Since I can remember, as early as in Elementary school gym I have LOVED sports! Gym was my favorite “subject” and I couldn’t wait until I could start 3rd grade basketball on Saturday mornings. It was then at the ripe age 8 years old that I was hooked! I couldn’t wait to compete in any sport really! Going to basketball and softball camps. This continued up to high school. If I was in a so called “group” in high school I’d definitely say it was the jock group! I didn’t care too much about the academic side of things (I know… says no TEACHER ever). I never applied myself at all. I just made sure my grades would get me by to be eligible to play in that week’s game.
I did swimming, soccer, basketball, softball, and cross country. Honestly, I wasn’t the best at any of these sports in particular. Regardless I gave it my all because you will never meet people as competitive as myself! My favorites to play were basketball and softball. The sport that I was the best at was probably cross country though (I even qualified for States my senior year)! Unfortunately, during my years as an athlete I was plagued with injuries. I got shin splints often when running cross country. I had some knee issues. Mostly, my right shoulder held me back. I dislocated my shoulder OFTEN. Sometimes I could get it back in myself and other times I had to go to the hospital to have it set back into place. I had major shoulder surgery my junior year (reconstructive). Not long after given the all clear to return to sports, I dislocated it yet again! 2 years later I had another surgery (bankart), but still, it didn’t work. I stopped playing sports for the most part. I did join a women’s softball league every summer for like 4 years which was a lot of fun, but I couldn’t throw over hand, so that was interesting! I did get back into running around the time I was getting ready to be married (gotta shed those pre-wedding pounds)! It worked, and got me back into running again. At 35, I just had my third and hopefully last shoulder surgery to stop it from dislocating. It has been feeling more supported and stronger than ever, and thankfully no more dislocations!
Now I find myself 38 years old and 2 kids later with constant reminders that I am no longer an athlete. It is difficult to have such a big part of your identity gone, but there isn’t much I can do about it. I have no cartilage in my right knee and my left knee isn’t far behind. I need to have a knee replacement, but I need to hold off until I’m 50 years old! So, I take prescribed medicine twice a day to help with the inflammation. I wake up to aches and pains and mysterious cracking. I do still run every once and a while, do the elliptical, or ride the spin bike to try and stay in shape along with some light lifting. Every day I wish I could relive those glory days and feel like the athlete I once was. | | |
Ruthless Lifestyle