HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY GAVE DANI HER LIFE BACK AFTER A LIFE-ALTERING INJURY
What do you do when life feels insurmountable? For Dani Burt, it wasn’t easy, but the answer was simple: Find a way to heal.
Dani Burt is a surfing champion. This is made more exceptional once you find out Dani was in a serious motorcycle accident 15 years ago that left her in a medically induced coma for 45 days. To save her life, doctors had to remove her right leg below the knee. As you can imagine, waking up to find out her leg was gone was devastating for Dani. The rest of her injuries were also extensive: She could barely move in bed and couldn’t go to the bathroom by herself. She struggled to deal with the pain without medication. Fortunately, she found physical therapy, and it gave her a new lease on life. “Before my accident, I had no idea what physical therapy was until I got a whole bunch of it,” Dani says. “What was really impressive was the fact that I was getting independent again, and I could see this progress.” Through an opportunity to heal at Sharp Memorial Rehab and a community reentry program, Dani began to reclaim her life. “There were ups and downs,” Dani says of the process. Still, she stuck with it, and she not only healed but also began to thrive. She turned to surfing, a completely new sport that allowed her to explore her new reality. “It
drastically improved my strength, endurance, and balance,” Dani says. “It gave me a tremendous amount of confidence and trust in my prosthetic leg.”
Inspired by her experiences, Dani became a physical therapist and now helps others find the healing that PT gave her. “The reality is, we’re all healthier and happier when we move,” she says. “If you want to do something, you need to figure out a way to do it,” she advises. Physical therapy is often a safer, more effective, and more affordable option than surgery or medication. Like Dani, those who go into the profession are caring, knowledgeable individuals who want to help their patients get back to living their best life. For anyone experiencing pain or going through the recovery process after an injury, physical therapy can help.
TAKE A BREAK
a
Cabbage is in season right now, which means it’s the perfect time to try your hand at making
sauerkraut. The fermented cabbage requires only two ingredients, keeps for months, and is packed with beneficial probiotics.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Slice very thinly. 2. In a large bowl, combine cabbage and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. 3. Squeeze cabbage to release juices. Let the cabbage continue to soak and release juices for another 20 minutes. 4. Transfer to a jar and press down cabbage until completely submerged in its juices. Weigh down cabbage. 5. Seal jar with airlock. Let cabbage sit at room temperature and away from sunlight for one month. Once fermented, transfer to the fridge. Sauerkraut will keep for six months to one year.
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2 lbs cabbage
4 tsp fine sea salt
EQUIPMENT
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Jar
Lid with airlock
Something to weigh down cabbage, ideally made of a nonreactive material like glass
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Inspired by NourishedKitchen.com
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