It feels weird writing here again. Perhaps its the huge gap from my last entry. My previous entries sound like they were written by someone else.
Anyways, why is it that I haven't updated? Have I been fencing much? Well, at the Colorado NAC I tore my Achilles' Tendon while fencing. Yeah, chock it up to not taking the proper precautions with my body. Seriously, you don't have to tell me that twice. The break I took in between Nationals apparently wasn't enough.
Well, its been about three months since that wonderful day, and I'm halfway through my recovery. I had surgery to repair the tear. Now I'm slowly placing weight on my left foot. In two weeks, I am scheduled be in a shoe and walking again. And, in four weeks, I should be fencing! Yeah, if recovering from an ATR were that easy. I've resigned to take this up as my mantra: slow and steady wins the race. What race?
Adjusting my life around this injury has been a chore in itself. And now slowly getting back to using both feet is daunting.
So have I been aching to get back to the strip? Indeed. Refereeing has helped me out with that, as I reffed in a wheelchair in several events. I sincerely respect the wheelchair ref who frequents National events. I seriously do. Unfortunately, this injury has forced me to turn down other reffing assignments that I had previously committed to. Comes with the territory.
Of course I had to injure myself around the time that I would be hearing back from potential graduate schools. Oh those fencers, with their great sense of Timing . Both of the schools are in the East Coast, so you can imagine traveling to be difficult. Thankfully, the ground was dry enough to crutch on both weekends and the people organizing were just as helpful. These two weekend getaways kept me busy for some time. Although I crutched off to watch an Ivy Fencing event during one of my visits.
One of the professors that interviewed me was a fencer. Fancy that, small world. It made the interview a bit more lively, if anything.
I really look forward to not having to use these crutches and giving them back to the USFA trainers, because I don't see any reason to keep them after I'm on my feet. I'm sure someone else can put them to good use, as I have for 3+ months. I plan to return them at the Portland NAC. I'd love to do it personally, but I'm sure having a person who is actually competing do it for me will suffice.
This modified quote, posted by a fellow (now ex)cripple, amuses and inspires me:
"Then one day I just felt like walking..... So I did, and I just didn't stop"
03-13-2009 02:34 AM 
And, in four weeks, I should be fencing! 
Yeah, if recovering from an ATR were that easy. I've resigned to take this up as my mantra: slow and steady wins the race. What race?