Four years ago, I tore cartilage in my left knee during a tennis match with a local league.  I’d picked tennis up again after a decade or more off, and I was really getting back into it.  It was a bit of a crushing blow for me, especially in the aftermath of the surgery.  I had a scoping procedure that included micro-fracture surgery.  I was on crutches with heavy business travel for five weeks, underwent several months of physical therapy, then went three years experiencing swelling whenever I would do anything.  Coach soccer and stand for an hour, ice the knee.  Sit at a poker table for a few hours, experience major pain.

At the end of last summer, my knee suddenly wasn’t that bad.  I worked with my eldest son on tennis drills and didn’t have to ice the knee.  Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I played a soccer game with coaches.  Last night was the first foray back onto the tennis courts since the injury.

We waited forty minutes for a court to open up, and I did just about everything you wouldn’t want to do your first time out.  A friend of mine asked me to play in a double league, which is what got all this started again.  We warmed up for literally two or three minutes with the guys we were playing.  Oh, and no stretching (the reach down once).  After the three balls we hit, they asked if we were ready because of waiting, so no volleys, no overheads either.  They were ticking me off a bit, so I just said OK, let’s go.  They served first, I served second (took seven or eight practice serves, getting one in I think) and said I was ready to go.

We won 6-2, 6-1.  It was incredible.

I was bouncing around, racing my big body after balls, even chasing down a lob for a big backhand.  I hit a big three-quarters serve after my first service game to try and get balls in (still a pretty big kick most of the time).  I had a bit of a vision problem, which was either night vision or my fading problem with seeing things up close, not sure which.  I had to adjust a bit, really get the racket back quickly.  I wasn’t breathless, although my toes actually started hurting toward the end (also new shoes that I bought about nine months ago).

No pain in the knee, even getting almost down to the ground on a drop shot that was hit to us.  I was sore this morning everywhere but my knee, but it was so thrilling really to be right out there.  Even if I can’t play for another year, I’d take it.  I told my partner I had no interest playing in playoffs if we were to qualify, just doing this to see if I can get going again.  I’m also playing at a pretty low rating level that may in fact get my partner shot or something.  Still, it was amazing.

I had a big post about Tiffany Michelle, Tony G, et al, but I deleted it.  Really, I could care less about all of that.

It must be difficult to imagine, but I was once a superb athlete.  Mainly tennis but hoops as well (although poor speed, poor man defending, short, mediocre ball handling, and streaky shooting doesn’t exactly get you a ton of playing time).  The email came again about the coaches soccer game today.  My performance after the Fall season didn’t give me much hope (see evidence below).

I had my left knee scoped maybe three or four years ago, including microfracture surgery.  I went probably thirty months where it still gave me problems, icing it down with minimal activity.  At the end of last summer, the knee almost miraculously became more stable and didn’t swell after activity.  This was by far the biggest test I’ve given it since last summer, although I’ve done more on it over the last few months.

Spectacular results today.  No pain, no swelling, no brace, just a quick stretch and go.  I was worn out pretty early on but held together much better than in the Fall.  I’m still feeling it and will struggle tomorrow, I’m sure, but it was a very, very good burn.

And I didn’t die, which was a real plus!

You can head to the archives of Waffles to get his description of my physique.  I’ve gone from a sliver of a boy to an athlete to a growing young man to gaining weight throughout my marriage.  About eight years ago, I lost I think 45 pounds on Atkins.  I peaked out at what would be termed obese around six weeks ago.  I’ve shed 18.5 pounds through this morning, although I’m only don’t to slightly obese/overweight.  Let hope I can keep it going.