With a yell “I’ll save you” and a “Lloyd Bridges” style dive, my life changed forever.  I was a 15-year-old practicing to become a summer lifeguard (chicks dig lifeguards!)  But my dive angle was too steep and my head hit the muddy bottom of the lake with all the force a 6’1” 195 lbs. football player running at full speed could generate.  As the electric shock shot through me, my survival instinct allowed my stunned body to float to the surface.

A few hours later in the emergency room, the sandbag on my head and the horror on parent’s face spoke volumes about the severity of my diving accident. To that point in my life, all I knew was sports.  Football, baseball, basketball, and wrestling had ruled my existence.   One dive had just taken that all away.

I’ve never been a quitter.  So, I thought, “What’s plan B?”  In that hospital bed, one day after my accident I decided I was going to help people live better lives despite what had happened to me.  I was 15, so I really didn’t know how, but I knew this was my life’s calling.

My middle class Midwestern upbringing proved hard work, a positive attitude, and a strong family can overcome any obstacle life can throw at you.  My chiropractic decision evolved as I learned to help myself with my neck injury.  To me, drugs and surgery should only be used when all other options are completely exhausted.  Chiropractic creates a natural environment to allow the body to heal itself. 

In my twenty plus years in practice, I’ve studied many “alternative” healthcare systems.  I’ve always had trouble getting the everyday person off the couch to give something new a chance.  I have spent the last decade of my life building an answer to that question. 

Every person working my system will take away something different.  Everyone is in a different place.  The key is to find where that person is and then make a plan to where they want to go, and then go for it.

I understand life is a journey not a destination.  Every day I use my knowledge, energy, and skills to fulfill the promise I made to myself lying in that hospital bed over thirty years ago.  I lecture extensively on wellness principles.  I write a weekly wellness column and I’ll stop people on the street if I think they need some help.

So check out my stuff, learn more about yourself, and then decide if it’s time to make a change in your life.  You truly can add more years to your life and life to your years.