Kenney - DOWN BUT NOT OUT !

Hello to all everyone who has stopped in today. This morning I am writing about a relative.  Ken is my nephew and had an incident last year that I think makes him a real inspiration story. Like many high school boys, Ken LOVES football. His junior year in high school he was injured,  he fractured his tibia late in his junior year. In most cases, no real big thing, cast it, let it heal and go on.  In fact, I have broken my right tibia twice.  With Ken that wasn't quite the case, he developed what is known as "compartment syndrome."  According to the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, "compartment syndrome" is a serious condition that involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment due to swelling. It can lead to muscle and nerve damage and problems with blood flow.  Surgery is needed during which long surgical cuts are made through the fascia to relieve the pressure. The wounds can be left open (covered with a sterile dressing) and closed during a second surgery, usually 48 - 72 hours later. Skin grafts may be needed to close the wound. To make matters worse, he developed an infection in the wound which prolonged treatment. It looked to all of us that his high school football days had ended early, BUT it didn't look like that to Ken. As soon as he was able he began to work to strengthen the leg and rebuild the muscle. Over the next months he had several surgeries, skin grafts and extensive rehab.  In a quote from the Sun Chronicle  Mansfield coach Mike Redding said  "He never complained, just worked hard every day and never missed a practice."    Ken did play football last year and even made the final play that helped his team win the MIAA Division 2 Super Bowl.  He was selected for the 25th Annual Courageous Player Award by the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association this past April. When bad things happen, and they will, we can let them defeat us and take away our dreams or we can take inspiration from people such as Ken and work even harder to achieve them.  Way to go nephew...I am VERY PROUD!