“The patient is a 15-year-old female who sustained a right-sided calcaneus fracture, jumping off pier landing on the rock. The patient was transferred over from Grand Haven. Imaging showed a displaced intra articular right calcaneus fracture, which was deemed appropriate for surgical intervention. The patient underwent 2 surgeries to complete open reduction and internal fixation of her right calcaneus fracture. Postoperatively, the patient had difficulty with pain control and severe anxiety.”
This was me. On August 21st, 2013 I made close to the worst decision ever. I was talked into jumping off the Grand Haven Pier into Lake Michigan, and I ended up with a severely fractured right heel. The quote above is from my surgical notes in …show more content…
Instead of worrying about chemistry tests and petty high school drama, I was worried about whether I’d be able to walk again. How big of a limp I’d be stuck with. How much chronic pain I’d have. Let alone whether I’d be able to dive competitively again. I guess I just put my head down and did what I had to. I’m not a particularly positive person, but I am incredibly persistent. I decided that I was going to be able to walk without a limp and that I was going to be able to compete at diving again and that was that. It took two years, three surgeries, weekly visits to the pain clinic and over a year of physical therapy, but damn it I did it.
I think because of the persistence that my accident took, I’m able to apply that to more things in my life now. If I want to accomplish something, I’m going to. This summer I set up an internship for myself at the Archives for our public museum. It’s something I love doing and that will give me useful experience in the future, because someday I want to work as a curator in a museum. Before my accident, I don’t think I would have gone for it. I would have made all sorts of excuses of why I shouldn’t. But I’m so glad that I reached out and made it
This was me. On August 21st, 2013 I made close to the worst decision ever. I was talked into jumping off the Grand Haven Pier into Lake Michigan, and I ended up with a severely fractured right heel. The quote above is from my surgical notes in …show more content…
Instead of worrying about chemistry tests and petty high school drama, I was worried about whether I’d be able to walk again. How big of a limp I’d be stuck with. How much chronic pain I’d have. Let alone whether I’d be able to dive competitively again. I guess I just put my head down and did what I had to. I’m not a particularly positive person, but I am incredibly persistent. I decided that I was going to be able to walk without a limp and that I was going to be able to compete at diving again and that was that. It took two years, three surgeries, weekly visits to the pain clinic and over a year of physical therapy, but damn it I did it.
I think because of the persistence that my accident took, I’m able to apply that to more things in my life now. If I want to accomplish something, I’m going to. This summer I set up an internship for myself at the Archives for our public museum. It’s something I love doing and that will give me useful experience in the future, because someday I want to work as a curator in a museum. Before my accident, I don’t think I would have gone for it. I would have made all sorts of excuses of why I shouldn’t. But I’m so glad that I reached out and made it