For context, I am a 22y/o Female who was in a college sport and living with a couple of my teammates up until recently.
I tore my meniscus when I was 18 playing softball and had to have it partially removed. Then, I transferred to my new school and made friends with those in my class. When the third season rolled around, I was voted a captain. I got through one week of 6 days a week practice, my knee started becoming weak, and I fell twice in a span of one week from turning too quickly. I was waking up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain, throbbing, and dull aching. My trainer recommended getting an MRI ASAP, considering I didn't have half of a meniscus in the knee and there could be a retear. I'll be honest, I was already preparing for the worst as the pain was similar to what I had before, and I was just in so much pain it was becoming draining for me emotionally. In a couple of weeks, I had time to think about how I wanted my life to be if I lived for me and not anyone else, and I decided I'd let the MRI show if I was capable of continuing to play or remove myself from the sport entirely. The MRI came back showing I had an excess amount of fluid in my knee, as well as cartilage fraying and osteoarthritis. My doctor gave me three choices: two injections or to retire from the sport completely, as he was afraid I would need a knee replacement in my mid-30s at the rate I was going. I tried talking to my coach about it, and she was angry and couldn't understand why I wouldn't just shoot up and play for the sake of the team. Some mean things were said, but when I told my roommates, they didn't believe me and accused me of lying, telling me that my priorities were messed up. This stems from me missing practices because my mental health was so bad that I couldn't stand to go watch them, as I was dealing with this whole dilemma. In missing these practices, I would be at my parents' house, home alone,e or with my partner. I wasn't doing well. I decided if my coach was going to put the team first and not care about my well being and my roomates/"best friends" were going to be that way as well and not care about me at all, that I would be the one to care about me. I chose to retire and step away from the sport completely. Roommates were angry with me when I told them before I told my entire team,and they refused to understand why I needed to step away for my mental health. Our friendships ended when I left the sport because they were entirely built upon the sport and what I could do for them. The moment I stepped away, they took it as complete betrayal and started to ignore me in my own home. I didn't feel comfortable, so I decided to move out. I haven't been in contact with them at all,l and I am mourning the friendships I thought I had as well as the career that came to an end for my health and well-being.
There are more details, of course,e but that's the gist.