I play alot of tennis. It is my favorite pastime and I feel I am pretty good at it. MY USTA level is 4.0. The best part of my game is my serve. This is virtually the only physical exercise I get on a weekly basis.

Last September, I played mixed doubles one fateful night.  The next day, my wrist hurt.  I had to play again in the Sectional Playoffs, so I gobbled up Advil and wrapped the wrist in a brace.  That was painful, but tolerable.

Since the playoffs were over, I allowed my wrist to heal.  October…November…December.  Why wasn’t it healing?  I started to ask my doctors at Kaiser Permanente. The first doctor said it was a sprain and would take a few weeks.  The second doctor said it was a sprain and it could take a few months.  Then I got an xRAY and MRI.  The last doctor eliminated all other possibilities (like occult ganglions and torn ligaments).  he said it was a sprain and might take up to a year to heal.

How could such divergent healing schedules be told to me?  It seems like they were just randomly picking a date in the future and hoping I stop bothering them.

I tried to play again by taping up the wrist and using a brace.  Not only was my game terrible, but the pain lasted about a week. (My game dropped to roughly 3.0 level)  The last doctor said that if I push it, I could end up with a rupture and much more serious injury.

I am left in a quandary.  I can’t play and currently get no exercise.  The doctor has given me no course of action other than to stop playing.  I am using a gyro ball as a form of physical therapy. I have no idea when I should start playing.

If this continues, I am considering getting a ball machine and practicing lefty.  I wonder how long it would take me to get to 3.0 or 3.5 level as a lefty.

Growing old sucks.  Hair falls out.  You get fat. Your body started to fail.  Excema.  Ugh. Even if I heal, I likely will have to wear a wrist brace for the rest of my life.  Thanks Old Age.