Two and a half years ago, I tore my MCL, patella, and meniscus while dislocated my left kneecap. Disclaimer: this is not some heroic story of how I brought my team to a victory while I severely injured myself. This story is pretty embarrassing and unfortunate.

Scorching summer sun,

Beads of sweat roll down my face,

Energy is drained.

The Manhattan air feels thick and stuffy. Even though you are outside in the open space, you feel claustrophobic as ever. The minute I get home from my summer internship, I strip off the drenched, skintight clothing that had constricted my body to move freely and my pores to breathe all day.

Shower is ice cold,

My headache starts to subside,

And muscles unwind.

I dress myself, brush out my tangled, coffee brown hair. I gather up the slightest sum of energy I have remaining within me, pull out my yoga mat from under my bed, and commence my daily workout, which consists of stretches, squats, crunches and push-ups. I begin the routine; staring bleakly at the cheerful, toned blond woman on my iPhone screen yelling, “Let’s go! One more! You got this!” in efforts to encourage me not to give up.

Mimic her gestures,

Annoyed by her high pitched voice,

Counting down seconds.

Suddenly, I hear the dreading POP sound. My body involuntarily collapses to the ground. BOOM. I lay there frozen like an ice statue, although it is 98 degrees outside. I look down to the direction of the revolting clatter, and see my kneecap completely dislocated out of its socket, and twists to the opposite side of my leg. It was a perturbing image, straight out of those horror films where the disturbing creatures are deformed. I hear myself screeching for help. Ten seconds passed, and then twenty and thirty. The pain only gets sharper, a heavy dagger butchering itself through my scrawny left leg.

Fiery red cheeks,

Tears are streaming my face,

Blurring my vision.

Next thing I know, about 5 men are surrounding me asking me questions I cannot answer. I see their faded silhouettes, like shadows casted by a warm sunset and the shapes of their mouths moving, as I feel my world spinning, falling into a dark, mysterious hole. The only thing I can feel are the ligaments around my knee being ripped out of place like the lion biting off the flesh of his prey. And then, I feel nothing.