Being Injured..

I have lived my life hurt, in pain, or with something in my body feeling uncomfortable. I am an athlete and a competitor, but I am getting physically old much more rapidly. I am 18 years old and have bones of what seems to be a 60 year old. Every joint pops and cracks, I know when the cold weather has arrived, and I can even predict when it is going to rain by the swelling of the pins in my ankle.
I have battled injuries all my life. From a broken ankle, ribs, hip, fingers, elbow, and nose; to pulled and strained muscles EVERY WHERE. Waking up with something swollen on my body is so typical for me.
I play volleyball for MC, and this season I got hurt yet again. My left knee was diagnosed with tendonitis about a year ago. During preseason, I ran on it wrong and I felt an awkward movement of my knee followed by a pop. Come to find out, my knee cap moved out of place and “sprained” my MCL in the same knee. Later on after crutches and treatment, and ever more treatment, the pain did not subside. I found out much more was wrong and it was very devastating. Surgery is soon to come and I pray I will be able to play next season.
People talk all the time about resiliency, but it becomes very hard when u have to live everyday of ur life hoping you don’t get hurt again so you can do what u love to do most. Volleyball is my life, and along with that comes injuries. Injuries is one thing I will live with everyday of my life.. All I have to say and HELLO ARTHORITIS!!! Grr!

Moving..

So this past weekend I was asked by my mom to come home and help my family move. Although I have known for awhile that we would be moving across the lake before Thanksgiving, reality didn’t set in completely until we picked to moving truck up. Moving and starting over is all about new beginnings most say, but to me moving is hard. My room at my old house in uptown New Orleans was painted, decorated, and designed by my Grandmother, who just recently passed a year ago. Leaving what all I had left of her was the most difficult part about packing up what remained in my already abandoned room. Memories will last a life time, but not being able to wake up in my hot pink room on those days I am missing her and then feel her around me is going to be difficult.
My brother and I grew up in that house, from our height measurements on the wall to the many uhh ohh moments we had when playing too rough are no longer going to be there to remind us of what once was. I know it is not good to dwell in the past and to move forward every day, it is just going to take awhile.
I love my new house. It is in a much better area, more quaint suburban feeling, rather than the busyness of the city. Slidell is where I went to high school and where my parents work, now it is what we call home.. it will take some getting used to, but I think I am going to like spending the little time I have to spend at home there.

As it rears to an end..

So this weekend was our last volleyball game. How bittersweet that was. I love playing volleyball but when you are trying to manage 18 hours of classes with all of the many assignments that are necessary to turn in, as well as the vigorus tests that i have to study for. It was overwhleming leaving campus all the time and missing classes, missing assignments, and not always knowing whats going on. I have been hurt this year and unable to fully play, so games were always tourture for me. On this off season I have to PT and get my knee back in shape.

Colliegte sports is intense. 545 am workouts and three hour practices everyday but sunday, takes a toll on your body. Meeting new girls that i will be spending four years of my life with was fun, they are great people and have truely touched my life. Ive learned about more cities and states. I have learned how to deal with 18 other peoples attitudes. I have learned how to smile and get along with everyone even though I am having a bad day. Playing volleyball at MC has furthered my game knowledge and mechanics, but most of all i have learned how to hide my emotions and control my body language. I have grown as a person as well as an athelete this season at MC and plan to grow more.

COming back on the bus lastnight i thought of what i would be missing as this is over. The fun times I spent with my teammates, the late hotel nights, the inside jokes. But I realized that these girls will always be my friends, we will continue to hang out, and we will always talk no matter what.

Im going to miss the games, but unfortunatly we still have practices, my life is so hectic. ugh.