Remmert Hinlopen
Many years ago, let's not be too specific (say about 40 years), I was your typical 14 year boy who could not sit still for a minute and loved all sports. It was during a field hockey match one day that I hit the turf hard and had difficulty breathing. For 4 days I had severe chest pain (as only 14 year old boys can demonstrate). A family friend, Bill Driesens, was a manual physiotherapist and my dear mother took me there to see if I was going to live another day. After his assessment, he concluded that one of my ribs was "out". With a quick movement he was able to place it back into its normal position; I still remember the instant relieve I felt. To me this manual physiotherapist was magic. That I could go from dying one day to feel absolute relief the next minute was something what made me want to be just like him.
That was my "aha" moment that made me decide to join the profession and the world of Physiotherapy.
Now after nearly 40 years I look back and know that decision then has served me really well throughout my life. Being a physiotherapist has given me a good work/life balance, a job that is never dull and is always challenging, and motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle to be a roll model to my clients!
All this because about 40 years ago I felt I was dying after hitting the Turf playing field hockey.