Update

You may have noticed that I haven't blogged about basketball in awhile and I have a really good reason for it, there isn't a whole lot to talk about at the moment. On November 6 I rolled my ankle coming down from a lay up during a game against Le Puy. It was the worst pain I have ever felt on a basketball court and it caused me to miss the rest of the game and an additional 6 games.

During my absence, my team brought in a medical replacement for me while I took time to get healthy. The plan was for me to come back at full strength after the Christmas break. My ankle felt better day by day and I received a cortisone shot the week before I was about to leave for the United States.

I felt great after the shot and was very optimistic about my return to the court. I have been playing basketball every year for as long as I can remember and it was very hard to watch from the sidelines. My team had lost some games in my absence and I was eager to get back on the court and help the team. We have the goal of moving to Pro B and I want to be a part of it.

I used the Christmas break to kind of recharge my batteries physically and mentally because I knew it was full go when I returned to France. It was nice to get away from basketball and spend some time with my family. I could not take all of the time away from the court though because I wanted to return in good condition. During the break I went to the gym every day to get some conditioning in and to get some shots up. It was also good to test my ankle and see how it responded.

When I got back to Blois, the doctor told me that I was going to have some pain in my ankle but it would slowly go away. It felt great to be out running on the court and playing the game I love. I had a little bit of pain but I ignored it because the doctor had told me it was normal and because it felt so great to be out there again.

I was back playing basketball but I wasn't playing like I was before the injury. My ankle actually started to worsen the more I practiced and I wasn't playing like I was capable of. It was very frustrating and was in opposition to what the doctor had told me.

So, that brings me to today. It was impossible for me to continue playing with my ankle in this condition. In this situation I had to think of my career. I am still young, only 26, and I want to keep playing at least for another 2 years. I talked with several people and asked their advice. I had a meeting with the management and I told them that I wanted to see another doctor to figure out what the heck is going on in my ankle and I didn't want to continue playing with this particular problem.

It is very frustrating to be back on the sidelines but I know I made the right choice. It is just hard right now. I go to the weight room every day to keep my conditioning at a high level in anticipation to get back on the court. I also go watch practice every day. Watching practice is probably the hardest part. My teammates are great and I really enjoy playing with them but it isn't fun watching them from the sidelines.

On February 25 I have an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist in Paris. Hopefully I will get some answers and find out what the appropriate process is. Until then, I am just going crazy and waiting around.