It was all fun in games during athletics until the game took a turn. As she was running, her adrenaline had her heart racing; she couldn’t stop herself.

It was all fun in games during athletics until the game took a turn. As she was running her adrenaline could not slow down; she couldn’t stop herself.

Little did sophomore Kenzie Ryder know that crashing into the wall during a race in athletics  would be the craziest experience in her life. She began to feel faint and was in pain.

“It was all such a fuzz,” Ryder said. “I just remember my head throbbing and my mom coming to get me from school.”

She immediately went to the hospital and spent hours for the doctor’s diagnosis. She was told she had a concussion; the basic symptoms including a headache and nausea.

“My mom was so impatient for the doctor’s response,” Ryder said. “When I was told I had a concussion, I wasn’t that worried because I had one before.”

However the small headaches that were involved in her concussion progressed into major headaches.

“As the days passed I kept telling my mom that my head felt worse than before,” Ryder said. “It was like a knife started to jab my head fiercely.”

She had to visit the hospital again for another diagnosis. The doctor was unsure of what she had; but knew it was more than a headache including sinus issues and eye issues.

“I began to take multiple medications and pills,” Ryder said. “My head began to feel better.”

She had three surgeries a year later: one called septoplasty, which cleared her sinus issues. She also visits her neurologist every four weeks for check ups. Ryder is still going through a recovery and is now able to participate in some activities.

“It’s been a crazy long ride,” Ryder said. “I’m glad I’m allowed to get back to doing the things I love.”