Generation NeXt Parenting

Sad, but not hopeless...

I'm sad. Very sad. On February 1, during the first two minutes of a basketball game Cory (18) jumped up to block a shot and landed on his leg wrong. He crumbled to the ground, wringing in pain and I knew something was very wrong. I debated if I should run out there onto the court. I didn't. I let his coach help him off. Cory was hopping and wincing. He couldn't put any weight on it. He iced his knee for the game, and by the end he was feeling better. We hoped it was just a bad sprain.

On Monday I took him to the free sports' clinic. Cory was hobbling around and he said it didn't hurt too bad. (Looking back I think he was hoping it wasn't serious and didn't want to worry us.) From the look on the doctor's face I knew it was worse than we thought. "It's swollen and he doesn't have much flexibility. I suggest a MRI. It doesn't look good."

We scheduled the MRI for three days later. And waited and waited, hoping for the best. Cory had the MRI and then we waited for the results.
The call came Friday and the doctor wanted both of us on the phone. He told us that Cory completely tore his ACL (which is a ligament in his knee). We found out then that Cory wouldn't be finishing off his basketball season. As a starter and a senior, he was VERY bummed.

He'll be going to physical therapy for a few weeks to strengthen his knee, and then they'll schedule him for surgery. He's really scared at the thought about being cut open for the surgery. (Please pray he'll have peace!)

It makes me sad, very sad, to know that Cory worked so hard only to have his basketball years end like this. Two years ago he spent more time sitting the bench than playing, and he really worked hard to improve his game.

BUT as I told Cory yesterday, I'm very proud of him. He set a goal and he worked hard to achieve it. He DID succeed. He did his very best. He is a winner.

I also told him it's a good chance to show Christian character. It's easy to "do" something. It's harder to support others, to cheer him on. He agreed. And he's been REALLY cheering. I think he's as serious about cheering now as he was about playing.

I'm sad, but mostly I'm proud--tough stuff happens but it's how we react that truly proves our character. How we handle pain and disappointment shows much more than how we handle success.



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posted by Tricia Goyer @ 11:00 AM