One Month Down...

Hey guys, Sorry for the big gap between entries. It has been a tough first month. Especially being away from the guys while they are on the road. I have been staying here at home doing my physical therapy and basically living on the couch waiting for the game to start on TV.  It's a lot tougher watching the games on TV rather than being there in person. Being the competitor and teammate that I am, you can understand how I feel about not being able to be there. We have had a tough roadtrip, and the season really is coming down to the last few days, which is what everybody expected. But I have all the faith in our guys as well as the new guys that have been thrust into this playoff-style atmosphere with no major league experience. Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor have really stepped into a tough situation, but if I know the Braves' organization, I know they found quality guys that will help us put up some wins to help us grab a spot in the playoffs.    Today marks 40 days since my surgery. I was able to get my brace off at 30 days, which has been an awesome step in this journey. It was so bulky and I hated sticking out in a crowd just doing daily errands. I already have full range of motion and my arm is feeling pretty good. Even when you are 100% you feel about the little things, but when you're injured, some of the smallest things can sting. Opening doors, shaking somebody's hand, and high fiving in the dugout sometimes catch me off guard. Overall though, I am really happy with the progression so far.  When it comes to the physical therapy part, I drive 30 minutes up Peachtree Industrial Blvd to Gwinnett Medical Center and Sports Rehabilitation.  Lloyd (Atlanta Braves PT) works alongside Brian and Collin to help people recover from surgeries like mine as well as knee, hip, and other injuries everyday people experience. Every day that I show up, seeing autographed photos on the wall of athletes such as Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Mike Gonzalez, Octavio Dotel and many others gives me the confidence in knowing that this process works. SO many of those guys went through surgery and continued to have many unbelievable years afterwards.  I think being as young as I am really helps in this situation. Knowing how much work and effort it took to fulfill my dream of playing major league baseball helps me realize the kind of work that I will need to put into this rehabilitation. But the people I have in my corner will make me that much stronger through the recovery process. I think at 4 months, once i get a baseball in my hand, it will help speed up the process and help me see the light at the end of the tunnel.  In the meantime, I need to stay positive and try to help the team in any way that I can.  Looks like my cheerleading career has reached an all-time high!  Thanks for all of the support and I appreciate your comments on my last blog entry. It makes me feel good knowing that I have people who understand the difficult situation I am in.