Hockey is the Best Medicine

Hockey is the Best Medicine

-Jillian Murphy

May 4th, 2011. The day my passion for hockey intensified. It was the Eastern Conference Semifinals and the Boston Bruins were getting ready to square off against the Philadelphia Flyers in Boston for Game 3 of a best of 7. They were up 2-0 in the series after eliminating their hated rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, in 7 games in the first round.

I happened to be in Boston with my dad, preparing for yet another surgery at Boston Children's. I was to undergo reconstructive shoulder surgery in a few days as a result of a genetic connective tissue disorder, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). It had been a rough year, with 4 major surgeries to stabilize various joints from daily dislocations.

As my dad and I walked into the lobby of the hotel in Coolidge Corner, my dad (jokingly) asked the attendant to let him know if anyone was selling tickets. Little did he know that within 10 minutes of getting to our room, I would have 2 tickets for that very same game. An hour later we were in the cab on the way to the Garden.

The atmosphere around the Garden was electric, though that is hardly surprising. It is a hockey town after all and the city was buzzing. Boston hadn't won the Stanley Cup in 39 years, and the fans were hoping for a deep run at the greatest trophy in all of sports.

We found our seats and I waited anxiously for the puck to drop. I didn't have to wait long for the Garden to come alive. It changed me.

Chara. Bomb. 1-0 Bruins 30 seconds into the game. I had never heard one building erupt like that. Just 33 seconds later, Krejci on a feed from Lucic. 2-0 Bruins. From that point on, hockey would become my biggest passion. I haven't missed a game since. Not even when I was in the ICU following brain surgery.

The Bruins would go on to lift Lord Stanley in 2011; bringing the Cup back Boston. I was also in Boston for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, as I had a follow-up appointment after surgery. What an incredibly special time it was to be in such an amazing city amongst the greatest hockey fans in the world.

Living with chronic illness is all about adapting and finding different ways to cope and manage the pain. I, for one, do not take narcotic pain medications and with daily joint dislocations, pain is something I am very familiar with.

I have come to find that there is no greater distraction than hockey. It is simply the best medicine; stronger than the most potent pain medications, and more effective than anything my doctors have to offer.

For 60 minutes I forget all about my dislocations and the subsequent joint pain, the headaches from Chiari Malformation and cervical instability, the intense burning in my legs from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and all of my other related symptoms and syndromes. Instead, I become immersed in the game. I track the players’ stats throughout the game, and connect via Twitter with the passionate fan base of the Boston Bruins. Together, we celebrate the triumphs and lament on the losses. But regardless of the outcome, I always look forward to the next game, the next 60 minutes where I will feel no pain and become consumed by a passion I never knew existed, but one that I could not live without. I could not imagine my life without this team and this sport; it would be far too painful.

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2011 Stanley Cup Champions
Boston Bruins

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Background:

I was born in Connecticut, though my dad was born in Massachusetts; therefore, you could say that I was born into a Boston sports family. My dad taught me all about the Bruins. Not only did he teach me the game and share with me his favorite Bruins memories dating back to the days of Bobby Orr, but because of the Bruins I shared an incredible bond with my dad. Our collective passion for Boston sports, and specifically the Bruins, is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I lost my dad to cancer in 2016. Now when I watch the Bruins, I know he is with me, just in a different way. I still feel a connection to my dad when I watch every game.