Godess Column…FINALLY!!!
It seems like forever since I have had the time or the energy to write anything. Not my fault. I intend to blame it on my right knee. Years of ignoring the occasional bit of swelling and discomfort and I found myself unable to walk without pain. An MRI, done in a timely fashion thanks to me knowing a guy….and it was determined that a surgical repair was in order before I could get back to work.
I do not like being on the “DL”. And basically all I had to do was miss some work and worry about my knee surgery for six weeks. It certainly gave me an appreciation for athletes who get hurt during the season and have to sit on the sidelines and watch their team play.
I was really pretty lucky, considering it was my driving leg that I did in. All I had to do was screw up the courage to ask people for favours. A drive here and there; some help with housecleaning; someone to carry my groceries up the stairs. Frustrating but it was only me that was put out. Oh and my boss who had to cover my shifts at work. And I knew the surgeon was going to be able to repair the damage so that I would be back to work mid-summer; not full speed but almost.
My forced rest got me thinking about how frustrating it must be to watch your teammates and not be able to play your part in the game plan. I remember in 2005 watching Glenn Clark on the sidelines. He “celebrated” the championship along with four guys he had played with for eight years…their fifth together. But it just wasn’t the same. He was part but not. All he could do was watch and encourage. He had to be a fan and I can’t even imagine how hard that was. I know how hard it is for me to watch and I can’t play worth beans.
What my forced sitting did for me, I think, was make it a little easier to be a fan.
*************************************************************************************Now…anyone who knows me will know for certain that I didn’t sit around doing nothing. There was training camp for my Senior “B” team and the resultant paperwork. Road trips with them. At least I didn’t have to miss a game because of work. Except the day of my surgery. But I was there in spirit, in the form of brownies & cookies & rice krispie squares for the ride home.
And of course, my Major team to watch. Couldn’t drive myself but I seem to have more friends than I realized so got to lots of their games and a bunch more as well. It was actually a real treat to get to games that I did nothing but watch and enjoy…no real stake in the outcome.
The physio kept me out of trouble during the days. A fabulous clinic that made it fun to work hard. I owe particular thanks for that to Uma the “Physioterrorist”. It made it a lot easier to take being in the Beaches with all their lovely patios and marvellous food for lunch al fresco.
Got a ton of reading done too! Which was great especially after I found a lawn chair that I could get in and out of without any help. Sunshine, a BIG glass of lemonade and an engrossing novel full of dragons and wizards and knight in shining armour can take your mind off of a lot of discomfort.
And there was Spirit of the Stick work on as well. Another column on that shortly but I do want to thank the two guys from The Lax Life for their ongoing support, especially with the insert in their new instructional video. Looney & Chedda are two of our biggest fans & we are proud to be associated with them. Oh congrats to them on back-to-back President’s Cups! Can never have too much jewellery.
So…back to 12 hour days. Still careful with the knee because it has good days and not-so-good ones. Full tilt with Spirit of the Stick. Getting ready for training camp. Had to find the time to watch my Excelsiors win back-to-back Mann Cups on my computer, in what was arguably the most exciting national senior championship ever. Busier than ever and trying to fit ongoing physio and trying to get back into shape and….well you get it. I do believe that the expression “no rest for the wicked” applies here.