I’ve been to New York twice in my life, and neither trips were quite as we expected. For a little background, my sister and I were both very avid gymnasts growing up, and with practicing 40 hours a week and the stunts that we were doing comes injuries. She had hurt her elbow a couple of years prior and had been hunting for a doctor to give her a proper diagnosis, so that it could be treated properly and heal. My poor mother had taken her all over Roanoke and anywhere close to see if they could, but they all failed. She finally caved and booked an appointment with the Yankee’s doctor in New York, and I was getting an excuse to go to New York City with them.

The literal day before we had our flight, I broke my ankle in practice. We had set up the vault in front of the big foam pit but forgotten to pull the mat up to the vault. I was the first one to vault, which meant that I was the unlucky one that figured out our error. Apparently, it’s possible to break your ankle if you are planning on landing on a mat but land in a foam pit. I sat through the rest of the practice with ice on and off my foot. Probably the worst injury story, but it was confirmed broken after we went to the urgent care for x-rays. Not only were we going to see what was wrong with my sister’s elbow, but I was on crutches for the entirety of the trip. My mom rented a wheelchair for me because she didn’t want me to have to crutch around the city while we were walking. Being in a wheelchair brought attention to me, so we got to be on The Today Show, and I got to just sit and be pushed around the city. We also kept confusing the nurses and doctors when they would take my sister back for x-rays and not the person on crutches. Unfortunately, that doctor did not know what was wrong with my sister’s elbow, so their journey continued.

After my mother and sister finally got a diagnosis from a doctor in Texas, they realized that she needed surgery. The Texas doctor was having his own back surgery, so he recommended them to go back to the New York doctor. It was a problem with her nerves that is very rare for children to have, but not so uncommon in gymnasts because of specific movements that we have to do. So, we booked another trip back to New York City, but I did not have a broken ankle this time around. We also didn’t tour as much as the first time because of her surgery, so it wasn’t quite as fun for me. Her surgery went very well, and we went straight home. As grateful as I am that I was able to go, it would be really nice to go again and get the full experience of walking around New York City.