Losing a huge career opportunity because of my recovery.
In late September of last year, I fully pulled my ACL off the bone in my left knee, tore both miniscus (minisci? Miniscuses?), and nearly dislocated several things in my leg. Had surgery in early December, using a patellar graft. PT until mid March, now I'm back in the gym slowly regaining muscle mass. Very typical recovery.
I didn't realize when it first happened how soon the injury would come to haunt me. I recently graduated college, yet my field is incredibly physically demanding. And while I'm able to do almost anything again now (currently running 2 miles max but could probably push for more, and I've starting jumping rope again) any job in my field will require tests that work your agility. Specifically, making sharp 90-180 degree turns and cuts. I can't do that right now, not for lack of trying, but I just can't get in a good mental space to try it. I'm so terrified of reinjury, and I'm not getting near the goals I need to be at.
In about a week I have the first of a few of these tests and I'm not going to be able to do it. This is a huge career opportunity for me and I'll have to turn it down. Life has it's way of testing you at every turn, and with my luck I drew a "you can no longer work in your field for the foreseeable future" card. I wish I had never played that game of pick up football that caused this injury in the first place. (I wasn't even hit, I was literally just running down the field. human body is whack sometimes)
Not really sure why I'm posting this; if I had to say, it's because I feel defeated for the first time since my injury. I just don't know what I'm going to do. I've never really wanted s family, I always wanted to work my way up in my field. And I don't know when I'll be able to now..
Sorry for the rant. Thanks if you read any of it.
Posted May 10, 2022, 4:34 AM UTC
It’s all good to vent, and I can relate. My ACL tear had me in a very dark place for a while. I am a firefighter for the US Forest Service on a helitack crew. It’s an extremely physically demanding job, and I essentially need my legs/health to make any decent money. I applied to my dream fire department that pays more than I could ever ask for with amazing benefits and schedule. I was eventually given a conditional job offer, only for me to turn it down 2 days later from finding out I just tore my ACL. It literally crushed me. I told myself I would probably never be able to do my job like I use to. I convinced myself I would never be able to get a job with a fire department that I wanted to work at.
After a pretty long and shitty mental battle, I snapped out of it and told myself I would come back stronger than I was before the injury. I’m having surgery one week from today and I’ve put everything I’ve had into making my knee better prior to surgery so the rehab is quicker. You get a few days to feel like shit and feel sorry for yourself, after that there is no other option than to adapt and overcome. You are going to hit bumps in the road, setbacks in your recovery; it’s all part of the process and it will make you strong mentally and physically. You got this, keep your head up.
This!!