Dave Von Muenster, a 24-karat gem and one of life’s truly good souls, was explicit in his lofty goals when he met Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Alecia Hand, PT, DPT.
It was August (2023) and the ever-engaging Von Muenster was fresh from total knee (left) replacement surgery. Von Muenster had – and there would be no wiggle room – to be ready for Fall harvest with his brother on his rural Bennett, Iowa, farm.
Beginning Sept. 18 (2023), 1,200 acres (about twice the area of Central Park in New York City) of corn and beans had to be harvested and Von Muenster – among several other obligations – needed to be at the wheel of his John Deere 9230 series tractor.
“It was the first thing Dave said when I asked him his goals,’’ said Hand, ever-dedicated and compassionate, while singing the praises of Von Muenster’s willingness and want to get better, his amazing attitude and his attention to detail when it came to getting better. “With Dave having had surgery in August, we had some work to do to get him ready for harvest.’’
But…
It was just work.
And Hand and Von Muenster – it must be noted – are not afraid of work.
Thrice weekly at Rock Valley’s Wilton, Iowa-based clinic, the two met for physical therapy. Hand challenged Von Muenster using hurdles, a bevy of step ups, step downs, lateral step ups and step downs, hamstring strengthening, hip stability and a bevy of range-of motion-improving exercises to prep him for the farming task at hand and future endeavors.
And Von Muenster answered the bell.
Man, did he answer the bell.
The 70-year-old, who values tremendously small-town life, and who has spent a lifetime fostering countless trust-first relationships, worked beyond in therapy and at home with exercises Hand prescribed.
“I would step over the (field) rows to simulate the (hurdle) exercise and then use the rail on the tractor for squats,’’ said Von Muenster, who noted after a “pop’’ in his left knee in January of 2023, it was time to take the step to have the balky joint replaced.
“I couldn’t get up the bleachers at the basketball games (after the pop),’’ he said. “All the years on the farm and the 40 years at working the mill, took a toll. It kind of shut me down and that was hard to deal with.’’
But surgery and finding the right physical therapist – in a small-town setting — proved to be the right combination.
“I’m a big fan of small businesses and like the fact there is a great place for physical therapy in a rural setting,’’ Von Muenster said. “I became friends with everyone here at Rock Valley (Wilton). I knew all the businesses next to Rock Valley and felt comfortable here.’’
Von Muenster said everyone at the Wilton clinic had a firm grasp of the challenge before him and his family at harvest time.
“When I was talking about the torque it takes to hold down the clutch on the tractor, Katherine (Tucker Dipple, PTA), knew what I was talking about and understood,’’ added Von Muenster. “Everyone here understood. I looked at at it this way: “Well, I got to do this, and it will get me better.’’
It was Hand, though, that Von Muenster saved his highest praise for.
“Being a small clinic (Wilton) helps, but Rock Valley, I learned, is about one patient at a time,’’ he said. “The focus was on me and getting me better and reaching the goals I set. Alecia is outstanding and dedicated herself to getting me better. I am sure she was busy, but I knew she was focused on me and genuinely cared about me. My surgeon’s physician assistant said the best outcomes are always rural rehabs and she was right.’’
And that Sept. 18 goal?
“Made it,’’ Von Muenster said. “My 30-day checkup (with his surgeon) was great as was my three-month checkup. I’m so happy. There is a plan in place for the right knee to get done so I can be ready for spring planting, but I will have to have physical therapy prior to it and I will trust Rock Valley and Alecia with that. And when the surgery happens or if I need anything else, I will turn to Rock Valley.’’
Before Hand and Von Muenster said goodbye – for now – the two recalled a day in September (2023) and shared a mutual smile.
“I think you are done,’’ Hand, a Minnesota native, who did her undergraduate work at Grand View University and her post-graduate work at Des Moines University, said to Von Muenster, as first-rate and genuine as they come.
“Then I went home and told my wife, I think I just graduated,’’ Von Muenster said.
And he did graduate….
With honors.
By: Johnny Marx, Rock Valley Storyteller