I write from my admission bed, of the pain of my passion. Many in this world have different passions. Mine includes footballing. Even at my age, I still find football the easiest way to exercise.
About three months ago, I told my teammates in my club, Football For Fitness(FFF) a club for the 35yrs and above, I was retiring but few days a fter that, I still played at the NMA Lagos Zonal games.
The game simply gives me unquantifiable joy especially when playing on the field. It takes away all worries and anxiety.
As we all know, nothing lasts forever. I therefore decided to tail off playing which used to be every Wednesdays and Saturdays. Also, my tight schedule will not allow me to keep to all training sessions and for over two months, I had not kicked the football for once but my club organized a 2-leg competition among members to mark 2nd year anniversary of the demise of two of our members. This also afforded us the opportunity of presenting our support funds and materials to their wives and children.
I woke up 16th September 2023 to a heavy downpour in Lagos and decided I was not going to join in playing but will go there to watch my fellow club members play at the event.
I was presented with my jersey by the team captain as soon as I got to the field and was told I should warm up to play during the 2nd half. I accepted this without a second thought. Football surely has some spirit.
FFF club members were in two teams named after each of our fallen friends…Merije Team(from Chukwumerije) and Oscar Team. I was in Merije Team.
I had hardly played for 5 minutes when in an attempt to put a ball on the run after beating a much younger Ghanaian defender that I mistakenly stepped clumsily on the ball, twisting my right ankle joint which forced me to just sit on the spot.
Club mates thought I had feigned my not being able to walk until they came close to see the glaring disruption of my joint. Many offered on-the-spot manipulation but I refused but allowed ice pack application while calling my big friend and brother, an orthop consultant to expect my xray film. So, I moved straight to the famous Precise Diagnostic Centre at Fagba in Lagos.
I never knew sports injuries could be cupped so badly and yet so easily…..Fractured Distal Third of the Fibular with mild displacement; Post Traumatic Contusion and; Medial Subluxation of the Ankle joint. I was told ordinary manoeuvre will not give me the best outcome here. ORIF will be essential.
What with so much scheduled activities for the rest of this month and even the year. This week alone has the Lagos ANPMP AGM, National CME tomorrow, NIMSA Zonal AGM in Sagamu, meeting with BOI on Friday etc apart from my hospital duties. I have also put so much into preparations for the WORKSHOP on GROUP PRACTICE. I pray I will make it there. Thank God for several others already delegated.
Last night, I was attended to by a team of doctors for an ORIF procedure. An undeserved pain I got for my passion.
Kay A Adesola.
