As we head into Wild Card weekend for the NFL, I thought of one of those weird sports analogies I’m going to make because that’s just how my brain operates. I’m going to compare myself to Jalen Hurts, the Eagles star quarterback and MVP candidate. I mean clearly we are similar right?
Hurts injured his shoulder against Chicago and sat out two games before returning last week in the season finale. The Eagles needed the win to secure first place and home field advantage for the playoffs. It was clear that Hurts was not himself. He didn’t run like usual and avoided contact. He was obviously still hurting. The offense was bland compared to what the Eagles usually run but they won the game and stayed healthy and that’s all that mattered.
So where’s the connection to me? Hurts may have been able to run the full offense and play like he has all season but he was obviously hurt still and it didn’t make sense to risk him getting injured further to do what he usually does. So the Eagles adjusted and changed the offense and game plan for that day and got by the Giants. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t the type of win we wanted heading into the playoffs but it was a win.
I returned to work in November. I wasn’t quite full strength either, close but not like I was before I went out on leave. After all I had been through with treatment and surgery it would make sense to take a less physically demanding role and ease back into work. While I wasn’t expecting a complete change of my job and title, I had to adjust to the new role which was designed to protect me and allow me to take time I needed to rest and deal with medical appointments instead of trying to go right back to what I was doing. While I wasn’t and still am not happy at the change I also understand it as it relates to my physical health. (Mentally is a whole different story but that’s what therapy is for right?)
It was necessary for Hurts to take it easy in his last game back so he can hopefully be close or closer to full strength for the playoffs. It makes sense for me to take it easy upon my return to work after nearly a year off and 16 rounds of chemo and a double mastectomy and having a baby. While it may not be the way I want to operate I didn’t have a choice and I’m sure I’ll eventually look back thankful for the less physically demanding and on site role.
I hope to eventually be able to return to my strength and conditioning role next fall when I’ll be further healed and hopefully done all surgeries related to reconstruction. Then I think I will feel more connected to the athletes and coaches as right now I have little to no connection which I really miss.
Sometimes we need to adjust and take it easy in order to get stronger and better. Sometimes we need to change what we do based on what we are going through. I made a lot of adjustments throughout my treatment and cancer battle and am still working on the adjustment to the new job. If I can think of it as a necessary change for my health that will help me in the long run may be I can feel better about the new role.
The Eagles adjustment in their play calling and in the play of Hurts is just temporary. My adjustment to my new job may take a lot longer than the change in the Eagles offense but hopefully it will come with time.
#breastcancerbattle #chemo #doublemastectomy #breastreconstruction #jobchange #wildcardweekend #jalenhurts #adjustments #pregnantwithcancer #eagles