patients’ rehab progress. He found this to be encouraging
because it motivated him to stay with the prescribed program.
“A lot of times patients feel like they aren’t progressing
as fast as they want to. It’s good for them to talk with other patients
who have been where they are now,” Wagner said. “It gives
them hope and something to look forward to.”
Today,Minelli is enrolled in the AfterCare Program at Sawyer Rehab. This
comprehensive program is designed to pick up where the physical therapy
sessions end. It offers continued security and guidance to a patient’s
exercise plan.
“The goal of the AfterCare Program is to maintain what patients
have gained,” Wagner said. “It’s important to continue
the exercises. Patients like the fact we provide a supervised setting
for them.”
“I really enjoy coming here,” said Minelli, who appreciates
Sawyer Rehab’s friendly and supportive environment. “I know
my routine, so I can just come in two or three times a week to get my
workout done.”
“I live at Sawyer, so it’s nice to have the treatment so close
to home. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me, and I’m
recommending them to others.”
Sawyer Rehab offers a number of services to its patients. Under the guidance
of a physician, a physical therapist evaluates and treats musculoskeletal
and neurological conditions. The focus of any program is to get patients
back to their normal routines. This is accomplished by focusing on strength,
endurance, body mechanics, range of motion, gait, posture and pain control.
Musculoskeletal pain affects a person’s muscles, ligaments and tendons,
and bones. The specific cause of musculoskeletal pain varies and can include:
