Going to the Olympics!

Joining in on the Olympic Fever!

For the last 3 weeks since tearing my ACL, I have been rehabbing like a crazy woman and getting physiotherapy (THANKS KENT) every single day. I have been working my bum off to try to race because on January 5th when I arrived in London to see Dr. Litchfield (who examined my MRI) I was told the BEST NEWS of the new year so far : that there was still a possibility for me to race with a brace.  The reason why I am able to race but Larisa and Kelly are not, is because I have what they call an "isolated Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear" whereas the girls had multiple ligament tears.  

So after three weeks and lots of progress, strength and positivity; my team, the medical staff, and I have decided that I can compete at the Olympics after all!  But I have to say, I wouldn't have been so lucky if it wasn't for all the amazing support from Kent, Matt, Chris, Mom, Dad, Gary, Nora, Max the dog, the guys (johnny, robbie, jan), Kelly, Squires for the random drop-in chats, and everyone here who has been helping me out in every way.  And facebook friends sending their love and encouragement, along with fellow bloggers and tweeters!!!!!  Thank god for technology and communication!!!

We have a huge team heading to the Olympics! Unfortunately there is also a HUGE gap in our team where the rest of the injured racers: Larisa, Kelly, Johnny, Bourque and JP have been left out due to more extensive injuries than my own.  It totally sucks that they are missing these games, but it also gives a bunch of others an opportunity that otherwise may have been missed.  So with negatives, there are also positives, but I know that those 5 (myself included) still have our sights set on gold in 2014. Injuries are part of the sport, and although I had never envisioned myself racing without an ACL, since having been given the opportunity to do so, I couldn't imagine it otherwise.  I just hope that the next time around I have all my ligaments attached.... 

Anyway, things are going awesomely and I hope to bring this energy to the Olympics and compete just as hard, or harder than I would have without an injury!!

I love blogging because it gives me time to think out my sentences, attempt to have good grammar, and plan what I am trying to say in a somewhat intelligent way.... UNLIKE this morning at 6am on Canada AM, I had a live interview and I was probably more nervous than I am in races.  I showed up around 5:50am and was escorted to a big empty room with a camera, a camera guy and a big light shining in my face!! He set me up with an earpiece and a mic, and was like "you're on in 5..." 

AAHHHHHHHH crazy!!!

It was such a rush and it was a crazy feeling when the camera guy told me later that there were around 5 million viewers tuning in.  I'm honored that my story is worthy of Canada AM and I now know that I should avoid saying "like" so much.

All in all, it was a sweet experience and it lit a little bit of an olympic flame inside of me!  Meaning, it got me pumped about the Olympics and gave me a bit of Olympic Fever!!  I'm so excited to race!!! And SKI!  After the Olympics I will be on the 6 month recovery program, so I'm gonna take advantage of all the skiing I can get before surgery!!

Alas, Canada AM was a huge thrill, but I got right back into the gym and to my everyday routine of strength, agility, jumping, weight-lifting, biking, physio and icing routine!  And of course more time to hang with my physio-friend Johnny K.

And I got back to my mission of befriending Max.  I threw that ball for him!! And I think he liked it??

It's been a great week and I am so happy that my dream to compete for Canada in Canada is still alive.  I'm doing everything I possibly can to make this work, and I'm heading to the games with the "belief" in myself and in my teammates to kick some booty in Whistler!