Hello! My name is Ann and I've been a nurse for 40 years now, started when I was 6! I manage the MN Veterans Home Adult Day Center, where a group of "angels" care for our nations Veterans who mostly suffer from Alzheimer's disease. We call it, "the Vet's Club". I got up at 4am on the morning of December 7th, 2018 (D-Day) - should have known, and was so excited because we were having a holiday party for our Veterans and their families, and all the staff dress up silly. Well, coffee cup in hand and still half asleep, I tripped over a boot in the hallway at home, and went airborne landing on my left shoulder. All I saw were stars and felt pain like I've never felt before, made labor pains feel like a walk in the park. I crawled to my phone, called for help, and ended up at Fairview Ridges ER. Long story short, shattered neck of my humerus (not humorous to me!) and was sent to Burnsville TCO to see
Dr. Lewis, who felt I had fallen the correct way and could possibly heal without surgery - I fell the right way! Yaay! Was he kidding? I could hardly move and about wanted to die from the pain. It's funny how you take simple, everyday things for granted, like fixing your hair or brushing your teeth, until you can't do them by yourself and have to rely on others - nurse's are not good at asking for help! I, of course went back to work after 9 days, way before Doc Lewis said I could (don't tell him!). Nurse's make really bad patients! When Doc Lewis gave the okay, I was put into the wonderful hands of a physical therapist,
Alex Niznik, who made me feel I could get my life back - no whining allowed! I worked with Alex every week and was doing so well, I graduated early! It's been almost five months now, and nothing can stop this old nurse, daughter of a Marine - pain is just weakness leaving the body! I told that to Alex all the time. I really learned from Alex that if you think you can, and stay positive, you can do it! Alex - you ROCK! All my thanks, always, Ann.
