For the LOVE of the game!

Alright - so about 2 1/2 weeks ago, I was asked to be on a co-ed indoor soccer team. I was way excited! I haven't played soccer in 8 years! I would love to play and get in shape - and STAY in shape. And why not have fun while doing it - (that really is the only way I like to excercise, anyway.)

So, I went out and bought new shoes, shin guards and socks - of course :) Was SO excited!

The big day came 11/03/07 and let me tell you folks - I was thinking to myself, "Why did I think that this would be fun?" I was so winded after about 3 minutes of playing. ICK. However, I did score - so then I decided that I was having more fun atleast. Towards the end of the game, this BIG dude (about 6'5" I would guess) and I got into it. We kept fighting over the ball - and he was stepping all over my feet.

My right toe hurt worse - so when I got home I took off my left shoe and sock first and it was totally blue. I thought, if this one didn't even hurt, I wonder what the other toe looks like. I took off that shoe and sock and it didn't look so bad - so I figure that my left toe was in shock and going numb, because seriously - didn't even know it was hurt.

This is what my toes looked like a day after the game:




I know, I know, it doesn't look so bad. It really wasn't that bad ... I just thought it was cool more than anything :) (I've always been a girl who likes to show off my wounds! Call me crazy!)

But, then a few days passed and my left toenail started bleeding and coming up. The blood underneath the nail drained so it was no longer blue anymore. I had been wearing open-toed shoes because tight shoes hurt way too much.

Well, a week passed - it was Saturday again 11/10/07 and we were having a double-header. I went to Sam's Club to get some things for us - and decided that I should try and wear tennis shoes and see how the closed toe feeling felt. IT HURT! I was limping, so it took like 2 1/2 hours to do the shopping because I was so slow. When I took off my shoes, my left toenail started coming up even more and it was bubbling underneath my nail -- from all the infection. I called my teammates and told them that I think it would be best if I waited another week to play because my toenails were falling off. About an hour passed, they called me back, said they couldn't find a sub for me, so if I could please come, to come. Of course, that made me feel awful, so I went and got the medical tape and did the best doctoring I could and went off to the game.

The first game it hurt a little - but as my endorphins got going, the pain wasn't so bad. We had about a 45 minute break in between games, so I re-taped and played again. And guess what? YES, I scored! That totally makes it worth it right? OF COURSE :) However, 8 minutes left in the game and ... you guessed it. I got hurt again - nope, not my toes ... the ball bounced hard off of the back wall and I went running to volley it. Of course, one of their defenders went to clear it as well. I made contact with the ball, he made contact with my inside ankle. So, the next few pictures will explain a little bit more:

My socks after the second game ... (my left one didn't bleed so much because it had already drained earlier in the week. It was my right one, the not as hurt one, that bled more)

And this, is my ankle about an hour after the game:

This is my ankle the next morning (but remember, I SCORED, so it was totally worth it kids :)

And this, well, this is the hood of my toe being popped open (viewer discretion advised):

Let's just hope that I can play next Saturday -we'll see. Until next time...