Mindset Over Injury

I’ve had my fair share of exercise-related injuries. Like when I suffered through some knee injuries and finally turned to acupuncture for some relief.

Unfortunately, Lucy recently had her own injury, a fractured fibula in her growth plate during volleyball practice. I’m far more impressed with her ability to overcome the mental challenges associated with injury than with my own.

It happened on a Thursday evening, with her last tournament (due to her going away to camp) coming up that weekend. She toughed it out after practice but by Friday it was clear that something was wrong. The ankle was really swollen and she couldn’t walk on it at all.

We made a trip to the emergency room and she went home with a boot and crutches. The orthopedic doctor said that it would heal by itself, but she had to keep her weight off it. After 5-6 weeks in a boot, she’d start physical therapy.

Like anyone who’s really active, an injury like this weighed on her mentally. She was optimistic while waiting for an official diagnosis, but she did have some down time immediately afterward.

The biggest hurdle? Finding out if she could still attend Camp Marimeta in Wisconsin this summer. The camp is very active, with kids water skiing, playing volleyball and just generally doing, doing, doing.

The camp said that they’d be able to accommodate her and sure enough there was another girl who also went to camp with a boot and crutches (due to a broken ankle). While it’s not ideal, misery does love company and they’re in it together this summer.

After the injury and diagnosis, Lucy went to the volleyball tournament to cheer on her teammates. I was so impressed with her optimism and her positive outlook. After all, she had a definite diagnosis and she knows this injury is just a setback. She will play again, once she’s fully healed, and she’s dedicated to following the doctor’s instructions so she can get better.

I, on the other hand, don’t have quite the positive outlook that Lucy does. She could teach me a thing or two about going to the doctor and getting better. Instead, I self-diagnose and take time off from working out and eating right. Because if I can’t work out, it’s just not worth even trying, right? (I say that tongue-in-cheek, of course. But I know I need to change my attitude. Lucy is teaching me that, and 2B Mindset is also helping!)