Cheer for UW -- my wife would if she could

[Carl Spackler]

I'm a little apprehensive about doing this on a sports message board, but my wife is a former Cowgirl basketball player from the mid 1980s (Teresa Poindexter, later Teresa Clift). She then became a RN at Ivinsion for many years before working at the Cathedral Home for Children. She has spent much of her adult life taking care of people.

Teresa was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis in 1993 and the disease has taken a serious toll on her health. To make things worse, she was in a very bad car accident a year ago that basically shattered her back beyond repair. To make a long story short, she has been in and out of hospitals and nursing homes since then, as she basically can't walk or hardly sit up in bed on her own. She is now in the Cheyenne hospital without much hope of ever leading a normal life again.

Teresa, along with her daughter, Cassie, were fixtures at Wyoming athletic events throughout the years, especially Cowgirl basketball games. She was proud to be a Cowgirl, and win or lose, loved cheering for her school. You might have seen or heard her at the games. She was the one who was constantly standing up cheering, telling the Cowgirls or Cowboys to run their offense and then get back on defense. As a former player, she was still in the game.

Teresa and Cassie might have more Cowgirl basketball t-shirts than anybody I know. They seemed to come home with a new one after each home game. The WNIT title and then the NCAA Tournament appearance the next year were special times in their lives, something the'll never forget. It was also an opportunity for Teresa and some old teammates to reconnect again, which is something I'll always be grateful for Joe Legerski and the Cowgirls for giving them that opportunity.

I can't help but think about how my wife would give anything to be able to go to a UW game and cheer on her Cowboys or Cowgirls again. I can only pray that that will happen.

I know sports message boards give fans a place to vent -- I've done it before myself. But I'm thinking, instead of trying to find all that is wrong, take a break and cheer on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, even when things aren't always going as well as you would like. When you get a chance, give an extra cheer for Teresa. Hopefully, she'll have the opportunity to cheer again some day. If anybody needs a reason to cheer, it's my wife.

Thanks for letting me vent a little
Richard Anderson

[WYCowboy]

Best wishes for you both.

[McPeachy]

Count me, as one, that will make it happen. Life is too short...and I will leave it at that.

[MrTitleist]

Carl, thanks for posting your story. I hope things turn around for you and your family and that your wife can go to games again.. sounds like she really loves the Cowgirls.

[Wind River Poke]

So sorry to hear about the accident...I didn't realize.
Yes, she and Cassie had season tics in the row in front of us. We have missed you all and now I know why.
We used to yak about the games and the website. Please tell her hello from us and keep us posted on her health. We always have an extra tic or ride if you or Cassie need.
God bless you all...........

[Aaron]

I really hope things get better for her.

[Carl Spackler]

Thanks for the kind words. Teresa is doing a little better at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, so things are looking up, comparative to how they had been. When I told her about my original post, fully expecting her to be mad at me for doing so, she wasn't. Instead, she asked me to bring in a radio so she could listen to the Cowgirls again.