:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/39878152/479757789.0.jpg)
BYU basketball commit Nick Emery announced Wednesday that he will be returning to Germany to complete his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after successful surgeries to address thoracic outlet syndrome.
It's official, I will be heading back to Germany to finish my mission! Thank you for all the prayers and support. #blessed #GodsTeam
— Nick Emery (@Nick_Emery4) September 24, 2014
Emery returned home in August to be evaluated for the syndrome, which involves an issue with blood vessels and nerves in the shoulder and collar bone areas not having enough space to pass through the collar bone area, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Emery completed surgery on both sides of his upper body to relieve the problem, which can cause neck and shoulder pain, as well as pain and tingling in fingers and forearms.
Now, in happy news for Emery, he has been cleared by doctors and church leaders to return to missionary service, and even back to his original mission in Frankfurt, Germany.
Many times, missionaries required to go home for medical attention are unable to return to service, and if so, it is not uncommon for those serving in foreign lands to be reassigned to a mission in the United States. It's great for Emery to be able to return and complete his service in Germany.
The left-hander is scheduled to depart for Germany on Oct. 13 and will return in April 2015 as originally scheduled. As far as basketball is concerned, Emery would not have joined the team until the 2015-16 either way.
Emery, who to some degree played with these conditions in high school, was the #70 recruit of the 2013 class nationally, according the 247sports composite top 100. He was recruited by six Pac 12 schools, including UCLA, and also by Kansas and Oklahoma State.
I'll be interested to see how Emery plays without neck, shoulder, and forearm pain and tingling fingers. Until then, god speed on the final six months of your service, Elder Emery.