Someone should warn the Kentucky Headhunters, county fairs, and music venues across Iowa: Sandy Wolff is back, thanks to the dedicated care of Jackie Bormann, PT, DPT, at Rock Valley Physical Therapy – West Union.
“I love being me again,” Wolff says with a bright smile. This energetic and optimistic woman in her 50s saw her life turned upside down after a fall in January 2024.
It was a chilly winter day when Wolff, a paraeducator in the West Central School District, was walking to her truck with her niece. An unexpected face-plant left her on the ground. Her niece helped her into the truck and drove her home, where Wolff’s sister wisely took her to the local hospital.
“A CAT scan and a few other things, but nothing conclusive,” Wolff recalls of the visit. “I don’t remember anything before I got there. I still don’t remember the fall or coming home.”
Despite medical attention, Wolff’s troubles continued. She experienced two more falls, one at work and another over her dishwasher at home. Balance issues and dizzy spells became significant problems, forcing her to rely on walking sticks and a walker. Another fall at school, which injured her head, was the final straw.
“I was wobbly and unsteady with everything,” she says, noting that she had to step away from her job and put her active life on hold. “Appointments with the wrong specialists were canceled, and there was frustration. I don’t like sitting around, so I ordered a walker.”
Help was finally in sight with a neurological appointment that led to a referral for physical therapy. Diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome, dizziness, and gait disturbances, Wolff found hope when her doctor recommended physical therapy.
“It was the answer I was looking for,” Wolff says. “Help was just next door.”
Next door was Rock Valley Physical Therapy, where she met Bormann, a caring and knowledgeable therapist.
“The diagnosis made sense because she had a history of significant concussions from a previous motor vehicle accident,” Bormann explained. “Once we got her here, we went to work.”
And work they did. In early June 2024, Bormann conducted a thorough evaluation and designed a regimen tailored to Wolff’s needs. The therapy focused on addressing dizziness and regaining back activities of her daily life through work with balance and gait training.
“There were a number of things that made her dizzy, and we addressed those,” Bormann says. “The evaluations and testing lead me to the path to take, besides working closely with the goals Sandy had for herself. We addressed motion sensitivity and made a concerted effort to improve overall balance and safety.”
Wolff’s recovery hinged on movement and motion, even if it meant getting dizzy to not be dizzy—a concept that might seem strange but made sense to Wolff and solidified her trust in Bormann.
“I felt better from the first day,” Wolff says. “Jackie was amazing in what she put me through because everything had a purpose. Even after the first evaluation, I felt relief. Things got better fast. I have all the faith in the world in her.”
Bormann admired Wolff’s dedication and hard work. “She is a rock star and the world’s best neighbor,” Bormann says, noting that Wolff lives just 100 feet from the clinic. “When we worked on something, she worked hard in the clinic and even harder on her own. She is more than a patient; she is a friend and a great neighbor.”
Wolff’s journey reached a milestone when she tested the concert waters for the first time since her fall. She bought tickets to see the Kentucky Headhunters at the Surf Ballroom. Planning to take it easy in a booth, she soon found herself near the stage, dancing and singing the night away.
“It was a great time,” Wolff says with a smile, excited about several county fairs and more concerts on her social calendar.
Wolff is also back to work part-time and looking forward to new opportunities. “I wouldn’t be in this position without Jackie and Rock Valley,” she says, vowing to keep Bormann updated on her progress. “I feel great and am ready to enjoy life again. I even have plans to get back to working with children.”
By: Johnny Marx, Rock Valley Storyteller