Farewell to Sparta

Sparta became part of my family’s life when a job related relocation moved us from Ohio to New York. Recently the latest relocation has moved us to London England. So we must say farewell to Sparta. We raised three children in Sparta, made many friends and enjoyed living there very much. It is a great community with many small businesses that add charm to its natural surroundings of lush forests and rolling hills. One of those small businesses is the reason I am writing to the Sparta Independent. I would like to publicly recognise the small business in Sparta that changed my life physically, the last few months I was there. The small business is Sparta Fit for Life. I want to say thank you to the owner Kathy and a great physical therapist Melissa. Had it not been for a chance meeting with Kathy (also a great physical therapist) I would be walking the streets of London, in pain and agony. Let me explain. Several years ago I developed a pain in my right knee. Over time the pain grew more intense. I finally decided to see a doctor. He did a brief assessment and recommended an exercise to stretch areas around the outer knee. I followed that practice for over a year which did little to alleviate the pain or solve the problem. In fact, it got worse. So I saw another doctor. The second time around I was given an x-ray. “A slight meniscus tear” was the possible culprit, a shot was administered and other recommendations for dealing with my knee’s discomfort. One option was physical therapy. I decided to give it a try. The doctor’s office made a recommendation for a local therapist that took my insurance. My first therapy session was okay. I was lead through a series of exercises with a therapist. On subsequent sessions I was handed equipment by an assistant and left on my own to run through the routine. Occasionally a new exercise was interjected to the routine and I was guided accordingly by a therapist. Again I was handed equipment by an assistant and left on my own to repeat the routine. This was not the type of therapy I was expecting. I recalled meeting Cathy at a Fourth of July Celebration in Sparta. I gave her a call. My major concern was insurance coverage but I found out I was covered. I switched to Sparta Fit for Life and was assessed the first day. During my assessment with therapist Melissa she asked if I had any issues with my hips. My hips? No I replied. “Well” she said, “you have very little range”. I went back to my doctor, this time with the subtle suggestion for some x-rays of my hips - and the rest is history. I had severe arthritis in the right hip and moderate to severe in the left. I continued therapy to strengthen the muscles and stretch them out in preparation for hip surgery. I concluded the surgery in March had post-surgery therapy with Sparta Fit for Life until the day I left for London and-now I am walking to work, going to the park and climbing stairs every-chance I get. I do not know any better way of saying thanks to Kathy and her team at Sparta Fit for Life than by doing it publicly. I wish all the best to Sparta, my neighbors, and my friends at Sparta fit for Life . Farewell. John J. Gallagher London, England