Recovery…
It’s takes a long time and a lot of hard work but it is most certainly worth it in the end. (I hope!)
182 days into my ACL reconstruction and it’s getting stronger every day when I remember to do my physio exercises. Are there days where I wish I hadn’t had the surgery done and just left my knee as it was? Absolutely! However, I look back at that and and remember the painful thought of not playing competitive sport again. Those thoughts are definitely more painful than any recovery pain.
Football is my passion and it really does hurt to sit on the sideline and watch. I’ve already been cleared to start kicking and dripping the ball in straight lines which has come along much quicker than anyone (including my surgeon, physio and gym trainers) expected.
One of my trainers told me recently “You have great mental strength Candice… You struggled and it was hard but look you got there. This is the sort of stuff that transfers into confidence in your ability to tackle anything in life. That inspires others to realise they can do it too. It was a great effort.”
Comments like this just make me literally explode with confidence and adrenaline when I am training. I know the journey will still be tough for a while but once I’m on the park again, I will have conquered everything I worked hard to achieve.
Stay strong. We will all get there in the end.
C. x
CANDICE ASHLEY 