My Cross To Bear

Well, it happened to me. I woke up, my allergies were bothering me all night and I could not breath through my nose so I had been breathing through my mouth all night and my mouth was as dry as a Catholic School Prom. I was constantly getting out of the bed, running to the bathroom for water every 30 minutes or so. I did notice that when I stood up to go to the bathroom one of my nostrils would open and I could breath, but when I laid back down…..it would get all blocked up again. So after going through this cycle of what I consider to be likened to passive water boarding torture for about 3 hours, I decided to stay up and get busy around the house painting a room that was in severe need of a change. So for 3 hours I filled holes and cracks, sanded down my fillings, primed the wall and painted it while waiting for the clock to roll around to about 1:30pm so I could make my way to my flag football game. This sounds like a regular day right????

     Well I get to the game, do a couple calystenics and head out to the feild. The game started off well. I did not run too hard too fast becuase I kind of wanted to warm up a bit before I unleashed the fury on the field. About mid way through the game there was a long pass that was going toward the in-zone to my side. The ball was pretty high so I figured I would have enough time to leave the man I was covering and make it over to the intended receiver. Well, skipping the frame by frame replay commentary, the ball was still pretty high in the air when it was about to pass me.  Suddenly, I had a flash back of when I was 18 (I am 28 now) and I figured I could lift my now, 65 pound heavier frame into the air and land with the grace of a 80 pound olympic figure skater performing a routine axel. But once I was in the air (and conseqeuntly after misssing the ball) reality took less graceful approace to my Disney on Ice routine. I soon realized my err according to the laws of physic’s as I contemplated my crash landing. Unlike a bee who excels at defying the laws of physics, I was well with-in my range for verticle leaps (maybe about 36 inches or so). But my problem can be explained like this…. a 210 pound male, running close to full speed ( I run the 40 in 4.55) who is now 3 feet in the air and diagonal with one foot behind him. Now, my right leg is my “strong leg” so there should be no problem right? Well as I was in the air I visualized a soft landing, but as I got closer to the ground I figured I would let my leg collapse and roll some of the impact off. Well I came down on my right leg a little hard and I kept my toes pointing down to act as a bit of a shock absorber for the fall……and  it seemed to work. I got up, did a quick damage assesment as a Captain of a 17th century Galleon would after battle. I was perfect and felt good. I took a breather on the sidelines after the play and went back in after about three plays because it felt like my right leg was getting tight on me and I wanted to stay loose.

     Well we were losing by two touchdowns and there was only 59 seconds left in the game so I was not really trying to go all out, I just wanted to finish the game. Well, I was sent on a hook route, but I wanted a fly route, but the quaterback felt otherwise. Well I ran the hook and unexpectedly he tossed me the ball. I knew there was someone right behind me so I did not expect to make it too far so I caught the ball and just turned to go to the sidelines. Well….I took one step, or at least I attempted to, and the guy behind me must have kicked me. In my mind I thought, I felt it, I heard it, I must have been kicked. Perhaps that kick hit me in just the right spot and caused my leg to cramp up, and that is why I can’t walk right now….right? Well I limped off the feild to massage my “cramp” out, and it took me about 20 seconds to figure out what really happened. Upset, I got in my car and drove off so I could get home before the pain and swelling came. The pain never came but the swelling did, and after putting ice on it and researching ATR’s on the internet and watching a few surgecal repairs on the internet, I had learned and done the Thompsons test, was able to recognize an ATR occurence from a distance and if given the correct tools, I could probably surgically repair one myself. Lets see, some fishing line, a razor, and some needle nosed pliers should do the trick. I went to the hospital and pretty much gave the doc the rundown, complete with medical jargon and all. I got the CAM boot and almost hyperextended my knee taking my first step.

     The next day (today) I went to see a surgeon and I am awaiting my MRI tomorrow to decide if I need surgery or if the best methond would be to let it heal on it’s own. I can feel that it is mostly gone and I do not want to risk a rerupture. But in the mean time, the surgeon put me in a cast to prevent further injury. I can not stand being confined in this cast and I can not stand not being able to walk. I hate crutches and I almost fell on my face using them because I want to move faster than they allow me to move and I feel as if I would be better served hopping along on one foot. I am told that I may not even be allowed to hop on one foot or walk on crutches for the first two weeks? WTF am I supposed to do then? Lay in the bed all day? I need to go to the gym, I need to go to work (though I could work from home doing my job) and I need to…..just move around in general. Man this stuff sucks, and to top it all off, my house is 4 levels and my bedroom is at the very top, as is the other bathroom. The last bathroom is at the very bottom level, yeahhhhhh. :(   I was also told that my leg will atrophy as well due to lack of use and lack of mobility.

     I have made up in my mind that I will use this time to finish reading my Bible and studying scriptures. I need a long book to get me through this. I have no pain in my leg at all, it feels fine as long as I elevate it. My pain comes from the feeling of being imprisoned in my own home.