Lauren Christ

Hi everyone! My name is Lauren Christ and I’m going to be a junior at DeSales University. Ever since I was 7 years old, I fell in love with basketball. After my first practice, I was hooked and never looked back. Being on the DeSales women’s basketball team has become one of the best decisions I have ever made. October 30th, 2018 became a day that made me question my love for basketball and my commitment to the sport. I dislocated my shoulder during a practice. Due to the severity, they took me to the hospital to have it evaluated and put back in place. Any athlete’s worst fear is an injury. You think you can push through the pain and continue; which was my ultimate mistake. I got right back into it, practicing every day and ended up dislocating my shoulder over ten more times. My arm was sore beyond belief and it took everything in me to continue on. Emotionally, I was drained because I wasn’t the player I used to be. I knew deep down that maybe I should listen to my body, but who wants to be sidelined? No one. 

The final straw came right after we got back to school on December 26th. At practice, I was hit in the air and went to stop myself before hitting the floor. Since I stuck my arms out, I felt my shoulder, not only dislocate, but rip. That ripping, followed by immense pain was my labrum tearing within my arm. I came home from college on May 11th, and got surgery on May 15th of this year. The recovery process and taught me a lot about myself. Losing your dominate arm for a couple months isn’t easy, and it has taken a lot of adjusting. Physical therapy has been the saving grace. Already I have so much range of motion and the ability to use my arm freely. There is still so much to be done but I am hopeful about the upcoming months!

Reading other stories on Stronger Scars has helped me to not feel alone during the process. Everything gets better and everyone has scars that have shaped who they are. Mine are just four located on my right shoulder!