Personal Narrative-Therapeutic Analysis

“You’ll never be able to run long distances again” A quote from my doctor when I was first diagnosed with both a tarsal and calcaneal coalition in my left foot. The first thought that came to my head was start digging my grave now. Monday through Saturday for me are spent at the gym or on the tennis court. If I am not training, I am teaching the sport I continue to admire since fifth grade. Those nine words rang through my ears like fingernails on a chalk board. He proceeded to place me in a cast then a few weeks later into an air cast. I viewed this as a small bump in the road and continued to strengthen my upper body and core despite my highly fashionable boot. Two months later my highly optimistic self headed to my “final” doctor appointment to be told I need to continue to wear the air cast. That day I recall telling myself “deep breaths Grace”
As a direct result of the uniting of my bones, the arch in my foot collapsed and caused a half inch difference in the height of my legs. I had the body of an eighty year old but the mind of a teenager. The doctors flew me into physical therapy and I was once again out of tennis. Around that time of year is the qualifier which leads the top four players into a national tournament called the midwest closed. I trained night and day to prepare for it and it was taken away in the blink of an eye. Deep breaths Grace, I tell myself once again. This set back did not stop me from attending and cheering on my colleagues. For the next 2 months I punctually attended physical therapy three times a week. I only counted down the seconds until I could get back on the court. Then, in the radiant month of June, I was officially free. The biggest piece of knowledge I took away from this was there are going to be set backs in life and bumps in the road. It is how we approach those complications that matters the most. Now, two years later, I am healthy and working harder than ever to accomplish my