It has been a long road to recovery for Dr. Dan Brennan after his accident on Camelback Mountain in October 2016. When asked how his leg is healing, he slips off his shoe, lifts his pant leg, and pulls off his compression socks to reveal the long purple scar that runs from his right calf to his still swollen ankle.
“They took my calf muscle and swung it down here,” he says, pointing to the area of his ankle where a skin graft was needed to cover a necrotic area that developed after the accident. “I think my days of modeling for Hanes men’s hosiery are done,” he says with a laugh.
Dan goes to physical therapy twice per week, but hopes that will soon change to once per week. “It has been going great. Everyone has been fantastic,” he says as he gives shout-outs to Bill, Brian, Dan and John in Orthopedics.
“Speaking of physical therapy,” he says, “I am doing the geriatric proprioception level one!” His therapy extends to exercising at home as well. “A lot of core-strengthening exercises. My daughters are into yoga. They were home over the holidays trying to get me to do yoga.”
Forced to stay in bed for nearly two full months after the accident, Dan, now back at work, has the freedom of traveling distances using a scooter. He is often seen rolling through the halls as he navigates to and from the renal clinic where he sees patients.
His hard work at physical therapy has paid off. “I can now actually walk around here with a cane,” he boasts, as he brandishes a knobby, black shillelagh walking stick that belonged to his late father.
“As you can see, it’s Irish.”
We just want to say: Welcome back, Dan! We are glad your sense of humor was not left on Camelback Mountain.