Disease can't stop Camas volleyball player

Megan Youngblood contributes as much as she can on the court for the Camas volleyball team, but often has difficulty competing because of what doctors think may be a debilitating muscule disease. She remains a vital senior leader for the Papermakers. (troy wayrynen/The Columbian)

Megan Youngblood

There are times when her legs give out with no warning.

When it happens on the volleyball court, Megan Youngblood will sometimes roll on the floor and get up as quickly as she can, in an effort to make it look like she meant to do that. Her teammates smile, maybe make a joke, and the Camas Papermakers get back to practice.

“If we can laugh about it, it makes it less hard on me,” Youngblood said. “That way they don’t have to feel sorry for me. I don’t want that to happen.”

That would make life more frustrating than it already is for Youngblood.

A senior at Camas who excels in her studies in advanced placement classes, Youngblood prefers to think of herself more of an athlete than a student. She placed at the track and field state championships in the javelin her freshman and sophomore campaigns. She helped the Papermakers make it to the state volleyball tournament the last two years.

But now she is in limbo.

She is still an athlete, certainly, and still part of Camas’ volleyball squad. But her athletic abilities, many anyway, have been taken away by a debilitating muscle disease. Well, at least that is what doctors believe.

Today, Youngblood has an appointment with a specialist, and she hopes to be officially diagnosed with myasthenia gravis.

“That’s the best guess they have right now,” Youngblood said. “It’s really treatable. It’s just a matter of getting the treatment going.”

Youngblood, you could say, is running out of patience. Diagnosed with mononucleosis as a sophomore, she said she has never rebounded. She was told for so long that she was weaker because of the mono, or she was out of shape because of the mono. But Youngblood never got any better. In fact, she just felt worse.

According to the Web site for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a delay in diagnosis of myasthenia gravis of one to two years is not unusual because symptoms are shared with several other disorders.

That is why Megan and her family are hoping to get some answers this week. The sooner, the better, too, because while volleyball season has not been kind to Megan, there is still hope for track and field in the spring.

Myasthenia gravis means “grave muscle weakness”, but according to the NINDS, with current therapies, it is not as “grave” as the name implies.

Still, it can take a person, especially a young athlete, for a wild ride.

“I sometimes see double or have blurred vision. I speak nasally. It’s harder to talk and chew. It’s difficult to write, hold a pencil. I get really weak. I tire easy. My neck gets tired, and my head is heavy,” Youngblood said.

“The worst is when I’m having a bad day and I can’t chew,” she continued. “I have a meltdown. I cry, and then I have a difficult time breathing. It’s just really frustrating.”

Until recently, all of these symptoms crept into her life slowly. Looking at her results as an athlete, it is obvious something was amiss. As a freshman, she finished fifth at state in the javelin. As a sophomore, right after her battle with mono, she finished eighth at state. Last year, she failed to qualify for state.

“It’s taken me out of my element,” Youngblood said of the disease.

On the volleyball court, her coaches first noticed a drop-off in time for a particular running drill. Then they couldn’t understand why such a talent was missing easy “gets” on the floor.

“I knew there was something wrong,” Camas coach Julie Nidick said. “Her body wouldn’t do what she wanted to do.”

At one point, Youngblood feared she would be cut from the volleyball squad.

“I haven’t been able to compete at the level I want to compete at,” Youngblood said. “I identify myself as an athlete, and I haven’t been able to do anything with my team, help them out in clutch situations.”

On really bad days, when she is having trouble talking, she can’t even lend vocal support from the bench.

But Nidick and the Papermakers understand Youngblood’s value to the team. As one of three senior leaders, there would always be a spot for her on the team, the coach said.

In fact, every match in which Youngblood is having a good day, Nidick makes sure to call on Youngblood’s number, if only to serve. Monday night, Youngblood served the match point against Columbia River in a loser-out contest in the district tournament. In the second match of the night, Youngblood recorded her first dig of the season. Youngblood and the Papermakers have advanced to this weekend’s regional tournament.

There are some days, though, when Youngblood is a no-go. She signals her coach by keeping her warm-up jacket on if she is not feeling up to playing.

“I want my team to have the best team available,” Youngblood said. “If it means I don’t play, I don’t play.”

But at least she is still there with her teammates. Her participation, whether it is lending support as a designated server or cheering from the bench, has helped Youngblood get through the tough times.

“They’re like my sisters, including the one who actually is my sister,” Megan said.

Sam Youngblood, a junior, and Megan have always wanted to play on the same high school team. They once were teammates on a club team, but this year, they wanted to push one another for the varsity Papermakers. Turns out, they have, just not in the way they envisioned.

“I tell her I’m going to get this many kills just for her,” Sam Youngblood said. “We wouldn’t be the same team without her.”

Megan said she is inspired, from her close-up view from the bench, by Sam’s play.

Megan’s teammates also are a help on and off the court.

“I lean on them. My teammates are always there to walk me upstairs,” Megan said. “If I fall, they will wait until I can get up. And they’re really forgiving when I miss a serve, which helps.”

In the bleachers, Megan and Sam’s parents watch their children. Sam is an explosive hitter who had 19 combined kills in two district tournament matches Monday. Megan, meanwhile, got that winning serve, at least.

Luke Youngblood said it is difficult because he knows how strong an athlete Megan can be. Misty Youngblood said she is looking forward to a treatment plan for Megan, because as a mom, she wants her daughter to feel better. Both parents are proud of the fact that Megan has not given up.

There is hope, and Megan is keeping a positive attitude.

And as the bad days pile up, she is encouraged by the good days. Senior night was one of those special moments. Youngblood led her team to a lap around the gym. Yes, she ran and did not fall once.

It was, by any account, a victory lap.