When I first learned to write, it was 2000. I went to a private school for four year olds and while we were anticipating naptime, our teacher had something else in mind. She instructed us to write cursive and we responded with confused looks on our faces. Even at this young age, I could already clearly tell I was different than everyone else; my parents had established that I was going to be getting a higher education. And to get this higher education I would have to excel in reading and writing. I lived in a strict household throughout my childhood. If I were to get a C in any class, I was to be grounded instantly. Luckily for me I have never gotten a C in my life. I have had a few close calls but never have I received a C before. I would …show more content…
This memorable moment happened while I was living in Hawaii. No longer were my parents enforcing a higher standard; I wanted it for myself. I started to implement this higher standard onto myself when I tore my ACL my junior year of high school by doing therapeutic writing to help me get through that hard time. Therapeutic writing led to the immense development in my reading and writing skills. This goes to show that there is always something good that comes out of out of something bad. I first moved to Hawaii when I was around ten years old. At the beginning it was very calming compared to where I previously lived which was Maryland. I quickly realized I was one of the smartest students in my class. Due to poor infrastructure, the education was lacking in Hawaii. Instead of feeling like I was falling behind, like in Maryland, I felt like I was surpassing the norms of Hawaii 's education standards. After a few months of living in Hawaii, I started to become accustomed to the laid-back lifestyle. I did not read any books outside of class. I did not care about my grades as long as they were not a C. I went outside everyday and I played at the park just like what every elementary school kid did. My interest in this "higher standard" was …show more content…
When this happened, I always tried to be optimistic and come out of this injury with more than I went into it with. From not playing soccer for one year, I gained so much knowledge of myself just from writing in a journal that I still keep at my house. I read it from time to time and I can still see the progression of my writing since I started writing, to the last entry in that journal. This part in my life was beneficial because I now know how to write at a college level. Before I tore my ACL I couldn’t write to save my life. I was a horrible writer and thanks to tearing my ACL I improved drastically. If this part of my life were to not happen I would probably be going to The University of Hawaii at Manoa with the rest of my classmates because that’s what our education pushed us
In November of 2010, I was playing basketball in the fifth game of my senior season. It was just like any other game. However, I would soon find out otherwise. It was late in the game; I drove into the lane and got fouled hard. I was knocked so off-balance that I speared the floor with my knee. As soon as my knee hit the floor I heard a “snap” that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Little did I know at the time, that would be the last shot of my high school basketball career. Not long after my injury, I consulted a doctor. After getting an x-ray and an MRI, the doctor informed me that I had completely torn my ACL and would need to have surgery. An ACL tear can be a very devastating injury. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments within the knee. The ACL is one of the most commonly injured ligaments, injured by an estimated 200,000 patients each year. Of the 200,000 annual ACL injuries, surgery is performed in approximately 100,000 cases. There are many types of reconstructive surgery on the ACL. However, there is an alternative to surgery in the form of physical therapy.
Amanda was in her sophomore year of soccer season when she heard the pop of her knee that cut her season short. The next thing she knew she was at the doctor’s who told her she had an ACL tear, and wasn’t sure if she could play again. From there it was boiled down to two options. One to re-strengthen her knee through rehabilitation, physical therapy and bracing, or to undergo an ACL reconstruction surgery. Although it is costly and some may consider it frivolous, those who have encountered ACL tears should receive the reconstruction surgery instead of attending rehabilitation for the damage to their knee, because it dramatically lessens the chances of meniscal injuries and osteoarthritis occurring later and allows the patient to return back to their sport or physical activity with better knee mobility and less pain in a timely manner.
I think that is why I was humbled because my situation could be worse. I became more and more appreciative and learned that my world wasn’t ending; my world was just changing. I learned that I had to adjust to change in order to position myself for future success. I had to see different perspectives and open myself up to new ideas. Also, I had to fully accept the fact that things were changing for me. I now realize that change is good sometimes because it introduces you to new opportunities and experiences. Instead of playing basketball 24/7, my injury gave me exposure to different interests that I would have never experienced before and will never
I am sitting in my bed, thinking about my process of writing as I am trying to go through it. It seems the more I think about it, the less I understand it. When I am writing, I don’t think. Which I know, sounds bad. But, I spend every single moment of every single day over thinking, over analyzing, and over assuming every aspect of my life. When I’m writing, I’m free from that for just a little bit. Until of course, my hands stop typing or the pencil (no pens- never pens) stops moving, then I’m right back on the carousel that is my brain. Heidi Estrem says, “...writers use writing to generate knowledge that they didn’t have before.” (Writing is a Knowledge-Making Activity 18). I believe my ability to write without an exact destination
What makes a good writer? More importantly; what makes a good reader? It’s the critical examination skills that Vladimir Nabokov pushes for as well as a good imagination. And don’t forget a good dictionary!
It’s amazing how a horrific and negative life changing event can encourage and guide you in the path of your future. The end result may not be visible when it first takes place, but the process of a recovery can be extremely educational. You see, I was provided the opportunity of job shadowing firsthand the fields of athletic training and physical therapy due to a knee injury. I believe the majority of people would consider a severely damaged knee a dramatic setback in life. I was able to find the silver lining during the recovery.
Looking back on when I first got injured, I thought my world was over and that the biggest part of my life was taken away from me. Now, I look at this injury as something beneficial. It is almost as if I needed a wake up call on never taking your health for granted and what you have in that moment. You never know when the most important thing to you at the time, will be taken away from you when you least expect it. If I could go back, I would not wish I tore my ACL again, but this injury has definitely made me a stronger player mentally, and I think it will give me a better outlook on the game. I will be grateful for every game that I play, I will play with more heart, and give it my all because it could be taken away from me just after one
The one thing that an athlete doesn’t want to hear is that they cannot play their favorite sport because of an injury they recently got. This actually happened to me when I injured my knee while lifting high amount of weight. After my lifting class I was walking perfectly and prepared to get through the rest of the day. Only an hour later I couldn’t walk with my right leg and had to limp through the rest of the day. Two hours after I was limping and trying not to cry from the sharp, acute sting in my right knee.
Once I could bend my knee again, I started playing sports again. I took a break from basketball, but I kept up with softball and volleyball. My knee didn’t feel quite the same, but I thought that would pass. During my volleyball camp at Olivet Nazarene University, I was jumping up to block and when I landed my knee buckled and I knocked over my friend Christie. I could not believe this happened again! After I couldn’t get up, once again, the coach insisted that I go and see Ozzy, the trainer. He checked out my knee and thought I had torn my meniscus(the cartilage in the knee joint) and possibly had a small tear in my MCL(the inside tendon of the knee). He insisted that I go to O.A.K. Orthopedics (a health care office that includes 8 orthopedic surgeons) to see Dr. Ellis.
Writing can be a very difficult process for those who do not know how to go about constructing
After we arrived at the hospital I was wheeled into the ER, and met up with my parents. They made us wait until I could get x-rays to see what 's wrong, but after being sedated with pain killers I couldn 't remember anything after the first 20 min of being in the hospital. After I arrived home, I had a brace forcing me to keep my leg straight so I don 't injure my knee further. From there on I went through mandatory physical therapy and healing stretches for six months eventually returning to football and finishing the rest of high school playing football. Even tho its been awhile since i was injured my knee will never be 100% as it once was, it still has problems at times but live through it.
My injury was an accident, but I viewed it as a failure. Not only have I believed I failed my team and parents, I thought I failed myself. I had a goal for myself and that was to bring a championship to the program. But for it to end so suddenly caused negativity to fly around in my head, constantly bringing me down. I let my “failure” affect me mentally and a result of that, I was
This injury has robbed your summer of running barefoot through the grass, jumping for joy, playing soccer and basketball, walking, going anywhere with your friends is a struggle. Living on the hope and dream that the day will come where you can play again. Finally, you no longer need crutches, but after six weeks your body doesn't remember how to walk. The pity you have for yourself that you can't do something as simple as walking! Pain is like your conscious, always there. Realizing that walking with less of a limp requires a searing pain with every step and refusing an elevator key, walking up and down with agony, knowing it’s helping is and accomplishment. The only way to cope with all the pain you and others put you through is by knowing you are doing something to aid in
I just got done lifting weights and began to make my way down to the court to shoot some hoops with everyone. That was a day when a lot of people were wanting to play a game of pickup basketball. The game began to get very serious, and me being the competitive guy I would go for every rebound. I went up for a clear rebound and another guy came from nowhere and pushed me while I was in mid-air. I came down on my ankle with all my weight, and I felt my leg just give out on me. I layed on the floor with tears in my eyes because I knew this was serious. My mom came to the school and took me to the hospital. The doctor came out and told me I had torn ligaments and tendons all through my lower leg, and I had a torn quadricep. The doctor told me my chances of playing football again were very slim. As he left the room I asked my mom to give me a moment. I just sat and looked at my leg and proceeded to cry my eyes out. I knew my leg would never really be the same. I had to wear a boot for 10 weeks. During that time I started to think maybe I could give football a try again. I made my way to the field for the final time. That practice nothing felt the same. I was not as explosive as I was. So I knew my career had come to an end. That weekend I told my family I was quitting football and told them why. They were all very supportive of my decision. That has been the hardest choice to make in my life. Letting go of my first love will always be
In my past experience with learning writing, I can group the ways I have been taught into three categories. I have learned by teaching myself how to write, have learned in an academic setting, and have learned through hands-on experience in a professional setting.