oh man, that sucks!!!  =(
same thing happened to dikembe.

Oh my!  Sorry to see this.  I know what it is like to leave behind something you love so much because physically your body cannot do it anymore.  I had to take a year away from all flamenco when I had to stop dancing. It was just too sad to want to dance, and not be able to anymore.  I'll never dance again, but I loved the music and poetry before I ever put on a pair of dance shoes, and I find I love it all even more than before.  I am convinced there is still going to be ball in your life, just in a different form.  It took me a while to get over the mourning and be able to embrace flamenco again.  At least it was only a year.  For art history, it was a decade (a story not worth going into here).  Retiring is more than just hanging up a pair of shoes.

seriously... get well soon!  

you're more than welcome to come on Friday if you still have some need for some b-ball related satiation!

doh!  it was in the paper!