When I was going into high school, I had a few friends who kept mentioning a sport called pole vaulting. I had no idea what they were talking about, but I was interested. Growing up, I was a pretty active child. I loved to be outside with my friends playing football, soccer, and other sports and activities. I played on a soccer team from fourth grade to eighth grade. I never thought I would do a sport that required flinging myself over a bar with a pole.
As I entered high school, I had a few friends talking about a sport called pole vaulting, and they said I should try it. Being my first year, I wanted to try many different things out and meet a lot of new people. I began with football, where I played as a running back and cornerback. I enjoyed it for the most part until I got severely injured. During a game, I was in as running back. The quarterback gave the play, and we lined up, ready to tun it. When he said hike, he passed it to me, and I run up through the hole the defensive line created. As soon as I got through, I made it about ten yards before getting blindsided and hit in the front all at the same time. This hit was terrible. Both of their shoulder pads hit in the same spot, and I knew something was wrong as I was falling to the ground before I passed out.
When I woke up, I was in the hospital, where a doctor spoke to my parents about the severity of my injuries. He told me I had a concussion and ruptured the intestine. I would need a temporary colostomy procedure to help. After the procedure, I was told football was off the table, and the thought of pole vaulting came to mind. I told the doctor about my plans, and he said it would be fine so long as I don’t land on my front and don’t wear my bag when I’m jumping as the movement would be hard due to the bag. When I got back to school a few weeks later, I signed up for pole vaulting, and the first practice was a few weeks later.
Before practice, I made sure I did not need to use the bathroom before removing my ostomy bag. When my coach explained how to do everything, I gave it a shot and turned out to be more or less a natural. I could tell why my doctor told me to take the bag off because the movement would have been strenuous with it on. There would have been a restriction of my movement and reach. My coach was so proud of me for being able to do it so well my first time. I went on to win a few meets that year: today, I’m a senior, and it’s almost my last meet. I got approached by a recruiter and was offered a full ride, so I think my pole vaulting days are not done yet. I’m also getting the ostomy reverted soon, so I’m very excited about that.
Growing up, I never saw myself doing a sport that required me to fly in a sense. I am so glad my friends put me on this sport; it has been a real treat and an excellent way to keep me distracted from my situation. Only a few people on the team know about my ostomy, and they are all amazed at what I can do. I am excited to keep pole vaulting in college with a full ride where I can learn to be a doctor and help people like me in the future.
The Health Discussion 