When I interviewed for medical school at Cornell where I eventually matriculated, I interviewed with Lloyd Gayle MD a prominent plastic surgeon. At the time I knew I wanted to do some form of surgery but wasn’t committed to any one field. He mentioned that as an ex-football player I’d likely fit right in to orthopedics.
I was humbled at that time that he thought of me as anything more than a guy in a cheap suit, but as it turns out I guess he was right. It seems we often gravitate to the fields that impact us the most.
While I was lucky enough to evade major injury in my football playing days, I wonder if subconsciously that one bad hit didn’t at least partly influence my decision to pursue surgery.
I remember it well. I was a freshman in college and holding a dummy bag during special teams drills and took a hit which reverberates to this day. It never took me out of play but I now know that I likely hurt my labrum on that day.
Not exactly a glorious feat. It would have been much cooler to say I got hurt while leading the team to victory in some important game. Instead, it was acting as a freshman blocking dummy. Oh well. That’s life.
I finished off my career and never needed surgery, but the old shoulder still flares on me enough to tell me what “night pain” feel like.
So that is one reason why I care about the ASESF. The ASEF is funding the best and brightest in the work to help people like me who have had shoulder pain. And I know from my experience as a shoulder and elbow surgeon that the ASESF is helping millions of patients daily who live with shoulder or elbow pain. Maybe you are one of them.
So come join us on May 17, 2024 at the Darwin Martin House. Help us raise money and awareness as we “Build the Foundation of Shoulder and Elbow Research and Education.” It’s going to be a wonderful event with great food, great people, a live auction and a beautiful venue.
Sign up today.