Alright everyone... We're just gonna get real serious for a bit. So buckle up.
I can honestly say that I've had a pretty darn good life. I've never had to go through something super sad or tragic. Don't get me wrong, I've dealt with hard stuff. But for the most part I've just been here chillin' like a champ!
Then one day at soccer practice my right foot started to hurt. It felt like the bottom of my foot was being stretched. And I've totally felt that before! And it usually goes away after I start running on it. So it definitely wasn't anything to be too concerned about at the moment. And that's just what happened! For the next few practices and even the next game I was perfectly fine. My foot felt like it was being stretched but after I ran for a little bit it went back to normal.
Then our next game was against Highland (super awful team who we are complete rivals with and we hate with all our guts). The stretching feeling was back (surprise). But this time, during warm-ups and stuff, it didn't go away. So I started praying LITERALLY PRAYING that it would go away so I could #1. play in this huge game and #2. play well.
The game started and yeah my foot was bugging me enough that it was constantly in the back of my mind nagging me, but I was able to play. I sprinted a few times and made a couple of long passes and what not. But then the pain started to intensify. It was hurting so much that I had to ask coach to pull me out (something i absolutely hate doing). Coach asked me what was wrong and immediately the tears started spilling (i don't cry in public. ever.). So clearly this was a big deal. I told coach my foot hurt so bad I could barely run on it. I was fine walking and like, half jogging, but running was no bueno. So I took all my gear off on that leg and let coach try to rub it out. He taped my arch and put some tape in my shoe and told me to walk. I was pacing back and forth for the rest of the half..... And it was all I could do to keep myself from crying like a fool. My foot was still hurting like mad so I didn't get to finish the game. I only played for about 20 minutes. And that was really hard for me.
Our next game wasn't until the following week so I had five days to rest my foot and pray that this cramp/stretch(?) wouldn't come back. I took it really easy that weekend and by Monday I was feeling pretty good.
Our next game was even bigger than the Highland one. It was senior night emotion cup against school rival IF. Holy poop this was a big game and I was more than stoked for it. So during warm-up I was babying my "injury" and I was thinking that I'd be good to go. Maybe not at 100 percent but all I wanted was to play. Coach noticed I was babying it and asked me if I was okay to play. Duh I told him yes. So I started! It was already an emotional night because it was senior night. Which meant that for 11 of us it was our last game against IF and our last game at ravsten staduim. So as nerves were piling up and adrenaline started pumping, I was going crazy. The game started and I was feeling okay. I made a few really great passes and was able to get up and back the field fine. Then, About 12 minutes into the game, my foot gave up. Literally gave up. I couldn't put any weight on it and when the ball came my way I just watched it roll past because I couldn't move without being in a world of pain. And that was it. I was done. No more senior night, watching my team barely squeeze by with a win, sitting on the bench in front of all my peers. I wanted to die. As soon as the game ended it was all I could do to keep myself together so I could hobble off the field into my mom's arms. Both of us were crying. It was terrible.
My dear sweet grandpa had a foot doctor appointment earlier that day and just so happened to pick up one of his cards that he felt he needed to bring to my mom. So one of the first things she told me as she was holding me up (since i clearly could barely stand on my foot) was that we were going to the doctor, and that she had faith everything would be okay.
So that's what happened next. I went to the doctor. He ran some tests and I got an x-ray. The conclusion was
plantar fasciitis. It's where the tendon in the bottom of your foot cramps us and is really tight and inflamed. And I had a really bad case of it. I ended up getting two steroid shots, a prescription for foot pill things, and a medical boot. At the time I thought I would be more sad than I was but I guess I knew that this was what needed to happen and I accepted it. I wanted to do whatever it took to heal and recover as soon as possible so I would be able to finish my season.
So this was me for three weeks. My foot was feeling better but it wasn't even close to 100% yet.
After a few more days and a second visit to the doc, I took my boot off. The next day was our first district game. I suited up and tried warming up. After about a half a lap though, I knew I wouldn't be playing. So I did my best to get my team pumped up and cheer them on while they played. We won so the next game we had was against rival Highland for the district title. Once again I suited up and tried to warm up. I was feeling better so I told coach I could maybe go in if he absolutely needed me. I took my newly found position on right bench and cheered again. I felt so awful leaving my team up to playing these tough games without me. It was so hard to just sit there and do nothing. And me being the type of player that I am, just analyzed the whole thing. It was almost torture.
When I got home from that game I broke down. No one understood what I was going through. No one understood how much I love soccer and what it felt like for me to sit there and feel useless. No one understood how hard it was for my team mates to come up to me and say "we need you out there" or have parents ask me if I was okay because clearly I was not okay. And it was almost harder to have some of the people I cared most about (and thought they cared the same amount about me) just stand in the back and not mention anything at all. Honestly, I thought I lost some friends while I was going through this. See? No one understood. Even I didn't understand why the one thing I love most in this world was being dangled in my face. And I couldn't do anything about it. Basically my world was crushed. And I knew my season was over.
Unfortunately my team lost to Highland so we were up against Hilcrest next. This was the game that determined who would get to go to state. As agonizing as it was, I didn't dress down. I cheered so hard from the bench that I lost my voice. We lost that game too. So we were done. It was really hard. But at the same time I had a feeling we wouldn't be going so I was able to keep my emotions in check.
I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason. And after I was able to clear my head, I was able to better think about what some of the reasons behind this trial could be. My mom told me that she had a strong feeling that this was a prevention of an even worse injury that could have eliminated my soccer career all together. I now have a new appreciation for patience. And I was able to see beyond this short period of time. I still have four more years of soccer in college to focus on. My career is nowhere near being over. So for all of these things I am grateful. I'm grateful for the years I had playing soccer for Skyline. I'm grateful for my team and all the amazing friendships I have there. I'm grateful for my talents. And I'm grateful for the love and support I have from my family.
I can proudly say that I have made a full recovery. And while I'm still going to the doctor and taking the necessary precautions I need to prevent plantar fasciitis from coming back, I am doing soooo much better. And I'm back at it! Hitting the gym almost every day. Preparing for my future soccer career.
Hallelujah for healthy bodies.
Here's my team at the end of season party. Gosh I love these girls.
And also I was awarded District First Team AND All Conference Second Team. So I guess I'm alright with how things ended.
Soccer is the best.
