Everybody needs a little luck
By Staff
Kim West
I spent most of my childhood outdoors and a large chunk of my high school years at school, a ball game or in the steamy confines of my hometown Taco Bell – to this day I wonder what people did with those collectible Chihuahua dogs that were so popular in the late 1990s.
I was very lucky because even though I played sports and collected bruises and burns like some people collect TV Guides, I can't recall being injured enough to miss more than a few days of school or work from kindergarten until now. On the reverse side, I have known people with unexplainably bad luck with injuries, especially a former roommate who was an ambulance ride waiting to happen and I have a co-worker who must know her insurance card number by heart.
My mom says I separated my shoulder when I was four or five but I don't count it because I don't remember getting hurt. There was the day my hand got slammed and stuck in the sliding door of our family Toyota van for several minutes or the time I was run over and kicked in the face by Peanut, our Shetland pony. But none of those painful episodes even required visits to the hospital, partly because I was so stubborn about doctors and partly because I had a higher pain threshold back then and didn't appreciate a good pain prescription.
I find it amazing how many surgeries and rehabilitations high school and college athletes will endure just to keep playing sports. I love playing everything from tennis and basketball to flag football and soccer, but I'm not sure I would continue playing a sport if I had torn the same ligament three times, like one local football player has endured. I think it takes a lot of courage and willpower to get back on the field after experiencing something as severe as a torn ligament and the rehab that comes with it.
The local spring sports season is in full swing and I sincerely hope that every athlete will be able to play a full season, and maybe it wouldn't hurt to rub a shamrock or wear green Monday for a little extra luck.
