Wandering Back Onto The Track

Hello, Derby Lovers…

It has been a pathetically long time since I updated, and for that I hang my head in shame. While the initial purpose of the blog was to document the trials and tribulations of learning to become a Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Referee, I would be lying if I said I had nothing to write about once I got rolling.

Roc City Roller Derby, after being accepted as full members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), decided to extend the Travel Season from Fall of 2011 through the summer of 2012; so that we could participate in the required number of sanctioned bouts to earn quarterly rankings through Q4. That provided for a lot of travel, a lot of practice, a lot of networking, and no little bit of stress, frustration, and exhaustion. There was, however, a great deal of Derby Love and camaraderie, and I fell in love with stripes and 8 wheels.

I skated a few travel bouts as Inside Pack Ref, but more importantly… in October I skated my first bout as Jammer Ref; and damn if I didn’t do a pretty decent job for my first time out. This was also a very significant event for me because I would end up being off-skates because of elective surgery.

Twelve weeks ago today I underwent a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy to treat fibroids. Fibroids are tissue masses that develop on and around the uterine walls. I had many, and they were large. They were the root of my anemic condition, they were causing discomfort, and left untreated they would cause issues with my kidneys and/or bladder.

Total Abdominal means a horizontal slice across my lower abdomen of approximately 16.5 cm. I was out of work for 4 weeks. Here’s the kicker: I was back on skates, per my surgeon’s volunteered OK, at 8 weeks. I’m back to referee practices on Tuesday nights, and I’ve scrimmaged for the last 3 Thursdays; 2 times as OPR and last night as IPR.

I won’t lie, it hasn’t been easy. I occasionally experience those “time to slow down a little bit there, kiddo” pains… though are less frequent and less intense. I have to rebuild my endurance and my flexibility… and add in the adoption of a new Rules Set and yeah… I’ve become a little gun shy. I get frustrated at having difficulty with things that were easy peasy 6 months ago… and I have to constantly remind myself that I had major invasive surgery 3 months ago and I’m already back on skates and pulling my weight around the track.

I’m grateful to my league, and my fellow 19^th Wardens, and my friends and family who have been so supportive with anything from bringing me food and keeping me company to driving me around to sending me care packages to loaning me material to prepare for surgery to even just a phone call, text, or email to say “hi, thinking about you and wanting you better soonest.”  And I’m grateful for the sport of Flat Track Roller Derby for giving me a reason to heal swiftly and completely… to get better and get stronger so that I can get back into it. I’m grateful to be a Derby Referee.

pic courtesy of pixel8

[show my poor little blog some lovin'. Leave a comment, even if it's to just say hi :)]