July 9, 2003

    Finally, some news to fill people in on what has been going on. Sorry it has taken this long, but now I guess some things need to be cleared up... lol!! Where to begin? Let's start with pre-Championships...

    At the Classics in San Antonio I was feeling good, however my hamstring was bugging me in a slightly different place, but not to a point of inhibiting my workouts. I took advantage of the medical staff there to have it treated and looked at. It was suggested to me to start taking magnesium and drink more water to help the muscle tissues in my hamstring. So, of course, as soon as I went home I asked my mom to buy some magnesium supplements and I started downing the water... hehe. The bottle said to take one pill three times a day, so I did. So for two weeks I was doing that and by the time I got to Championships my hamstring was feeling great, actually nothing was really bothering me, except for the fact I couldn't make it through my sets on the events. Literally, on Tuesday, I had to tell Tatiana that I just couldn't do a floor routine, I was going to hurt myself if I tried because the energy, endurance, and strength just was not there. So I did what I could, and after workout we talked with the docs there. Why was I feeling so fatigued? Why was my body not responding to what I needed it to do (tumble, punch, get through routines)? It turns out I was almost poisoning my system with the magnesium, overdosing on them (not consciously). And then it all made sense... since Classics my energy level was just plummeting. My workouts were getting harder and harder, and it was so frustrating because I knew I could do everything - it just wasn't happening. So I immediately stopped taking the pills and within 24 hours I was back to my usual self. The only drawback that this brief little setback had was that I wasn't able to train like I would have wanted and so my tumbling wasn't as powerful and towards the end of my beam routine I was really feeling the lack of endurance, so the dismount was not performed as well as I am capable of doing.

    But with that behind me, I had such a blast at Championships!!! OMG it was so awesome to be out there again doing all four events, and the bonus was hitting them all!!!! Eight for eight, eight for eight, that is what I kept saying to myself, in disbelief after the competition. Ok, and the double bonus was becoming the National bars champion again! I was kind of nervous going into the competition but Tatiana helped me and told me to just do what I can do and then the outcome is out of my control. So I had to start changing my thinking, and I decided just to have fun out there and make it so people could say that Katie Heenan has come back! WOW I did have a lot of fun and I think I was able to show people that I was coming back! Low and behold I made it to the selection camp, and even though I knew making the World team was a slim chance for me, Pan Ams wasn't so slim and I couldn't wait to be out in the international scene once again.

    When I say no rest for the weary, you better believe it! We got right back to business as soon as we returned, in order to get ready for selection camp. Training was going real, real well! I was feeling so confident and so ready to prove myself again. And so two weeks later I found myself in good old Texas on Bela's ranch. And the workouts began, first with physical abilities testing, which I received best cast handstand... lol and then routines. The landings there are little hard, especially on vault, and my left ankle started bugging me a little. So I iced it and figured, like any other little nagging thing, it was just going to bug me a bit but I could handle it and I wasn't going to let it affect my training and preparation. Well, it kept bugging me, and I am saying it must have been because Tabitha and Tasha convinced me to stick it in an ice bucket with them... let me inform you that I detest putting any part of my body in the ice bucket lol... so very, very cold and uncomfortable. But I did it because if it was going to help, it was well worth it. It kept getting worse, and now that I can look back I probably should have been listening to my pain a little more, but I was trying not to make a big deal of it. The morning practice before the first day of competition I decided to try tape. It helped but now I was having pain just when I was walking around. So, for the competition I had it taped tighter and more securely and I was ready, unfortunately I had the lingering thought in the back of my mind about how long I could tolerate the pain. Bar warm-ups were first and went well. Then to beam, which was actually going real well until the dismount. My foot now was aggravated and I didn't get the punch I needed which made my rotation short and I landed on my nose, ankles crunched. OUCH! Once I started walking after that I knew something was up...I couldn't walk, I had to limp. So now millions of thoughts started developing. "Its not that bad, it's going to go away, just walk it out." "Just wait a little before saying anything to anyone because you don't want to make a big deal if it isn't that bad." And then other thoughts, "Why can't I walk?" "Why me, why now?" "How am I going to warm up floor, vault, how am I going to compete?" So I decided it wasn't that bad and I had to warm up floor... I couldn't, I tried again, but I couldn't. So I stood to the side and watched my squad continue to warm-up, praying to God that this will pass and maybe by vault it will feel good enough to compete. I wasn't about to just give up now... I was so ready for this!! So we moved to vault but I still couldn't walk, again standing to the back. Now I was praying for a miracle, I could not be out again, this was my time. Kathy came walking over, I thank God now, and wanted to know how bad it was. I didn't have an answer because I knew how bad it was but I wasn't going to except that yet. She brought me ice and decided I would wait till one touch until it hurt so bad to even put the ice on, and she asked me again how bad it was, and now with the tears I confessed I couldn't walk. She told me I was trying to be too tough and got Martha to come over, who told me to go back with Debbie to evaluate it. She said it is smarter to do that and Kathy told Martha I was trying to tough it out and not say anything but this was being smart. I was carried back to the training room and they decided I should get an X-ray just to make sure it wasn't broken...my thought was that there was no way I had a broken bone, and there was no way I could afford to have anything broken now! For the rest of the competition I became the cheerleader... it was hard just watching but I had fun supporting everyone else and they told me how much I had helped them, which made me feel good. I was taken to the ER that night and the doc found, what he called, a non displaced avulsion fracture and told me when I got home to see my doc to check out the ligaments and tendons because he was more worried about a tear in those. My first question was, "surgery?" Thank God he said definitely not. Woo relief. But now I had to face the harsh reality that performing that weekend was out of the question. This ultimately meant my plans, dreams for the summer were done. That was a hard truth to face. I kept asking why? Haven't I had enough tough breaks for my career, why do I need another, what does this mean? All I wanted for this summer was to prove myself again, almost redeem myself and I was feeling so confident that it was possible! I just don't understand why. I was almost feeling embarrassed because Katie is injured once again. But there is something to be said when your prayers are unanswered. Obviously God had other plans for me, obviously this wasn't my time, when it will be I don't know, but I have to trust that He is taking care of me. This is a set back, another bump in the road, but I really believe those make a person stronger in the end. Ironically, that Sunday, my church had printed something in the bulletin that just hit home. Here is what it said:
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    That says it all!!!! So this is very disappointing and almost unbelievable, but I am trying now to look at the bright side and think positive about the whole thing.

    So now on a more positive note... CONGRATULATIONS to all the girls who were selected to represent our country this summer. For those who don't know let me tell you, the USA is being represented extremely well!! It is different when you have to step back and you get to look in from the outside. We look amazing... every single girl... it is unbelievable the talent that is shown with the girls!! Every single one just looked absolutely wonderful and my confidence for our chances is so high!!! So congrats and GOOD LUCK to all!!

    Also, now due to my injury I get to enjoy the recruiting process, which I am looking forward to!! The coaches began calling and the visits start next week!! I am so excited! I can't wait!

    Now that I left you with a novel to read... lol... I can hopefully inform you more often. I must say Happy Birthday to my brother who turned 16 on July 4th and Happy Birthday to Megan at my gym whose birthday was on Tuesday the 8th!! Oh and in case anyone is interested... my proud victory at the ranch was being Egg Toss champion with Tabitha on the Fourth of July!!! Hahaha!!

    So until my next adventure... hopefully happier than this one...

                                                                                        ~ Katie (July 9, 2003)

January 21, 2003

     Hmm... long time since I have updated again, and I really have to start doing it more often, because it is so hard to remember everything that goes on from then to now :-) !

     First off I have one important thing to say that is way overdue... CONGRATULATIONS TO MY TEAMMATE, ASHLEY POSTELL, FOR HER AMAZING JOB AT WORLDS AND WINNING THE GOLD ON BEAM!! YOU ARE AMAZING! KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK!!

     So, I have been training hard and working on everything! And the season has begun. There was a training camp at the beginning of January, and I feel very satisfied with the work I did  there.  I just recently competed in the Maryland Classic where I did better than I thought I was going to and ended up winning the meet and then Capital team won, too!! Congrats to the team... you girls did awesome!!  Now I am getting ready to compete at the Parkettes Invitational, both on Friday and Saturday.  And then as far as I know in February I have another training camp where assignments will be given out.

     Aside from the gym, my brother tried out and made his school play, "The Pajama Game", and I can't wait to see that in March!  My other little brother, Robby, is having a blast in gymnastics and is preparing for his First Reconciliation and First Communion.  My older brother just returned from a trip to Europe where he had a great time!!  And me, I am trying to get through my school work and concentrate on my training.

     Well that is it for now... if I think of anything more I will update again!!  Goodbye for now!

~ Katie ~                                          

    Aside from gymnastics, I got my driver's license and a car!  I love the freedom and my mom loves not having to drive me around everywhere and being home more! My dad surprised me one night with my new car... well it was new to me.  He came driving up with a '98 red beetle... OMG I dreamed of having a beetle since I was ten years old!  It's so great and I love it!

    Some things that I have done since the last time I wrote were...I have begun to talk to colleges, that is great!!  I also got to see a Cirque Du Soleil show, Verekai!  My boyfriend, since he is going to join Cirque, got us VIP passes and we got to go backstage after! I got to meet Stella Umeh from Canada and Andrew and Kevin Atherton from the UK!  They are such awesome people and did such an amazing job in the show!! I had such a good time and it seems like so much fun to do!!

     As for my family, my younger brother was asked to join his high school's varsity football team to be the second string kicker.  He is one of only a few sophomores on the varsity team!!  I got to see him at one of his games and he did awesome!  My other younger brother began second grade and is having a blast! We also moved and now I live thirty minutes from the gym, the longest I have ever had to drive to gym!!  I like our new place though.

    One more thing before I am done.  Isn't the new site awesome?!?! Thank you so much Morgan for all your hard work, it looks so good!!

    Ok, wow, that was a lot of info! Hopefully I can write more often so I can keep everyone more informed.  Until next time though,  luv you all!

~Katie~                                   
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    It has been a long time since I have updated anyone on anything. In March I slightly tore my hamstring and then eventually found out that I had a stress fracture in my bum... lol... I basically broke my butt! However, it is doing much better now and I am on my way back and expecting to do two to three events at Classics and hopefully everything at Nationals! I will continue to update you on how everything is going but for now it is pretty good!!