Every Down Counts: Keep Moving the Chains

People say that football is a game of inches. Well, living with POTS is a lot like that. In football, a team's offense makes their way down the field to the end zone by accumulating "first downs" (10 yards). An offense has four attempts to move the ball 10 yards  and get the first down, upon which they are rewarded with a fresh set of downs. Many times, first downs are accumulated by the team's running back plowing his way through a wall of defenders. He often gains a few yards at a time until he finally reaches the first down. While I don't think there's anything more beautiful than a perfect spiral thrown deep down the field, my favorite plays are the ones that are the hardest fought. Those are the plays that I relate to the most.

First Downs with POTS

Living with chronic illness has taught me that every down counts. When you wake up dizzy, nauseous, or too exhausted to move, you quickly learn that progress doesn't have to be pretty or a major accomplishment to matter. Some days, my first down looks like getting through a day without fainting. Other days, I move the chains forward by showering, talking on the phone to a friend, or even writing a post for this blog. Progress doesn't always look like a touchdown dance in the end zone. Sometimes, it's down and dirty - hard-fought and messy. It’s moving the chains a few yards at a time in order to reach that first down maker. When I watch the Niners on a final drive down the field against a difficult opponent to score the winning touchdown, I think about my own fight. Because I know what it's like to push through when your body is ready to bench you. I know what it's like to fumble in the end zone. But I also know the joy and excitement of reaching that first down when everything in you said you couldn't.

Inch by Inch

The 49ers have taught me that you don't have to cross the goal line every play. You just have to do your best to keep moving the chains. Inch by inch. Down by down. Breath by breath. Because those little wins? They add up. And maybe they will lead you to doing a touchdown dance in the end zone. But in the meantime, don't forget to celebrate those first downs because they matter.

Stay salty. Stay strong, And keep moving the chains!