Blake Danielewicz shares how his perseverance after a knee injury led him back to playing sports.
Sports have always been one of the most important things in my life. I’ve been playing football for as long as I can remember. After one of my football practices last fall, I came home with a swollen knee. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. But when that little swelling persisted, and eventually evolved into pain and not being able to play, I finally went to a doctor.
The conversation felt long, and uneventful, until I heard the words come out of his mouth, “I think it’s best if you find a new sport.” My eyes darted over to my dad, where the same surprised, disappointed look was cast on his face as on mine. The idea of finding a new sport was something unfathomable to us. We both knew how much football had meant to me over the years, and the thought of having to quit before high school even started would have been a painful moment for us.
My dad and I knew there had to be another answer, eventually coming from a new doctor. He told us he wanted to operate and that he thought I could get back to full health. We trusted him and decided to go ahead with surgery. The operation went well, and then, the rehab process began.
The first couple of weeks were spent working on bending my knee and getting back to walking properly. My path towards recovery was filled with its highs and lows; From crying on the car ride home thinking my knee will never be the same, to running and jumping for the first time. My process back to sports was long and tiring but ultimately rewarding when I got to play football this season. Throughout these months, it taught me to value the process, the importance of the present, to never take anything for granted, and the rewards of hard work and persistence. With a Perspective, I’m Blake Danielewicz.