Quincy Gibson Returns To The Soccer Field For Syracuse High After Lung Collapsed Twice This Year | News, Sports, Jobs

SYRACUSE – The returns of injury and illness are almost as much a part of sport as the sports themselves.

Wherever you go, it’s easy to find a story of an athlete who returned to the field of play from a torn ACL, broken ankle, or something in that area.

Quincy Gibson, sophomore boys football at Syracuse High, has a different kind of comeback story to tell these days – that of his twice collapsed right lung.

“I think it was scary. I didn’t really know what that meant… I didn’t know what was going to happen or anything, ”Gibson said during soccer practice in April.

Gibson had a complete spontaneous case of lung collapse which sent him to the Children’s Primary Hospital for surgery and a six-day stay in January, followed by a collapse of the same lung in mid-March with another visit to the hospital and numerous visits to the doctor. and the reviews added to that.

He’s back for the Titans’ JV squad – he scored a goal on Tuesday in the win over Roy – and has been training since early April after a frightening and nervous ordeal that left him and his family uncertain. of what he was going to do in the short term and in the long term. future term would look like.

THE FIRST TIME

According to the United States National Library of Medicine, a collapsed lung is what happens when air escapes from the lung, filling the space between the lung and the chest cavity, exerting air pressure on the lung. lung, which makes it difficult for the lung to expand, making it difficult to breathe.

Collapsed lungs can be caused by serious injury to the lungs or by something called “bubbles,” an air pocket that opens and sends air into the space around the lungs.

Doctors told Gibson and his family that collapsed lungs are not uncommon in tall, growing men.

As to why this is the case, the description of the causes by the National Library of Medicine in the United States did not explain why tall and thin men seem to have a higher risk of sagging lungs.

In mid-January, Gibson couldn’t breathe during basketball practice and experienced chest pain during exercise.

His trainer told him to sit down for the rest of the workout, but Gibson never seemed to be able to catch his breath the rest of the workout.

“Honestly, I thought I might have COVID-19 or something, because I was sort of short of breath. Then when I started running I felt like something was moving in my chest, honestly I had no idea what it was, ”Gibson said.

Later at home that night, Gibson had more difficulty breathing, walking, and vocalizing his words, according to his mother, Amanda.

They went to an instant care clinic, where an irregular ECG result sent him to the emergency room, where doctors found he had something quite serious: a complete spontaneous pneumothorax in his right lung, more commonly. called collapsed lung.

Gibson was rushed in an ambulance to Salt Lake City Primary Children’s Hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair the hole in his lung and spent the next six days.

Eventually he recovered enough to try for the soccer team and play the first three games of the season.

THE SECOND TIME

Gibson got up early one morning for driving lessons and felt like he couldn’t breathe.

“We immediately took him back to Primary at the morning rush hour, which is not for the faint of heart, only to learn that his lung had collapsed a second time,” said Amanda Gibson.

The second time his lung collapsed it wasn’t as bad and he was home after a day in the hospital.

The possibility of this happening again in his right lung or even his left lung is something Quincy Gibson has to live with, but he doesn’t look like someone crippled with fear because of the risk.

“Yeah, I’m obviously nervous, but I think I’m fine,” he said.

BACK TO THE TEAM

Gibson was cleared to return to training on Monday after spring break in April.

“Nobody touches Quincy in training,” Syracuse coach Taylor Allen said both jokingly and seriously.

When the rest of the football team found out about Gibson’s fate in March, the captains came up with the idea of ​​wearing bracelets to the Titans’ next game with Gibson’s name and shirt number (3) written on them. .

They beat Fremont 1-0, and everyone threw up three fingers after the goal, said goaltender Hayden Poll.

Eventually Gibson came back to practice and sat down and watched and was a part of things.

By this time Gibson has become somewhat of a mascot and rallying point for the team, which have already set a school record for single-season wins with their 10-2 record (Wednesday) and are virtually assured of ‘a home playoff game next month. at this rate.

“If Quincy can fight a collapsed lung, then we can fight in a game,” said senior Tracen Jacobs.