Why Terry Farley Joined The Baxter YMCA
Terry Farley has been a member at the Baxter YMCA for about one year now. Everybody has their own reason for wanting to be at the Y, but Terry had a laundry list of issues that brought him through our doors. Terry has a degenerative bone disease (also known at Osteo Arthritis) that is slowly breaking down his joints. He has lost flexibility in most of his joints, and was told that he would never play golf again, use his left arm, or even walk. But his ankle was truly the biggest concern. He ended up having his ankle completely rebuilt. He was in a wheelchair for four months and used a walker for an additional eight months. He was depressed as a result of not even being able to recognize himself as the tall, strapping man he once was. While Terry may stand well over six feet tall, his illness, surgeries, and additional health concerns had whittled him down to a much frailer version of his former self.
The Journey Starts Here
When he walked through our doors last September, he came in hunched over, shuffling with his walker. But, he was here! As a result of a recommendation from his Spinal Surgeon, Terry coaxed himself out of the house and right over to Baxter. He was happy to find out that his insurance would cover six months of his membership. As you can only imagine, Terry’s health status prevents him from being able to work. Only having disability pay to help make ends meet meant that he did not have any wiggle room in the budget for a YMCA membership. After meeting with Lou at our Member Services Desk, Terry was informed that he was eligible for a subsidy rate for his membership and he hasn’t turned back since. He credits a plethora of staff members with his success. He says, “Anne was my motivational speaker, Tim and Val got me started on the machines in Wellness, and Melissa “Red” helped keep me going, but all of the staff at Baxter are just amazing!”
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Terry Enjoying a Day on the Lake[/caption]
Hard Work Pays Off for Terry
Terry is definitely making progress! He comes in at least 3 times per week for his 3 hour workout. He rides a recumbent bike for about seven miles, plays basketball for an hour, is able to hit the links again, and did I mention, no more walker! His depression is gone and he has lost 15% body fat as a result of working out and cutting back on bread and sweets.
He reflects back on where he was when he first joined Baxter. “Dr. Sanders, my surgeon, told me she wasn’t even sure that I would be able to keep my foot. I was told if anybody can rebuild my ankle, it was her.” He goes on to say, “I may have to wear a brace on my ankle now, but it’s a far cry from being told you might come out of surgery without your foot! I feel like me again.”
Terry is a talker and will let anybody know just how great he thinks the Y is. “I’ve been to other places. The Y is a standalone organization. I love being a part of a team; it feels like that at Baxter YMCA. You just can’t find that at the other places.”
If you or someone you know would benefit from a membership at Baxter YMCA, please look for additional information HERE or call 317-881-9347 to speak to a Member Services representative at the Baxter YMCA.
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Terry Gains Good Health and New Friends at the Baxter YMCA[/caption]