By way of introductions, this is a story of re-claiming one's stride: both physically and metaphorically. This is my physical-therapy story: the muscle groups, my discovery of the talus bone, the equipment I have purchased along the way.

I have been in this formal physical therapy program since 2008. While I have not gone to Panzarella Physical therapy in a bi-weekly regular way, I have worked consistently with one practitioner, Joanne Panzarella. And I have been regularly integrating the many changes that have come my way, including lowering my thyroid replacement, changing my shoe size, and even left eye-sight changes.

I had a lipoma on the side of my left foot, which changed my gait, my muscle functioning, and even after it was removed, I never re-learned how to walk properly. This story has been in the making for 30 years, since, in effect, my left foot had compromised functioning.

My story has been about the partnership with an experienced and thoughtful PT practitioner, Joanne Panzarella. She has taught me how to re-access dormant muscles groups, and while none of thishas been painful (except the gluteus medius exercises, of which I had had none), the emotional recognition that my gait had been so compromised, has made me take an introspecitive view of healing, loss, and growth. So, in many ways, this coordination of new muscle groups has been a metaphor for this and other growth areas in my life.