Cass Regional Medical Center | Wellness Matters | Fall 2017

wellness matters Full circle Inspired by his experience, a former patient becomes a physical therapist Donnie MacLeod, PT, DPT, the newest member of Cass Regional Medical Center’s physical therapy team, knows a thing or two about what his patients are going through. As a student at Harrisonville High School, MacLeod played basketball, football and baseball. One play during a baseball game the summer before his junior year changed the course of his life. “I dove back to first base on a pickoff play and dislocated my left shoulder,” MacLeod said. Throughout his junior and senior years, the dislocations became more frequent, and shortly after he graduated in 2008, MacLeod had surgery to help correct the problem. “I elected to begin my therapy here at Cass Regional before I started college,” MacLeod recalled. “At first, I was terrified, to be honest. Was it going to hurt? Would I ever be able to throw a ball again? There were so many questions. But after my time with the staff, I had all my questions answered, as well as the motivation to do my best with rehab.” Seeing, learning, doing MacLeod’s introduction to the field of physical therapy led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU). In 2012, during his senior year at MNU, MacLeod completed a 100-hour observation/internship at Cass Regional. “I got to see inpatient care, outpatient care and aquatic therapy,” MacLeod said. “It was a whirlwind experience for me since it was my first exposure to the day-to-day life of a physical therapist, but my experience here was so great that I jumped at the opportunity to work here when this position became available.” MacLeod graduated from the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Southwest Baptist University in May 2017 and passed his national board exam in July. He joined the Cass Regional team in August. INSIDE FALL 2017 Live longer…and better! pg 4 Need a pneumonia shot? pg 6 Try a sweet, spicy snack pg 8 TEAM PLAYER: Donnie MacLeod, PT, DPT, was on the receiving end of physical therapy. Now, he gives back—treating patients with the same great care he received at Cass Regional. “Cass Regional is very unique in regard to occupational and physical therapy in that visits are one-on-one,” MacLeod explained. “I have completed clinical work that was not one-on-one, and it is difficult in those settings to really attend to a patient’s needs. Here, the patient is our first concern and with being one-on-one, we are able to be very attentive to their needs and make changes accordingly.” —Continued on back page for your HERE health.