Personal Essay: My Definition Of Temporary Pain

Some point throughout our lives, we have experienced temporary pain in order to reach a more successful future. This pain can come in many forms for each individual, some physical pain, others mental or emotional pain, and some being a combination of the different types of pain. Whichever form of temporary pain an individual has, it is a necessity to be successful. I would say physical pain is my primary type of temporary pain. I have struggled with temporary physical pain many times in my softball career, just so I could play another game; this was pain I wanted to push through in order to keep playing the game I love. It was not until I fractured my hip during a game, that I realized, too much pain took a toll on my body. After the numerous

The doctor said if the hip did not heal within the time period allowed, then I would have to undergo surgery. The risks of the surgery were minimal, but the side effects and pain were a definite red flag for me. Knowing that I would have to face surgery, I worked harder. The therapist I had knew I was facing surgery, so he pushed me even harder, sometimes harder than I was willing to work. The doctor believes the main reason I did not have to go into surgery, was my work ethic outside the rehab center. Without the extra hours put in and the pain suffered, I would have gone through surgery.

Not only did physical therapy keep me from crutches and surgery, it allowed me to step back onto the field with my teammates. The surgery would have set me back not only weeks, but months. The months of recovery would have placed me on the bench, rather than out on the filed, playing the game I love. My goal going into physical therapy, was to get better of course, but ultimately to continue to play the game I love. If I would not have done physical therapy, it would have lead to surgery, therefore setting me back months and prohibiting me to play the game I have so much passion