Concussion

My head was thumping. I felt like someone was stabbing my skull over and over and over again. I though to myself maybe I should just end this. I can't live with this pain anymore. Luckily I had nothing to end it with. This is my story. It was a hot summer day. The first practice of the day and I was feeling great. I'm 18, a senior at Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream and I was a center on the varsity football team. During our two minute drill, I fell backwards and hit my head very hard on the ground and when I went to sit back up another player fell over kneed me in the side of the head. I suffered a concussion from it. It wasn't to serious at the time. But I also had the mentality at the time to miss as little amount of time as possible. So I rushed back and lied a few to times to get back out there before our first game. So the first game rolls around and I don't get the start because I missed a decent amount of time and I wasn't prepared to play yet. The game ended up being a blowout and I played all of the 4th quarter. One play I remember falling and hitting my head pretty hard but not feeling anything when it happened. Later that night before going to sleep I had a pretty bad headache but thought nothing of it because I usually got pretty bad headaches after games. That night I had experienced the worst headaches I have ever experienced in my life. It felt like someone stabbing your head repeatedly over and over again. I was diagnosed with another concussion and due to it had to miss the rest of my senior season. The headaches weren't even the worst part of it. My memory was awful. I found myself asking questions that I had already asked a few minutes before because I would just forget. My mood would change in a second. And I was depressed all the time. It also didn't help because my grades plummeted during this time which caused even more stress. One night I was in so much pain and so depressed that I just thought killing my self would be the best way to solve everything. I wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Luckily, I had nothing around me to do that. To this day I struggle with my memory and headaches. Some people say I made it all up because I wasn't going to get the starting job and I was embarrassed because I already told a division three school I'd play for them the next season. I will never play a down of football the rest of my life because of this. So piss off. I want athletes to learn something from this. If you have a headache from a hit GET OUT! Nobody cares how tough you are. Look where it got me. I can't remember a damn thing anymore. Save the tough guy card and see a doctor. It could save your life.