the one with the first day of school, SENIORS 2014
When we went to the doctor here, he wanted her to sit out a year and let it heal. Seriously? I don't think so. So, we went to Dr. Sterling in Dallas and sought a 2nd opinion. He's in a practice with Dr. Montgomery, who took care of her daddy many moons ago when he hurt his knee. They specialize in athletes, including bull riders and treat the entire body. There's a huge wall of bull riders on the wall in one of his rooms. Pretty cool, I must say. If he can help THOSE riders, he can help my baby girl.
Dr. Sterling read her MRI report and brought his trainer, Dale Smith, into the room. He said, yes, you have a bulging disc, but more importantly, what made the disc bulge? He believes in the entire body operating together and if you have an injury, there's a reason. Either you had contact during a game or you had contact with the floor. In Summer's case, the floor. He put her through a series of movements and quick tests to see which side was weak. He determined that her pelvis was tilted from the fall, knocked out of place you see, and the pressure on the spine from the out of place pelvis caused the bulging disc.
So what to do? The trainer manipulated her and got her back in place. I was in the room and saw her face instantly change. The pain was gone! She could even walk again with the "hitch" I called it. She felt relief and thus this momma felt it too. No momma likes to see her baby hurting. Not even for some awesome basketball.
He warned us then that she would need to work hard on building her core to strengthen those muscles and keep her pelvis in place. He assigned exercises every day and the weekend we were there, we worked out with him more than once. He also warned us that until she quit playing, her back or pelvis would always be prone to going out. Being out for a long period of time had cause that disc to bulge, thus causing pain. He said many athletes don't even know they are out and continue playing and many times get hurt. He said it was very important for her to do her exercises to strengthen that core. Hello! You and me both baby. I need to build my core as well. It can't always sit on my fat zone. LOL
If you are a sports parent you've probably heard or watched of a girl going down, either in practice or game, no contact and her knee blowing? Many times, it's because she's weak on that side from a tilted pelvis. He said it was quite popular among female athletes and many aren't even aware of the problem. They fix the knee and not the pelvis and many times injure the knee again. Scary really. We've been playing active sports for many many years in this family, and we've been blessed with minor injuries up to this point. I was thankful, but still, very frustrated that Summer was having to deal with this. I'm very thankful to know the cause of the bulging disc, I truly am. But to have this to deal with, while she plays, well, it's not always fun to worry. I'm sure those sports parents reading this, understand this concern. WE worry. We worry a lot.
The good news? He OK'd her to play and play often. To stay in shape and continue to build her core. YIPEE! He wanted her to work out with him for 6 weeks but with the distance that's just not possible. So, we searched for a trainer local. There are many good trainers here in the Lubbock area, don't get me wrong. But we couldn't find anyone that worked the way Dale Smith of PT2 did. He did a fellowship in in Sweden, I think? For a year learning and studying the core. He works with the Junior Olympic teams and several teams in the Dallas area, strengthening cores and working the body. He can asses her in seconds and get the pelvis back in place if needed. He doesn't mess around.
I'd love to get him in Lubbock once a week to work with Summer instead of us going there, but hello. We are small potatoes to all his clients in the Dallas area. But one thing I love about him, if we need him, he gets us in. Everytime. He cares about the athlete. He understands that they don't like NOT moving or participating. He works to get their entire body well and moving well together. I'm thankful we found him and Dr. Sterling.
So, all this explanation to say, Devin learned how to check Summer Zoe so we can stay on top of her back problem during her senior year and LAST year of playing. sniff sniff (don't even get me started...first she stops cheering and now I have basketball ending soon. UGH...I'll be a mess. Thank GOD there's athletes in this family in the Pirate Nation I can follow and obsess about after this year.) He puts her on the kitchen counter and puts his glasses on and goes through the motions. I'm not strong enough nor tall enough. It's interesting to watch, none the less.
First day of the last year. WOW! We are almost in empty nest territory. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I will have to date my hubby again. Seriously folks. But that wouldn't be so bad. We could use a date night or two.
I made Summer go outside and take pictures. LOVE THIS GIRL!!!
The cute t-shirt? Curtesy of Alyssa Jarvis. HELLO! Adorable. I think she has 3 senior shirts total so far? All cute and wearable. Our class ROCKS that way. LOL
The shot below was made this morning...girl is tired.
We had our first football game last night and Cooper lost to Idalou, (thank you very much Mr. Houchin.) She had a blast at the game, hanging with friends and cheering for our Pirates, but the first week is always hard. Sleep is good.
She will kill me later for posting this. LOL Come to think of it, she doesn't read my blog. hee hee
WOO HOO!!!!
She's super tired as well. So thankful to have them all home for the weekend. We are celebrating Kalyn's birthday tomorrow.
I'm blessed.
Very much so.
Love does,
Kristin