Dr. Tabitha Garran used her left hand to hold her patient’s knee, and then cupped her right hand under his calf. She slowly bent Jumpstart’s leg up and down, careful not to give away her glances to his face.

Jumpstart didn’t notice, but Dr. Garran had caught the subtle winces with each movement.

The proud Canadian wrestler was once a fan favorite over a long, heralded career. Unfortunately, injuries caught up to him early in Season 1 and he reduced himself to cheating for victories, which earned him the Golden Pro Wrestling Silver Championship.

It also earned Jumpstart the fans’ resentment. A bitter outcome that had been hard for him to accept.

“Well, I wish I could tell you it’s gotten better, but it hasn’t,” Dr. Garran confirmed to Jumpstart. “You’ve had eleven matches in GPW, and they’re continuing to take their toll.”

Her patient projected an air of confidence.

“Listen, I didn’t ask for this check-up. I’m 8-3 and I’ve held the Silver Championship for over two seasons. I’m not stopping.”

Dr. Garran sat back down in the doctor’s chair within the small clinic room and sighed. These wrestlers never thought about the long-term, but she had another piece of information up her sleeve.

After pulling an image out of a small manila folder on the counter, she looked at it carefully. It was just long enough for Jumpstart to start to wonder what was on the image, and after the dramatic pause, she continued.

“I’m going to show something to you, Jumpstart,” she replied, and handed the image to him.

The veteran professional wrestler inspected it, though it was painfully obviously he couldn’t tell what he was looking at.

“That’s an image from your neck we took during your post-season medical review. There’s dislocation of three vertebra, and two herniated disks… and another that’s practically close to rupturing.”

Jumpstart put his head down and handed the image back to Dr. Garran.

He said nothing.

“You can’t tell me you haven’t been feeling pain in your neck; you’ve been covering it up. Whether it be painkillers or your own mental fortitude, the pain is there.”

He looked back up at Golden Pro Wrestling’s chief medical physician and steeled his demeanor.

“Don’t tell me what I’ve been feeling. I’m still in my prime, and I’m not going to stop until I’m in a coffin.”

Jumpstart hopped off the bench inside the small clinical room and grabbed his jacket and started to walk toward the door.

“Listen, one wrong bump and you’re in a wheelchair the rest of your life,” Dr. Garran flatly stated.

He grabbed the doorknob and paused for a moment.

Then he opened the door and walked out.