My Story

Hi My name is ashley, I am 14 years old. I tore my ACL in a allstar basketball game on April 23, 2010. IT was the worse pain Ive ever had. I could here something in my knee pop when I fell. Well I was helped up to the bench and sat for a while and iced it. So I tried to walk to see if I could go back in. When I was walking It was painful and I felt my knee moving out of place everytime I walked. So I knew something was wrong. I went to have a MRI and it said that I tore my ACL. ANd that I had to have surgery if I wanted to do the basic stuff in basketball and I couldnt play for 6-12 months. From that point, I fell apart. I felt like it was the end of the world and I struggled with it. I cried everyday for the first 2 weeks but I got stronger as I went. I would always ask god why it happened to me. So I worked on the answer as I went. ON may 27, I had mt surgery. I was scared but I knew I had my family, friends, and most importantly GOD with me. . I literally cried in every room I went into on the day of surgery. The IV doesnt hurt that bad so dont worry about it. Well the last thing that I remember before I fell asleep was the doctor was putting the medicine into my IV and she told me I was going to feel tingling in my body and in my private area. I felt it for like 2 seconds and I was out of it. ANd then I woke up, it feels

like u just took a 5 min. nap. When u wake up, u feel so tired and like u havent slept in weeks. The pain I had when I woke up was about a 6 from 1 to 10. I went home the next day and I had alot of pain that day it was about a 7. But i took my medicine and I felt better but it made me really tired and have headaches alot. Those first week u are jus going to be so tired and wanting to just rest. THose 4 days after my surgery u just like lay in bed and rest cause when u stand ur knee thrubs and it hurts. IM about at my 3 and a half months. I jus started running and jumping not to long ago. U might be nervous ur first jump cus I was. But I was also happy that i made it this far. And to jus always remember to keep working hard at therapy. I have figured out the answer to that question, why god did it to me. I think it happened to me, to change me. SInce my injury Ive made alot of changes and Im a better person. I jus feel so different in my life since the injury. I think the journey u have through ur acl injury is more important than the destination to getting back to playing basketball. The lesson Ive learned through this injury is that DONT EVER GIVE UP. ANd u feel that since this, U CAN GET THROUGH ANY OBSTICLE IN LIFE NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. IVe also realized how important my family and friends are to me. For other people that have torn there ACL, jus remember YOU CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING !!!! :)