Screw injuries!!

You know what… fuck injuries!!!
Okay so now that I’ve got that out of the way… My cousin got injured during a basketball game last Friday.
It’s one of the worst injuries I’ve seen happen (in real life) and he ended up on the floor in pain.
I wasn’t playing so I rushed over and try to console him while he was lying there, and much to their credit so did a lot of teammates and even the referees. It’s a small community on Curacao and the basketball community is even smaller, so everyone basically knows everyone. And of course nobody wants so see someone get seriously injured.

The medical staff rushed over and got him on a gurney to move him to the ambulance.
I got his bag and all his stuff and followed, another cousin (on his side) got in the ambulance with him while I followed with my car.

I tend to remain calm in these situations, calm enough to drive, calm enough until we actually hear what’s wrong, and even then calm enough to take the necessary steps toward recovery.
But in that calmness I surpress most of my emotion, I guess that’s needed. I can’t be distraught while someone else is laying there in pain, I mean how does that help?!??!? Also I can’t be distraught while following an ambulance at high speed…. No! Remain calm! Remain calm and be strong for whoevere is involved.

We arrived and the emergency room and two of my cousin’s aunts were already waiting. I quickly introduced myself and so did they. As the ambulance went through a separate entrance, we went to the normal one…….only to hear that only one of us is allowed inside (covid measures).

Now see the way I grew up, I have a lot of respect for the elderly so I’m not going to push aunts aside to be the one to get in (even if would have wanted to). I also realize that in that moment, everyone wants to help and you’re not aware what kind or relationships people have. In this case these we’re his aunts from the other side of the family so you kind of have to put your own stuff aside and make way. So that being said, one of his aunts went in (which was the right thing to do in principle, not sure about emotions).

The following hours were both calm and hectic at the same time. The information that got to us on the outside was confusing and it’s frustrating if you’re not the one asking the questions. Imagine having to call back and forth to an aunt who is also having to deal with her nephew in pain.. Having to deal with doctors... Having to deal with her emotions.
First, they said it was a patellar tendon tear and that he needed to operate right then and there…
Then it changed to complete tear but that he could go home for now and come back the next week to see what kind of operation and when.

We waited outside until 1 am when he finally got out.

You do feel powerless in the situation. I mean you can’t burst into the hospital room demanding to speak do a doctor!!! You have to respect the process and let them do their thing.

Now comes the rest. The actual operation… The road to recovery… the constant question if he’s every going to be able to play again!
He's is good spirits now, but it's a long road ahead.

I on the other hand, have been thinking a lot about what the game means to me and how I want to approach it.

Just needed to get that off my chest!

Special thanks to @cmplxty for the invite to the community.

Cheers,

@Gvkanten

Ps. This is post 7 of the #HiveBloPoMo challenge! Check out the community and consider joining us next time!