Well I am a couple of days late marking the anniversary of my dream staring me in the face but injury suddenly halted that dream. I apologize I just don't keep track of days here all I know is that I go home in 33 days!! Anyways, today I had a long walk this afternoon to the store and sat down on a bench and just stared into the mountains and said to myself, "Damn, I've come a long way". I then started reminissing on my journey and this is how it began...
March 30, 2007
First day of WNBA Pre-Draft Camp: I am excited as ever. Ready to prove myself and show what I can do. My story to glory wasn't like a majority of the other top 50 players. I wasn't an all american, I didn't start for 4 years, shoot i didn't even average double figures until my senior year! I mean I played with 2 WNBA players, my sisters, LaToya Bond and Christelle N'Garsanet who were a year ahead of me. I didn't have to score I had to lock down defensively and thats exactly what I did that was my claim to fame...6 foot 3 and could defend every single position on the floor. My senior year my role changed, I switched from playing Small Forward to Center and I went to work. Putting up great numbers against All-Americans, top teams I was ready that day to prove to those GM's that I was legit. I was in tip top shape, I was shooting well, my nick nack injuries from the season disappeared I was ready to raise my stock from a 3rd round pick to a late 1st round.
Get to the gym go through warm-ups I'm a little nervous but I'm about to put it all out here. Split up into teams, do Auborn Shooting and a little 3 on 2 drill, then a 3 on 3 drill. I'm doing pretty good at this point. Now time for 2 on 2 and I'm in the first group. I'm on defense I'm good lets go! Now we are playing on one side of the court but the girl was not paying attention and went to the other side, so I'm off balanced, I catch up to a half a step behind her, I jump off one leg. Knee buckles immediately as I jump I come down twist and the pain of my bones crashing together. I immediately start crying...I limp through the drill and walked to the side. I already knew my knee was done (afterall I blew my other knee out in 2000). Initial tests said I was cool I got taped up and tried again but I couldn't. Went to the hospital and got my MRI...results...torn ACL and MCL. My heart dropped. I'm here living my dream 3 days from being drafted. All I ever wanted to be was a professional basketball player sense I was a little girl. Gone right before my eyes.
May 15
I waited until after my graduation to get surgery. I went under the knife. I had to go through hell once again but I had fight left in me. Beginning stages of rehab is always the worst. I went through excruciating pain everyday trying to get my range of motion back. For some reason this go round I just couldn't straighten my leg...at all. They tried everything even strapping my knee to the bed. You talking about the pain I went through man, I can't even put it into words. But I had enough motion to go back to Mizzou who offered to help me with rehabilitation. Months passed and I still wasn't making any progress. Still on a crutch, no full range of motion and I'm in rehab everyday for 2 to 3 hours plus working at my apartment. Nothing. That was when I wanted to quit. They said if I don't have full range of motion then I will never be the same. No progress other ACL rehabbers who had surgery around the same time as me are running on the treadmill, actually doing sports related things and here I am can't walk. I am probably at my lowest point. My life in general was in shambles not just my knee so it was just a tough time in general. But eventually they put me on the court. I couldn't run it was too painful. By october I was running...not fast but at least I was moving and that's when I saw progress. I got better and better and by December I was back practicing with the Mizzou girls. I told my agent lets make this happen. He set me up with a personal trainer in Florida to get me in shape to send me overseas. I worked hard got in shape now I had to show I was back by playing in an exhibition game against Rutgers University. That game against Rutgers exposed me. I was scared, tentative, and gimpy. They attacked my knee and took advantage. My agent was like "Tish you not there yet" Killed me but it was true I wasn't ready. So here I am 7 months post-op and I aint nowhere near elite status like I used to be. So my overseas goals where put on hold and I went back to rehab. 3 more months of rehab was hard. 10 months in total!! Finally, I was where I needed to be.
Now I'm sitting on a park bench like man, look at me. Look where I am at. Look what I have accomplished. You know what I still to this day can't straighten my leg all the way but dammit you are not beating me up and down the court my speed is there, my agility is there. I admit though laterally I am not so good and I will go back to rehab this summer and work that out. But, through it all I made it, I overcame the odds, and as many times as it looked like I was working so hard and saw no progress and wanted to give up. Something in me wouldnt let me. My mind would wonder off and say "Tish look at you, you are getting nowhere just quit" but my heart said "No" and I stayed in the fight.
So its days like this where I sit back and say Thank You Lord. The goodness of God brought me out. Thank you Lord for not letting me give up. Thank you Lord for these gifts that you have blessed me with. The talents that you gave me and only me. Gifts to share with the world and look where you sent me...Spain. You have truly been there for me every step of the way and when I wanted to give up on myself you never gave up on me and I thank you.
Through all the struggles, the pain, sorrow, the hurt I picked myself up and I'm right back doing what I love to do. I was born to do this. I am destined for greatness and I know with God on my side that I can accomplish my goals.
This is my testimony.
