Chapter 327 Christmas Gift
The blue waves are rippling, the water is gurgling, and the golden sunshine in the winter in Kansas City shines sparsely and mottledly through the treetops on the water of the indoor swimming pool.
A strong and slender figure marched straight along the swimming lane. If you look closely, you can notice that he mainly relied on his upper limbs to paddle, and his legs did not exert any force, just tapping lightly to use force.
The speed is not fast, even slow, but he still remains focused and strokes meticulously and seriously, as if he is using every muscle in his body to feel the details of exerting force, and his soul is completely integrated with the water.
On the shore, a man wearing a dark blue hospital rehabilitation uniform followed along the swimming lane. He remained focused and observed carefully, but did not speak to break the silence. Only the sound of paddling quietly filled the air.
This is rehabilitation -
dull. Long. slow.
Until the end of this rehabilitation process, Eric Berry stopped at the end of the swimming lane, jumped out of the water with his hands on the ground, sat on the shore, wiped the water stains off his face, and let out a long breath.
The man from the shore came over and said, "Eric, you are in good condition today. I think we can start trying some ground activities tomorrow."
Barry's eyes lit up and he raised his head suddenly, "Really?"
It has been three months since the season-ending Achilles tendon rupture, and Berry has been rehabbing, staying patient and calm and following the steps.
Although he never showed it, there was no doubt that recovery was torture.
Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't; progress is not made every day, and occasionally it may worsen and regress; I obviously have been following the doctor's instructions for treatment, but I don't always get positive feedback.
Not only is it boring and long, but it is also difficult and difficult.
Berry thought about giving up more than once, but in the end he was still unwilling to do so——
He wants to fight again, he wants to stand on the field and fight again.
However, it's not easy.
"Hold on" and "Come on", the words are light and weightless; but actually putting them into action is torture and struggle every second.
There are no shortcuts other than gritting your teeth and persevering.
To this day, Berry has been doing aquatic rehabilitation exercises to avoid putting too much stress on his ankle, and now he’s finally hearing the good news.
The man smiled and said, "Calm down, Eric, calm down, we need to be patient, remember?"
Berry waved his hand, "Yes, yes, I know that if we act too hastily, it may be counterproductive, and all previous efforts may be in vain. But, James, the playoffs are already in front of us, in two weeks."
James-White, a professional physical therapist, is responsible for Berry's rehabilitation work. He observes Berry's condition closely and adjusts the plan in real time every day to ensure that Berry's body can keep up with the situation.
White doesn't mind either, "It's good that you know, you have done well so far, and I hope we can go smoothly in the future. I will accompany you until you return to the game, and try to catch the playoff bus as much as possible." "
Berry let out a long breath and sat quietly beside the swimming pool for a moment. He couldn't help but burst out laughing, and his mood couldn't help but rise——
finally.
Although it is not a return to the game, it has finally taken the most important step.
"Thank you, James." Berry looked up at White again, "This is the best Christmas gift. Thank you for still accompanying me on Christmas."
White's face was full of seriousness, "It doesn't matter, the overtime charge for Christmas is doubled. You don't have to worry, my children know that I am making money for their toys."
"Haha." Berry laughed heartily, "Then it seems I should speed up a bit to avoid delaying you from going home to play with your child's new toys."
Today, December 25th, is Christmas.
However, professional competitions still continue.
In fact, because today happens to be Sunday, the league has arranged a "Christmas Game."
Last night, Saturday, there was originally no night game, but in keeping with the holiday atmosphere, the league arranged a traditional Christmas Eve game. The traditional matchup in the American League East came on stage, with the New England Patriots facing off against the Buffalo Bills. Today, Sunday, from morning to afternoon, you can choose from a series of focus games. Fans can watch the games at home with their family and friends, and there will be night games in the evening to end Christmas——
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Oakland Raiders.
When fans and audiences reunite with their families, professional events still cannot stop. Players need to go on stage to fight and add a dazzling scenery to Christmas.
Players like Berry who are reimbursed for the season due to injuries are no exception. They still need to rehabilitate, still need to fight injuries, and still need to work hard to return to the game, even if they miss a day.
With White's help, Berry returned to the locker room. After changing clothes, he was finally ready to leave the hospital and go home to spend Christmas. However, he found that the hall was bustling and full of people.
In the hospital, there are also a large number of patients, medical staff and patients' family members who cannot go home and still need to stay here even on holidays.
This is obviously not an easy task.
But this does not mean that they cannot temporarily put aside the pain of the disease and enjoy the festive atmosphere for a brief moment, wearing red jerseys and red hats, as if Santa Claus is visiting in person to bring laughter.
On the TV screen, the game between the Kansas Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins was being broadcast live. The vast red flames spread from Arrowhead Stadium to the corners of the hospital lobby.
There is no doubt that nothing in Kansas can be more exciting than a Chiefs game.
Involuntarily, Berry also stopped——
"...Stepping back, Smith is reading the defense looking for a target to pass the ball to."
"Pass... oh no, fake pass run, football in Levi's hands."
"dolphin!"
"Beautiful, Levi successfully deflected the first wave of interceptions from the defensive front with a sudden stop and turn. Dolphins linebacker Hewitt accurately seized the opportunity."
"Grapple!"
"God! Levi, Levi! Levi!"
"Levi made a difficult turn and change of direction, like a tango, and staggered the tackle against Hewitt's back. This was a disaster for Hewitt. The Dolphins' line has been destroyed by injuries this season. The WHO continues to fall."
"Levi shook off the grapple, and the advancement continues!"
"Five yards!"
"Double attack! The Dolphins' red zone defense finally showed the intensity it deserves, but!"
"Levi, wait, how did Levi do it? Is this a Marseille slalom? Wait, Levi used a passing move in a football game to get rid of the tackle for the second time in a row and switch forward again. ”
"God!"
"End zone, touchdown!"
"Twelve yards of ground running for a touchdown! Levi, the Kansas Chiefs' No. 23 rookie once again led the way for the team and scored the first touchdown of the game!"
"Wow, I mean..."
"Uh, wait, Levi stood in the end zone and lifted up his jersey. Inside was a white sweatshirt with the words -"
Berry was stunned for a moment. He saw a completely unexpected message in an unexpected situation. It came from Levi, and it was clearly written under the jersey:
Hey Eric, we're here.
Without warning, Barry's eye sockets were hit hard by a wave of warmth.
(End of chapter)