If you are like me, you can probably cite numerous examples of poor service, unfulfilled expectations, and perhaps even plain old rudeness from the service workers we depend on every day. Several years of such experience has the effect of adding layers to an emotional callous that protects us from further disappointment.
If we are lucky, and paying attention, the hard shell of our cynically low expectations can be shattered by a demonstration of care that forces us to reconsider our whole outlook. Just such an occasion ushered in the new year for me.
On the morning of New Year’s Eve day, my wife Julie woke up with a pinched nerve in her neck. She must have slept funny. Most of the time this would be little more than an uncomfortable inconveniece. But on Thursday morning that pinched nerve brought on an episode of severe Vertigo. Vertigo gives the stricken individual the sensation that the room is spinning around them. It effects balance and is often accompanied by nausea.
I came right home from work when I learned Julie was ill, but there was little that I could do to help. In desperation, she called our Chiropractor Dr. Brian Schneider of Schneider Family Chiropractic, just to see if he could offer some advice. She explained the situation and was told that the doctor was working a half day and would see her without an appointment. Unfortunately, the severity of the Vertigo made it nearly impossible for her to walk, even with assistance. Upon hearing this, Doctor Schneider surprised us by saying that if she couldn’t get to him, he would come to us.
After wrapping up back-to-back appointments, ”Dr. Brian” postponed his long weekend a little while longer and drove to our house to see what he could do to help. Following a brief examination, he confirmed that Julie’s neck was locked up and the likely cause of her Vertigo. He was able to make some adjustments that immediately reduced her dizziness. Unfortunately, it also made her sick. While Julie was reliving her breakfast, I made myself useful by holding her hair out of her face. When she asked me to run for a towel, Dr. Brian took my place! He then stayed for over an hour (far longer than a typical appointment) just to be sure that she would be O.K. As he was headed out the door, Julie attempted to hand him a check for his services, which he refused to take on the grounds this was not ‘technically’ an appointment. He wished us a happy New Year, and was on his way.
Thanks to Dr. Brian Schneider of Schneider Family Chiropractic for inspiring my NewYear’s Resolution for 2010: To better appreciate the people who make their living in service to others; and to more intentionally seek out opportunities to exceed the expectations of those who I serve.
If you are in need of great chiropractic care, and would like to experience the kind of service and caring that my family enjoys, I encourage you to contact Schneider Family Chiropractic:
Drs. Brian and Terri Schneider: 4835 Cascade Rd. Suite #2, Grand Rapids MI 49546; 616-949-9010; www.schneiderfamilychiro.com.
