Sad News for Us

I usually have smiles in the title of my posts….. because I always have a lot to smile about….

…but today I feel like calling my post “Grammy’s tears” instead of Grammy’s Smiles”

Those of you who follow my blog know that our grandson, Johnny, is on the USA National Men’s Gymnastic team. At Nationals in May he came in 2nd in his age group on P-bars and 9th in the nation overall.

Doing so well at Nationals qualified him to move on to the P&G Championships this August to compete to be on the National team again.  He has loved being on the National team and representing our country at international competitions.  He looked forward with great anticipation to being on the team for the 3rd year.

However that is a dream that is not to be accomplished.

His shoulder has been hurting since before Nationals. The Olympic doctors iced it,  sent him to therapy and did all of the usual things to help it feel better….. but it just kept getting worse.

While he was training at the Olympic center in Colorado last week, the doctors looked at a new MRI and found that not only is there a tear in his rotator cuff muscle, but also the labrum (cartilage in the shoulder).  Both injuries require surgery which will put him out of action for 3 months or so.  Johnny wants to be on the National team so badly that he was willing to go ahead and compete at P&G with pain meds and a cortisone shot. The Olympic doctors considered it but ended up saying for his own health and future  he should not compete this year.    We all agree with them but it makes us so sad.

You can’t even begin to imagine all the work and effort Johnny has put into this goal. This injury right before qualifications is devastating.

  However, he got a very nice letter from the Olympic committee telling him that they know this is a “hard blow” but “it is only a bump in the road”. They said that they consider Johnny to be “the whole package” and look forward to him representing our country internationally again when he is healed. That made Johnny and all of us feel better but we are still sad about him being out this year. But….

…if he wasn’t disqualified because of his torn rotator cuff and labrum… he would be out now because of his foot. He was working on the pommel horse last night (the doctor said it was OK for him to keep training….just not to do things that hurt his shoulder)  He turned his ankle on the landing and tore 2 ligaments and has a possible fracture in his ankle.

I went to the doctor with him. The doctor said the good news is that by the time he has recovered from the shoulder surgery, his ankle will be healed…. In the doctor’s words….”This will just be a bad memory”.

So…. Johnny will not be on the National Team this year. Tears have been shed…. but there are also smiles. I am glad that the Olympic doctors are seeing that he gets the best of care. I am glad that he is expected to fully recover.  I am glad that this sweet boy has faith and such a good attitude in spite of the disappointment.

There is much to be thankful about…. so I’ve got to dry these tears and start smiling…. and I will.

Hugs, Grammy Lura