Maybe my Mom Dropped me...

The summer of 1979 I was born in a hospital in Baltimore Maryland. During my care at the hospital I was dropped by a nurse and sustained an injury to my right arm (most of you would probably say more). I was put in a full arm and shoulder cast then sent on my way with my mom... remember this was 1979. Since that day I have had way too many injuries to write about in detail ranging from a blown ACL, broken rib, broken hand (self induced), dislocated finger... the list goes on. What I realized however that through my life and athletic career I was always broken in some aspect and never addressed the injury only the pain. I did what I needed to do and pushed through it all.

So lets focus on one of these injuries my right shoulder.

This was the 1st injury of my life. I was a new born right from the womb still pliable and probably very good looking, I healed and life went on. My shoulder was never my issue when I was a little kid. Played baseball all through my youth, did all the stuff kids do and never struggled... it was like it never even happened it was just a story my mom told everyone probably to hide the fact that she's the one that actually dropped me (just kidding mom). That being said everything else was an issue. Tore my ACL playing football and guess what never got it fixed for probably 3 years. I played on it everyday while it popped in and out over the years until it was no big deal it's just what it does.

Through my HS years and football the shoulder started poking its head out however. The occasional stinger would happen and sometimes my shoulder would sublux (partial dislocation) when I lifted... but my personal theme at this point was ignore the injury and deal with the pain, life went on.

Fast forwarding to almost present day because I'm not looking to write a novel here to get my point across. 20 plus years later after endless miles of running, rowing, boxing, general fitness, road and obstacle course races etc... I have a total knee replacement and am on the verge of a total right shoulder replacement. My biggest regret here is this... an injury that I was inflicted with in my youth I ignored my entire life. When it poked its head out I pushed it back in and delt with the pain. Now today I have to live with this daily reminder that at this moment has taken away and or limited things in my life that I love but most of all the ability to throw a ball with my children. Is there a fix? Yes...surgery and will it be 100% better? I don't know...

The moral of this story is, with life comes injuries. If you don't take the time to address and heal from them theres a good chance that the pain from the past will take away your happiness in your future. It is also never too late to look in the mirror see where you hurt and fix it, this is our only life. For those of

you that can't read between the lines I'm not talking about physical injuries.

Know YOUR Enemy and go fuck'em up... I mean heal