Lest we Forget.

Routine is important. During the first few days when some teams were here but practice schedules were not defined, athletes were getting antsy. Just hanging around isn't good. Even the cyclists got their bikes all set up but had to wait to figure out where they could go fir a ride and get their legs going. Some nations, Colombians in particular, were simply riding around in the inside court of the our building. Our residences consist of 4 long rectangular buildings organized in a square with a large grassed area in the middle.
Now everyone is organized, transports are coordinated and gyms / tracks / velodromes are booked. Athletes are separating their days in train, recover, get therapy, eat, sleep. Coaches are analyzing and preparing.
But there is the social concept which is great to see. Last night there was some loud cheers and laughter coming form across the clinic. It was coming form the athletes' lounge. They had a large group "competing" (of course) in a massive Cranium contest.

Got a short ride through interesting neighbourhoods to get to the Aquatic and Tennis centre yesterday. Impressive facilities in an area that appears less impressive. We have 2 tennis players, Joel and Philippe and their Coach Kai. Although I need to get to see as many venues as possible to see their medical and emergency equipment, it is also a perfect opportunity to hang out with the coach and hear them "coach". I learn so many insights in the sports they are involved with. Even the elite level athletes receive advice from the technical to the strategic point of view. There were just the 4 of us at the court and, although I had seen wheelchair tennis when in Beijing at the Paralympic Games, I learned tons of interesting facts by listening to Kai's coaching advice. This is not a slow game at this level. This is intense and hard hitting. I can't believe their strength and mobility. I noticed a very interesting backhand and asked Kai if it was an optical illusion (as the racquet moves so fast). It appeared that the backhand is hit with the face of the rackey. The same as in the forehand but with the outside (small finger) of the hand leading in a vicious top spin technique. One is accustomed to the thumb side of the hand leading the backhand. I learned that this is relatively new and is now favoured in wheelchair tennis due to the height of the player on the chair making it hard to hit the ball on a high bounce. It is pretty nice to see and does create quite the shot with appropriate top spin. In this sport, the player often wins points with a lot of spin on the ball especially  after the forward spin on the ball makes it kicks high over the head of the opponent.

Joel Dembe

Philippe Bedard

Pac Man!

Another thing I thought was great was the warm up. You have to make it interesting, effective and fun. Challenging the speed and agility but getting your heart rate up. What better idea than "Pac Man". The athletes and the coach can only circulate on the lines of the court and try not to "get caught" by the one who is "it" (like in tag, or the bad guys in Pac Man). It was fun to see the guys all serious about not getting caught. Just like in the game of Pac Man, one can get caught in the wrong line especially when there is one who plays the Pac Man and the other 2 are the bad guys. I loved it.

Also a good time to try and get some action shots of our athletes at work.

He made that shot!

Today: Game time. Canada vs USA in a exhibition women wheelchair basketball  match.

We are also organizing a Remembrance day Ceremony.  A few local Canadian Veterans will be invited to take part.

Lest We Forget.

The Canadian Flag is up!

Team Canada Cheers!

 What news! So many things are happening that it’s hard to tell it all.

Today was an exciting day as we had our official "Welcome" to the Village with the Flag Raising Ceremony. This is also when the Opening Ceremony Flag bearer is selected. ONe of the veteran basketball player, David Durepos, will carry the flag. A great selection. Then everyone goes nuts, screams and cheers as we walk through the Village to the Flag Plaza. After the ceremony, we were treated to a fine traditional dancing show.

Dave Durepos, our Opening Ceremonies Flag Bearer

Yesterday was a building day. As more of the Canadian Teams are arriving and settling into the Village, we become busier with medical and therapy services. Bruce, the other doc, and I have to meet every athlete to review all their medications and nutritional supplements to avoid possible doping issues and to assure they have all their forms with them. With over 100 arriving yesterday, we were busy with that task.  It’s great to meet all these fantastic athletes. The team is really young this time! I couldn’t believe it.

Most of the rest of the day was spent dealing with our EMR (electronic medical record). We are paperless in the clinic and since it is a new system, we all have to get used to it. We are finding some minor problems with it and need to communicate with the designers and yesterday I kept moving in and out of the building with my laptop trying to find a strong enough WiFi connection to Skype back to Canada. Next thing you know, I look at my watch and it was 5:30! I didn’t remember if I had gone to lunch.

Time doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone is asking :”What day is it again…?”, I ate dinner at 9 pm today and I am now typing this at 11:30.

Even practices are going full tilt

I went to the women wheelchair basketball practice today. For the last year and a half I have been their team physician and have found them to be a great bunch of athletes to be involved with. It is great to see them all here. I reviewed all their meds today and checked out some of their practice. They have a big commitment here, as the top three teams finishing will head to London next summer at the Paralympics. This is important. It will likely be a wicked Canada - USA final and we all know what we want out of that one.

There’s much more focus now. Athletes have their daily schedule and their day is specifically planned. It’s better like this. When everybody was arriving, there was too much “hanging around” waiting for plans to develop. Now you see people with their game face on.

Had to attend the Team Physician meeting today chaired by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). After being involved at the 2007 Para Panam games and the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, I have developed a good friendship with the medical director of the IPC, Peter Van de Vliet. He’s a great guy who has been a great ally for the Canadian athletes. We have developed a strong rapport and in these types of events, connections and friendships provide so much comfort and make life much easier.

Tomorrow, more athletes to see, meetings with goalball and boccia coaches and therapists and I have to go check out some more venues and practices to see how things are going.

In front of the raised Canadian Flag 

Gotta get to sleep….

Hopefully we'll see this more during the Games

I finally make it on a picture

Lynne Bessette, pilot for visually impaired Robbi Weldon

Our flag bearer adopts the local sombrero 

Canadian Wheelchair basketball some men and some women

Noise and cheers as we proceed to our Flag Raising Ceremony

A great show to celebrate Canada's Flag raising

Calm before the storm

Last day of semi quiet atmosphere. We are expecting about 120 Team Canada athletes, coaches, guides (for the visually impaired), team leaders to arrive in a few hours. The first "load" arrives in about an hour, 3:30.
Had a chance to get a few pictures of our accommodation building, the Village gym and the before and after pictures of the Canadian Clinic.

Bare room before the clinic set up

The clinic is all set up: ready to go

Left side of the clinic

View from the gym. Great pool and 1.8 km walking trail

The gym from its second level. All glass enclosed as a bridge between buildings.

Moving and Hauling

Today was “re-organize” day. All the living space and rooms we have are set up like sleeping areas. They have beds in them. A lot of the bottom floor where we will have the medical clinic, coaches lounge, athletes lounge, operations and media/communications needed to be cleared of the beds for us to bring desks, tables and couches to make them in their appropriate designation. So basically we moved furniture for most of the day.

Then I spent the rest organizing the medical clinic. Agnes, one of the physiotherapist, arrived today and she held finalize and set up the clinic with me. We are now ready to start providing therapeutic services….but my whole shipment of pharmaceuticals is still missing. I have to call the shipment company and start putting some pressure.

Starting to see some other countries’ Mission staff show up. Saw some team USA, Cuba , Brazil and Argentina clothing. This is how you know “who’s who”.  Every nation is busy setting up their place and we meet in the dining hall at meal time. Tomorrow the full dining hall will open. Due to the very small numbers we had been eating in the workforce cafeteria up until tonight’s dinner.

Tomorrow the fun really begins: 167 of Team Canada’s athletes, coaches and support personnel shows up! It will be a zoo down here.

Gotta get out and take a few pictures. Will be more fun with more people around and the Village activities and International Zone all open and ready for business.

Arrival in Guadalajara

Estadio Omnilife, an open air stadium

Where do I start….

It was not a typical air travel day. After the usual time in the air, long period between flights in Houston and the final flight into Guad, I was finally here. Caught up with Mark, our press chief, on the flight in Guad. We were met by one of the drivers for team Canada and arrived at the Village. Very quiet at this time as barely anybody is here. The Village is officially opened to delegations but only “partly”. This means that only 5 members of each delegation are allowed in the Village. This allows set up and preparation for the athletes and teams arriving in 2 days.

My plans were to build my clinic tonight. Open all the boxes and crates that we had planned and shipped here from Canada. Some of the material is left over from our colleagues that were here for the Pan Am Games as we will occupy the same areas.

So here’s where the fun begins: UPS has not delivered my medical equipment and medications and the stuff left over from the other group is behind a locked door…and no one knows where the key is. UPS states they don’t know where the material is as they are under the assumption that it arrived here on Friday…..no it hasn’t and they are “closed on the w/e”. Will be fun tomorrow dealing with this little issue. There is a lot I can do helping set up the Mission staff office and operation centre for the Canadian team. There is always tons of stuff to do.

Great seats!

But tonight, an opportunity occurred. The Guad soccer team ( team Chivas ) was playing at the new impressive stadium which has just been built in the middle of a vast valley, a walking distance from the Village. That is where the Pan Am opening and closing ceremonies took place. So the 5 of us went over got field level tickets (in the corner) for 20 dollars and had a great evening watching a great game! Very large beers for 7 dollars made the evening even more fun.

When the game finished, instead of everybody leaving, they bring a Mariachi band at center field and they played for about half an hour while people hung out. An impressive open stadium and a great event. We figured we’ll never get this opportunity for the next few weeks so lets take it. We had fun.

Now back in my room. One advantage of being a smaller Game than the Pan Ams is that we ( Team Canada ) were given more rooms than required and won’t be crowded. I have my own room with no roommate! A rarity in these events. Only problem is that there is no internet yet so it will be some time before I can file this one.

By the way, I haven’t unleashed the camera yet so the fun pictures aren’t here yet. These are with my iPhone.

What a start

Just as I am putting the finishing touches in the "what do I need and should bring" packing department, I cut myself with a pair of scissors. Looking at my finger I realize it needs stitches. It's 10 o'clock at night and there's no way I am heading to ER with this thing. Not because of the wait, not because I don't trust the great doctors who work there (they're my colleagues so I can't say anything bad), not because it's late and I'm tired....but because my previously mentioned colleagues would have years of material and fodder to make fun of this clumsiness.
Interesting rapport we have as emerg docs. When one of us comes in with a dislocated shoulder from hockey or a broken nose from a spectacular mountain bike crash, we expertly treat the medical concerns then promptly make fun of our buddy the victim. It's a great camaraderie and even if we're all often talking about giving it up due to stresses of that type of work, we all enjoy working in the pit alongside trustworthy colleagues. Just don't get hurt.

So my loving wife expertly sutured my finger. She was thinking she might as well continue offering her expertise as a physician practicing cosmetic medicine and was planning some Botox to my facial geography but I declined. It helped to have some suturing supplies at home for these occurrences. Can't say that we maintained the best of sterile technique with the procedure...and there was enough time for the obligatory picture of the finger, suture needle sticking out of the laceration's bloody perimeter. This will inevitably be on Facebook in no time....

Oh, well. I'm all caffeined up for the morning flight to Houston and then to Guadalajara. By the way, I will now refer to it as Guad. It's too long to type. Arriving at 4:30 and as soon as I am in the Village, I have to build a medical clinic.

Last few days

Getting close. Only 2 days to go and I will be heading to Guadalajara. Last week was filled with last minute preparations. I organized a teleconference with the members of the HCT to distribute as much information available to everyone. I try to have all the therapists aware of what to expect when they arrive. Another teleconference was to have all the members of the HCT train and be exposed to the electronic medical record system we will use during the Games.

Basically, when we land it's full speed ahead. Everyone is expected to be fully available to start working and helping everywhere they can to get medical services fully operational. 

No hanging out at the hotel bar and lounging by the pool....there's no bar and I doubt we'll get to see the pool at all. 

In a few days, I will start adding pictures and describing the non stop activities and beehive life world which is the Para Panamerican Village.

See you in a few days.