My mom and I walk into the Orthopedics office and my body starts to tense. My mom checks us in. We sit down and wait. A Physicians Assistant walks in and calls my name.

We are taken to an examination room and told x-rays will be required. With a knock on the door, a lady takes me off to x-ray’s. I walk back to the exam room, sit down and wait for the doctor. With another knock on the door, the doctor walks in. Dr. Zhu introduces himself, sits down and tells me the news. “You have an injury called Lisfranc. It’s serious and will require multiple surgeries.”
My face went blank and I stared at Dr. Zhu not believing what he just said. Dr. Zhu explained the injury (torn ligaments and fracture), the surgeries required and recovery process. He tells me I will be in a cast for five and a half weeks, walking boot for six weeks, and go back into surgery and start therapy after. The whole process would take three to four months. I had been working hard over the summer to be ready for school volleyball season and hopefully play volleyball in college. Realizing that both may not be possible, I started to cry.
It has been about two months since surgery and I haven’t fully accepted the situation. It was not until parent’s night, at a home volleyball game, when reality finally sunk in. I worked hard to have an All Conference senior year of volleyball since my freshman year and this year it was not going to happen. Not knowing what will happen after all of this is the toughest part. Hearing friends, coaches, and parents telling me that things will be better, is hard to believe. I try to accept their encouragement but there are questions in the back of my head. Why me? Why know? Why so severe?

Waking up in the morning is different since surgery. I wake up, hope to have a good day and then see the crutches and walking boot. I replay the day I went to the doctors over and over and over again. I know I am not the same person I was before the injury. I feel I am not able to do things that I used to because I am held back.

This has been the toughest thing I have ever been through, but also the best thing that has happened to me. I now realize that there is more to life then just sports. When this experience is over I know, I will be a stronger person mentally and physically.