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I played football for three years at Curry High School. While I was

there I saw my fair share of injuries and experienced several of my

own. 

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In 10th grade I experienced what it is like to be knocked out for

the first time. I was on a scout kickoff team and I ended up

running full speed towards our starting middle linebacker, a

senior. When I say that I was running full speed, bear in mind that

I was an offensive/defensive lineman, so by full speed I mean

slow. 

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We hit several yards later, except that I do not actually remember

the blow. All I remember is waking up a few seconds later (I think

it was a few seconds later) while lying on the ground. I distinctly

recall two things after that: 1. the sky was very clear and blue

that day, and 2. no one, not a coach nor a trainer, came to check

on me, so I must not have been out for long.

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Later that year I was hit with the most serious injury I would

receive during my three years of high school football. I walked off

the field after a nondescript practice and was shocked to find my

left knee swollen when I changed my clothes. Imagine taking half of

a grapefruit putting it under the skin of your knee; that is what

my knee looked like.

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My mom took one look at my knee and told me in a matter-of-fact

tone that we were going to Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham to get

it checked out. I later found out that I had partially torn both my

anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and my patellar ligament. Needless

to say, I was out of action for nine weeks. 

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On a side note, I had not taken a pain killer in almost a year when

the emergency room doctor at Brookwood gave me a Lortab-5. I was

high as a kite on the way home from Birmingham (we lived an hour

away), and I laughed uncontrollably at every neon sign we passed

for some reason. 

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While at the hospital getting my knee checked out, it was also

discovered that I had an evulsion fracture in my left foot, which

basically meant that a ligament in my foot was out of its normal

place. 

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In 11th grade I suffered what I imagine to be a cracked sternum

based on how much and how long my chest hurt. I will never know for

sure since I did not go to the doctor this time. All I know is that

it hurts when the only lineman on the team larger than you falls on

top of you when he is standing and you are on the ground.  

 

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I loved playing football and I still watch it religiously today,

but it does take its toll on those who choose to play

it. 

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