Volleyball...

Today, I thought I'd write about one of my passions: volleyball. I love volleyball, and how competitive it makes me. I also sometimes dislike how competitive it makes me. I had the opportunity to play volleyball in high school, and I loved almost every minute of it. The only time I didn't love it was when I made a mistake, or we lost a game we should've won. Besides that, I absolutely loved it. I have so many memories from volleyball, from being All-State to making life-long friends. One of my favorite memories is actually an event that took some time to progress. My Senior year of high school I was at the top of my game. I was playing extremely well, and getting recognition for it from my coach and other teams' coaches. I felt great.

One day I was scrimagging with my team and I went up to block. While I was in the air one of my teammates came under the net, so when I came down I landed on her foot and my ankle had completely inverted. I immediately thought that I had broken it because I heard a very distinct snap. My teammates and coach helped me to the side of the court where I laid there with my leg elevated and ice wrapped around my ankle. At this point I actually started to cry. Not because of the pain, but because the reality of this event had finally hit me. I realized that if my ankle was injured badly enough that I would most likely be in a cast for the next 2 months. Just long enough to keep me out until the season was over. I was devastated. Actually, devastated might even be a bit of an understatement. Anyway, that night I went to the emergency room., and the doctor on staff took an X-ray. He examined it and told me that my ankle wasn't broken, but I had torn some ligaments. He then told me that I would be able to start working back into volleyball after a week, and should be able to play in a game in 2 weeks. I was ecstatic.

I waited a week, doing everything the doctor told me to, and then I started doing physical therapy and trying to run in practice. I was in a lot of pain, but this is something that was worth it to me to work through the pain, so I did. Two weeks passed since I had been injured, and I was planning on playing in the game the following day. When I got home from practice my mom told me that the Radiologist at the hospital had found a break in my ankle bone, and told her my doctor had been informed and expected to see me the following day to put a cast on. I was upset, but determined not to let this affect my season.

The next day I went to the doctor, told him I would not wear a cast and planned to finish out the season. He explained all of the risks I would be taking and what affects this would have on me in the future, and I explained that this was something I had to do. I don't know how I did it, but I got out of that office without a cast, and just a boot. My doctor told me to wear it whenever I wasn't playing volleyball. Anyway, to make a long story short, I worked through the pain, and I got to finish out my season. It was awesome, and I got All-State recognition for it. One of the worst possible things had happened to me, and it turned out to be a blessing and a lesson. It taught me that nothing that's worth having in life is easy to get. I don't think I would've realized what a blessing it was to be able to play volleyball with my team, and that working through the pain was worth it. Throughout all of this I had support from my family and friends, and I grew up a little as well. Even though I never want to go through that again, I am grateful it happened.

Being sick... Ugh

I've officially decided that being sick is absolutely horrible. For the past two weeks I've been extremely sick. It got to the point where I couldn't even be comfortable watching TV. It's been a while since I've been that sick, so I had forgotten how much I hated it. Before getting sick, I was thinking how nice it would be if I could miss work and school, and just do nothing.

Well, I got my wish, except for the fact that I couldn't watch TV or read because I felt so horrible, and it hurt my eyes. The whole time I was sick, I was wishing I could be at work, doing something, which I find completely ironic. I do love work, but I also love having some free time. Unfortunately this wasn't really free time, it was more like designated sick time where I couldn't do anything that I wanted to do.

I got so sick, that I finally forced myself to go to a doctor for the first time in 3 years. I have to be honest though, I really hate going to the doctor. Anyway, I finally went, and he told me I had a sinus infection and Sinusitis. He wrote me out some prescriptions, and told me what I needed to do. I had to go the store and get my prescriptions, which was a huge task for me that day.

I also need to say that Wal-Mart could possibly have the slowest pharmacy in the world. OK, so that is probably an exaggeration, but that is how I felt that night. I waited for almost an hour, while being horribly sick. Anyone who has been through something like that knows what I am talking about. So, I walked around the store, doing my best not to pass out, while I waited for the pharmacist to fill my prescription. I also purchased some Nyquil, and other things to help the rest of my sickness pass as smooth, and pain-free, as possible.

In the process of being sick, I lost a weekend of fun, two work days, which amounts to about 200 dollars lost, and a day of class. I learned that being busy isn't a bad thing while you're healthy, and that I should be thankful for every moment I have, even if it's while working or going to school. I need to remember to be grateful for being healthy, especially since I know so many people who are chronically ill.

Anyway, the whole point of this is to warn everyone to be careful what you wish for, and to be grateful for everything you have!