Father, son enjoy working side by side
Published in the June 24 – July 9, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Robert Airoldi
Photo by Robert Airoldi
Charles Musich and his son Luka in their Morgan Hill chiropractic office.
Dr. Charles Musich knew he wanted to be a chiropractor at a very young age. His life, however, took a few major detours before he achieved his dream.
After he graduated from Monte Vista High School in Cupertino, he played bass, harmonica and sang in a band. “I always wanted to be a chiropractor but music got in the way,” he said.
During that stage in his life, he met his wife Kay while playing at a house party. She walked in and sat down in front of the band. Soon after, Musich, now 60, turned around and she was gone. Several weeks later a friend helped him arrange to have her come to another performance just so he could chat with her. Romance bloomed and they have been married for 28 years.
The he got a job working in the electrical industry as a lead mechanic, quality assurance, quality control and in shipping and receiving. Unfortunately, he and one of his bosses didn’t get along with each other.
“He was a jerk and I wasn’t happy,” Musich said. “I woke up one Monday and told my wife I was going to quit and go back to school. She was great. She told me we’d get through it, and we did.”
That was in 1981. Musich, who was born in Moline, Ill. and grew up in Chicago, moved to the Bay Area when he was 15. He attended De Anza, Foothill and West Valley community colleges in order to get the classes needed to transfer. He enrolled at Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward in 1983. He completed the four-year program in three years.
After graduating he worked with his brother for three years in Campbell and really fell in love with the practice. Chiropractic is not an alternative to medicine nor is it complementary to medicine, Musich said. It is a separate and distinct science, art and philosophy of health and healing. Chiropractic is the largest natural healing art in the world and is based on the premise that the body is a self healing organism and that the nervous system is the master control system of the body.
His son Luka, 27, came to work with him a year ago and the two enjoy working together. Luka is the 19th chiropractor in his extended family, all stemming from his father, Musich said. When Luka was graduating from Monte Vista High School, his dad asked what his plans were, and said he never pushed his son to follow in his footsteps.
“I wanted to go into healthcare but didn’t know which field,” Luka said. “After lots of research I chose chiropractic for its efficacy, effectiveness, preventative approach and because I would have a huge advantage by working with a great mentor like my dad. He was thrilled to hear the news.”
It was challenging for son and father at first as they butted heads a few times, but now he understands more than what he learned in books.
“There are practical applications that are really important,” he said. “And that comes from experience and he’s learning that. It was a bit of a slow start as he was seeing what I knew and how well I could apply myself in the office and now we’re a great team. I’ve learned confidence, patient management and a great deal of professionalism.”
Musich said he enjoys just helping people heal their bodies without resorting to drugs or surgery.
“With just my hands I can do things no one else does,” he said.
Musich came to Morgan Hill about 25 years ago when he and his wife were looking for a new place to live. They thought about San Luis Obispo, but eventually happened upon Morgan Hill in their exploration of the Bay Area and loved it.
Musich said he loves the small town atmosphere where just about anywhere he goes he runs into someone he knows, especially since 1992 when he became a member of the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill
Now in his 29th year as a chiropractor, Musich has completed thousands of hours of post-graduate studies and also teaches classes here and in Mexico.
“It’s my life,” he said. “It’s what I do.”
