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Online now: 5 members: Papajoe56, Rjoe, TABLE SETTER 11, hotrods39, kcross; 143 anonymousDiscussion: Heartfelt thanks
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| Nov. 18, 2017 Mac33 20 posts | Heartfelt thanks I want to thank everyone involved in the tournament last weekend in Florida for their thoughts and prayers after I had taken a line drive to the face. I had been playing third for Sweet Construction and had jumped up for a crazy line drive off the bat of a very big 4 hitter. As i left my feet I remembered the ball ascending and then starting to knuckle as I struggled to get my glove in the right position. It struck the thumb area of my glove and deflected into my left eye. Friends on the sideline said it sounded like a hammer hitting a watermelon. When I rolled over I could tell my nose was broken and my left eye was a total white sheet of paper. I could see nothing at all except for white. Someone asked me how many fingers and I could not even see their hand. The EMT showed up and said I had obvious facial fractures and called for a helicopter. Although my face was killing me I did not feel pain above my eye except for a bad headache. The fear was that I was now blind. As the blood ran down my throat, I started feel sick and laid back down. I had originally volunteered to catch after I got hit as we were down to 10 players. lol I was quickly overruled on that. Anyway, the helicopter was tied up and they took me to a trauma center where I had a cat scan. Just a broken nose and a blind eye. The DR said the ball had hit me square in the eye causing my pupil to explode. Blood then got between the lenses of the eye and into the back of the eye. He explained that the pupil would never go back to normal as I laid there thinking of my three year old grandson wondering if I was ever going to play catch with him again. My coach came in and told me games had stopped and prayers were said individually and in groups during and after games. For this I am grateful and know it has helped me and will continue to help me. I went to the eye surgeon who said I probably will not get my full eyesight back but its too soon to tell. My pupil is gone and will be permanently open. Yes, I look like one of those crazy people with one open and one closed, lol I bought a great pair of sunglasses that keeps out the sun and I am struggling to see in the dark when there is a light on. My sight is terrible and I'm panicking now because my right eye has developed floaters where they have never been before. I have made appointments for top Drs and hope the sight comes back. I would like to say to all of you not wearing masks that I am now a believer. I will never play again without a mask if I ever get back on the field. I am an above average third basemen and I never thought I would get hit by a ball. Please go out and buy a mask and use it. Take it from me before its too late. The fields I thought were pretty poor with a ton of sand on them. So much so I was concerned about getting hit with the rock on a ground ball. If you got to hops in the sand it was going anywhere. Finding a smooth spot was next to impossible. I noticed this ball was exceptionally hot with many a ball being hit extra hard. I hit a few that I said OMG, thank god no one got in front of that. There seemed to be a lot of knuckling with the rock but IDK maybe it was me? Like I aid I have great reflexes but I'd have to see more of this ball to decide what I think of it. Bats are getting better, balls harder and theres something that a lot of guys fail to mention. **** GUys are in better shape than ever. I know myself at 603 240 that I work out all the time. The typical 60 year old man is not the typical fat guy from years ago. WE are bigger , faster and stronger. Something to think about. Lastly, I play in a clincher league back here in Jersey and thought I would hate it. I actually had a great tine and enjoyed fielding the ball again. I also played with wooden bats and hated that. Maybe a happy medium somewhere? IDK Anyway, Thanks again for the kind words and I hope to see you on the field again. Thanks Bill McNamara Billy Mac |
