Rec Therapy Gives Vet New Lease on Life

[Elderberry]

Houston.VA.Gov by Todd Goodman 2/5/2020

February is National Therapeutic Recreation Month, a perfect time to celebrate recreation therapy and all it does to change Veterans’ lives.

For Army Veteran Rick Weisbrod, 70, recreation therapy saved his life.

“I am convinced if I hadn’t been introduced to recreation therapy that I may not be talking to you right now,” said Weisbrod. “It had gotten pretty dark. I was in a cave. This has helped me functionally get out of that cave.”

For 30 years, Weisbrod, injured in the line of duty and an amputee, didn’t do a lot. He couldn’t run or walk any distance and his mental health suffered as a result. This changed when he received a prosthetic that allowed him to run. He ran until his orthopedics doctor at the Houston VA told him to stop due to knee damage.

Recreation therapy got Weisbrod involved in hand cycling, which has made a huge difference both physically and mentally.

“The biggest thing recreation therapy did for me is give me a focus,” he said. “I suffered from nightmares, insomnia, and an explosive temper. Getting out there and exercising was the biggest boon to my mental health. It has made a significant difference in my life and my family’s life. I’m actually afraid to stop exercising now … probably hand cycle into the grave.”

More: https://www.houston.va.gov/HOUSTON/features/RecTherapyNewLeaseOnLIfe.asp


Army Veteran Rick Weisbrod, 70, attempts to pass the leader at the
Houston Marathon. The avid hand cyclist credits recreation therapy
with saving his life.

[Gefn]

 

[truth_seeker]

As someone that trained for years, running, then biking long-distance, I saw and met many of these types of people.

I have vivid memories of a guy I met when I trained for Triathlons. He was a below the knee amputee from Vietnam combat injury. He had a prosthetic leg, and rode very long distances.

Name Jim Penseyares, brother to Pete Penseyeres.

Jim rode about 40 miles twice daily, from San Juan Capistrano, to the electric power generation plant in Long Beach where he was  Machinest, rain, shine. The two of them tried different handlebar and I think contributed to what would come to be know as "triathlon bars, extending the arms out to the front"

Then on weekends the two of them would ride 100s of miles, getting Pete ready for the 3000 mile "Race Across America" in the mid 80s. Pete would win. Jim attempted but his stump became injured wound proble.