It's Thursday 13 August 2015. Day 5 without an intact ACL in my right knee. This is my first reflection of my ACL journey.
Today had better start than yesterday. I'm going to call it mental health plus day. It started with going to hang with the athletes at the AM APP session. Their willingness to accommodate my incapacity and assist me with the session makes me feel warm inside, and very grateful for their friendships. I headed home to make myself a coffee and polish off one of the muffins I made for Tayla yesterday. The muffin was awesome. Will be making them again.
Whilst yesterday was a bit of a Debbie Downer at first, it was brightened by the visit to Tayla. Georgia picked me up and we introduced the two life survivors: Tayla and Barton. It was pretty inspiring, and a really, really decent way to put my ACL and its consequences into perspective. They have survived something that could have killed them. An ACL rupture is a minute hiccup in comparison.
I don't know Tayla that well so we broke the awkward "I don't really know you but we are about get pretty deep" by bonding over being cripples. Just another footy injury to add to the list (even though in my head I don't think it really had anything to do with footy). We listened to them open up about the accident, why it happened to them, how they felt about their journeys passed and ahead, what kind of humans they have become. The most humbling was when Barton stated that he wouldn't change the accident if he had the option; he believes he is a better and improved person because of it.
