Where we've been ...

by Ben Catley Content Editor, Southwest Preps

This may be the first long piece I have written in some time. And I wanted to wait until things had settled down with me before I dove into this as hard as I used to, or do what I can do.

The reason we missed most of football season was due to an illness. I am a one-person show, so if I can't work on this site, no one can. Or will.

However, just after the KSHSAA Executive Board meeting that determined fall sports would go off on time, I became deafly sick. I had no idea what it was - I thought it may be COVID-19, but it wasn't - but I only got worse. In fact, there's very little I remember about that time period, other than, somehow, I was still able to execute my job, or most of it, remotely.

I was hospitalized on August 22nd and stayed there for three weeks. Turned out I had an infection in my midsection (accidies) caused by a liver problem. They drained plenty of fluid out of me, and I felt... weird. Mainly because I didn't even think about work. At all.

In fact, it was the first Friday night of football, and I didn't even think about picking up the computer. I had my trusty laptop with me, but I was also still trying to figure out what in the world was wrong with me.

Two weeks later, I had built up enough strength to go home, but it took a while to feel close to normal. Which, like we have all experienced in 2020, is a "new normal".

Since then, I have moved to Wichita to be closer to my new doctors, including a liver specialist, and friends who look after me like I'm part of the family. While I may not be living in southwestern Kansas anymore, it doesn't mean that covering sports there will stop.

Call it me being stubborn, call it what you will, but I am easing my way back into things.

When I finish this, I am posting a story about the football playoffs, and I also have two tabs open with the state volleyball brackets up, so I can follow the progress of both Garden City (6A) and Goodland (3A), who play today at their respective state tournaments.

Basketball, wrestling and bowling are (hopefully) up next on the sports calendar. Let's hope things stay on track.