I'll never forget a woman I met during my acute care internship when I was in school to become a physical therapist (PT). She'd sustained a spinal cord injury from a fracture of her T7 vertebra secondary to undiagnosed metastatic breast cancer. Her courage, determination, positivity, and perseverance never wavered. She worked incredibly hard and refused to give up. Within a couple of weeks she'd made it from the acute floor to acute rehab. Three weeks later, she returned home to her family.
She still was in a wheelchair and battling cancer, but she was determined to walk again, and I believe that she eventually will achieve that goal. She thanked me for my role in her journey toward recovery, but she deserved all the thanks. She inspired me every day, affirming why I'd returned to school decades after postponing my dream of becoming a PT.