Let’s
rewind to 2008. My soccer team was playing Leominster (pronounced Lemon-stir
for all my out of town friends) and BAM, ACL torn and there goes 6 months of
playing sports. At the time there was at least 3 other girls on my team who had
torn it so it actually wasn’t too bad. PT was almost like a party twice a week…
On that note: Shout out to our Physical Therapists, the real MVP’s for getting
us back on the field. Now jump a few years to freshman year of college at a spring
soccer PRACTICE (are you kidding me!?). Nothing like getting taken out by your
own teammate –on accident of course- and BAM there goes your ACL again. I was
mad, but you know what, it happens. People tear their ACL twice more than you
would think. I had my surgery as soon as I got home from college so I could still
enjoy the summer and of course, get back in time to snowboard!
You
would think this surgery would go smoothly because I've had one before, right?
Wrong. This time around suddenly I was in the operating room and panicked because
it was already more than I had remembered 4 years ago. I thought the surgeons
were going to start before I was asleep… instant panic attack. Long story
short, I got a higher dose of anesthesia and 2 hours later I was fine. By fine,
I mean I was in the dreaded knee brace (it almost makes you look like you have a
bionic leg) which goes from one’s upper thigh to the ankle AND DOES NOT BEND
FOR 3 WEEKS. But OK CHELS you got this. Side note: after surgery I (thinking I’m
hilarious) said to Dr. DeAngelis “Thanks for everything and I hope to never see
you again” …Little did we both know I would be back one freaking year later for
the same god damn thing.
For
everyone who knows me, I think it’s safe to say I’m a pretty positive person…
but 3 ACL tears? This was a hard hit for me. Shout out to my roommate Wendy who
listened to me vent about how BS this was. I mean come ON! I’ve done years of
PT and my left leg is definitely stronger than my right at this point. How can
I be this unlucky? I could go on and on about what the “worst part” is but I’ll
just generalize it: tearing your ACL 3 times is awful. No hiking, biking,
running, or snowboarding (which you all know is a huge part of my life) SO YES.
IT SUCKED but once again I got through it and assumed it would be the last time.
Fast
forward to today: I am sitting with my knee elevated, my leg in the dreaded brace,
and crutches propped up next to me. Is this real? Someone send me a lottery
ticket, I have a feeling on this one… HA no, but really. On a positive end of
things, being in Park City, UT where many Olympic athletes have trained I will
point out my Orthopedic surgeon is one of THE best –even if he did give me some
bad news.
Here’s
the thing, when you’ve torn your ACL as often as myself you know the minute it
happens. As soon as I went down a trail (that should NOT have been open might I
add) and twisted my knee, I knew. But does Unlucky Chels get a break? Nope,
that’s not all. Dr. Cooper tells me I need not one, but two surgeries. Excuse
me, what? The first surgery requires *insert
big fancy doctor word here* to make the tunnels smaller which will allow him to
then -3 months later- do the ACL surgery. Crazy, huh? But if I can get through the first 3, I know I can get through these next 2. What doesn't kill you most certainly makes you stronger.
So there
you have it, 8 years, 5 surgeries, 4 ACL’s and one left freaking knee.
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