Growing up, I had a dream of swimming in college. I trained, I worked, I did everything that I was supposed to do. Until the one day when my knee started hurting really bad. I was running track in middle school and I tried to hide the problem. My coach knew something was up when I started running with a straight leg which lead to going to the doctor and then having my first major knee surgery at the age of 13. That is where it all started. Since then I healed, became strong again. Ran, swam, and had fun. Then came the second knee injury that put me out of my senior year of high school. I was being recruited to swim at schools. I did not get to, because of my knee. No school wanted to sign an athlete that is already hurt.
So I decided I would take a year and try to build up. I trained for a triathlon. Ran an Olympic distant triathlon and came in second. I was doing great. I was in the best shape I had ever been in. I was training and thinking about walking on to the swim team and track team at my college. Then I made a wrong turn on a jet ski, which has messed it up even more.
To my career-ending injury that I have come back from twice, I hate you. I hate the pain you have caused me. I hate that I cannot do things I love. I hate that I have to think about how to walk up or down stairs. I hate that I cannot run. I hate that I cannot swim. I hate that I would rather sit in my room than go hang out with friends, because they may want to walk around or do something but I know I cannot do that because of you. You are like an awful relationship.
As much as I hate you. I have to be thankful you have lead me to a great school I wasn’t planning on going to. You have made me learn patience, that it takes time for things to heal. You have made me ask people to help me. You have made me understand the pain of others. You have showed me the career path I want to pursue. You have done more than most people think a career-ending injury can.
To this day, I would give anything to be able to swim in college. To be fit and running six miles a day, like I was. But my career-ending injury has given me a life I had never planned. They say when you make plans, God laughs. Well, I don’t think he is laughing, but I know there is a reason for the pain.
To my career-ending injury, if I could, I would have never had you, but I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you. I wouldn’t be able to push through tough things. I wouldn’t be able to be strong. I wouldn’t be able to help others by listening or by simply carrying something for them. Thank you for making me spend time with family, because I couldn’t move. You have made my life a great life, even though you ended my dreams.
