Unfortunately, I learned from the concussion clinic at Boston Children's Hospital that it would not be as simple getting back on the field as I thought. I was told that once my symptoms had gone away, I would need to start on a low cardio workout like jogging or using a elliptical. After another week, I could try full cardio running. The next week, I could start doing non-contact soccer drills and finally, I would be able to move up to full contact soccer.
The problem was, my symptoms weren't going away and I didn't have the energy to even make it to practices after enduring a full day of school. A little while later, I was completely pulled from school so sports was not even an option that Fall.
That winter, I started having a decrease in my pain with the headaches and visual problems. I also received a letter being asked to come to a scouting convention for softball and I was ecstatic! The problem was, my symptoms weren't completely gone and if I wanted to make it to this conference, I would have to begin training now to be ready on time.
I went back to the concussion clinic and explained my situation to my doctor. He said that I could begin working out. I could do light workouts like fielding grounders and going to the batting cages BUT if my symptoms increased in pain, I had to stop! AND I needed to stay at a low headache level for a month before returning back to softball.
I began going to the batting cages and it felt good! I was getting back into the groove of being an athlete. Next, I began working on my position at short stop. Immediately, I realized I had a problem. Every time the ball would come at me on the ground, I would have to bend over to get it. But every time I bent over to get the ball, my head began to pound. Everything would go blurry and I was I pain.
But being an athlete, I pushed through the pain and continued to train. That February, I went to the convention and began playing softball. At first, things went well. I wasn't in the best shape that I normally was but i could keep up with the drills.
As time wore on, I felt my head start to hurt and I began to feel very dizzy. But I didn't want to stop. I didn't want these scouts to see me giving up so I pushed through the pain. That was a big mistake.
The physical workout I accomplished that one day set back my entire body completely. My headaches were as bad as they had ever been and I could barely make it through school while having to take the state-wide test, MCAS, that following week.
I had completely overloaded my system and I, again, had to be pulled from school for the rest of my sophomore year.
There were really two main problems that caused me to have this major set back.
The first being that just because my doctor said that I was cleared to go back to playing sports, I really wasn't ready. Unfortunately, a doctor can never be entirely sure that an athlete suffering from a concussion is ready to go back to sports. A concussion isn't like a broken bone where you can take an x-ray and physically see that the bone has healed. There isn't a full proof system for determining a concussion is over. The doctors can only take their best guess.
The second issue I had was that I didn't listen to my body when I knew I needed to pull myself from the game. Being like any other athlete, we are constantly told to push through the pain and that is exactly what I did.
It really isn't worth it to push your brain beyond what it can handle. No doctor can know what is entirely going on. It is up to you to take your health into your own hands and decide when it is time for you to play the game.
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