The Never-Ending Ramblings...

Three sets 7-6: 4-6; 6-4

I felt sorry for the people who happened to cross my path today, not to mention those countless emails I sent out. If you got anywhere near me, you were forced to listen to the play by play of how I won my match. Yep, I said win. I won. Ahhhhh that feels so good to type, so good to read.

And its not that I get so caught up in winning. It’s just that, oh, during May of 2003, I suddenly experienced excruciating pain in my entire right arm, which eventually traveled to my left arm. Several doctors and MRI’s later, I was diagnosed with Thoractic Outlet Syndrome. – a fancy way of saying my ulnar nerves in both my arms are compressed.

My pain levels were at eight 24/7. I had to give up tennis among other things, and even feared being permanently disabled. Through physical therapy and relearning how to use other body parts to do the work my arms used to do, my nerves finally settled down. While I’m still in chronic pain, I rarely experience the high levels of pain so common two years ago.

This past July, I had a crazy idea, to get back out on the tennis court. - see if I couldn’t play. I had to change my strokes. I use two hands on my forehand side. This makes for a grip change when going for backhand shots. I looked like a true beginner swatting at the ball. Would I ever be able to play? Join a league, compete? I was determined. I told others , “come September, I’m playing leagues.” Like it was a fact, not just a pipedream.

So, here I am, second week in October; the captain of a 2.5 women’s league team - playing doubles, and three matches in – I did more than just play – I WON!

Yay for me & Melanie.