The events of that particular winter day eventually played a role in shaping me as a person. It was this incident and subsequent rehabilitation that helped me develop several of my best characteristics including commitment, responsibility, and perseverance. In my naive thinking, surgery was an athletic badge of honor to be displayed on one's knees with corrugated streaks of purplish flesh. Little did I realize what it takes to recover. My father had orthoscopic surgery twice, and both times he was walking within a day and cycling within a week. I assumed my recovery time would be similar to his. N

Finally, the day arrived to determine if I had gained back my muscle strength.

ever in my life have I been so wrong. Due to the nature of the injury, the doctor elected to stitch my cartilage back together. Because of the intricacy of the operation, I was restricted to non-weight bearing activities for three weeks. If I wished to return to wrestling, the doctor stated that I would have to demonstrate a muscle strength in my injured knee equal to ninety percent of my good one. When informed of this requirement, I could barely bend my leg twenty degrees nor use it to lift a ten-pound weight.

90." He congratulated me and emphasized that it was hard work and determination that had helped earn my score. Exactly eight weeks after surgery, I returned to practice and went on to complete the 1994 wrestling season.

Today the qualities of commitment, responsibility, and perseverance remain with me. It was continued commitment to the Boy Scouts of America that allowed me to earn the award of Eagle Scout in December, 1996. It was responsibility that enabled me to balance my extracurricular act

Some common words found in the essay are:
, Cybex II, Scout December, Marymount University, Scouts America, eight weeks, 1994 wrestling season, commitment responsibility perseverance, commitment responsibility, muscle strength, responsibility perseverance, wrestling season, 1994 wrestling, knee surgery,
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Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)