Day 24: "He Scooooooooooooooores!!!!"

It is late and the last day has been so crazy, I don't know where to start.

I could just talk about the hockey game but let's wait.

Last night was pretty fun with expected and unexpected things happening. I was at Canada Olympic House. An area dedicated to Canadian athletes, their families, friends and sponsors and so on. There was a Snowboard Canada get together event and someone nicely put me on the list so I could get in. It was fun hanging out with the snowboarders who have been pretty successful at these games. Especially with JJ Anderson starting 0.76 seconds later than his opponent, got a great line and passed him to get the gold medal. That was not much later than the men's speed skaters taking the US in the final and beating them by 0.2 seconds to get a gold medal and our men on the curling rink getting a gold as well. 3 Gold medals within hours. The place was revving with positive energy. All these guys showed up at Canada House after all their media obligations were done. OUr curling skip had no more voice and needed a good beer to get the evening to start winding down.

When we left , we noticed a large gathering on a street corned right in downtown. The people were jumping and chanting "Go Canada Go", they were dancing and basically having the best of time. There was a lot of music appearing to come from coordinated "boomboxes". A signs

held by a dancing person mentioned some website. It appears it's a spontaneous type group that starts a street party. These days in Vancouver, it's not hard to start people going. It was infectious! People were singing and having a great time with a few classic tunes: Sweet Caroline, YMCA, etc.

There was not much on anyone's mind other than HOCKEY today. They guys looked relaxed for breakfast. Most places in the country were likely planning full bars and restaurant and no other type of work would get done. I managed to get myself in the Game. We were worried at some point as, in many of these Games / events I have been involved with, rules that mkae no sense seem to appear at ridiculous moments. Were were told that the only people allowed where we were sitting, what had been called the "Athletes Seats" for 2 and a half weeks, were now only for "Hockey team members". It took a while to sort out but we kept our seats and enjoyed the loudest event produced without microphones or amplifiers. We'll see replays of that goal for quite some time. I wonder if someone in the middle of an isolated field anywhere in our country would have heard all the Canadians scream and cheer at the score moment as the "cheer" would have been at the exact time from the Yukon to Newfoundland. I have no writing skills to describe the euphoria. It was absolutely unique and will likely not be reproduced in our time. It was the story book finish to the Canadian Olympic Games.

We then rushed over to get ready for Closing Ceremonies.As opposed to the Opening event, we all got to march in. What a blast. You all got to see our warm clothing made of thick wool! Everyone was happy. We felt that these Games were a success. Third in ranking when we look at the numbers of medals won, but first in number of Gold medals. The Olympic winner is deemed to be the country with the most "wins" or the most Golds. We therefore won. Canada had entered these GAmes as the only country to have hosted the Games , twice, and not won Gold. We finished these Games establishing a new record in the MOST Gold medals won by a host country: 14!! What an achievement. The highlight reel of these Games is endless. The emotional highs and lows have unified our country as sports seem to always do.

Marching in the Closing Ceremonies is not as organized and we see so much intermingling of different sports and countries together. Afterwards, we get back to the Village where the COC has a get together of its own and we hang out, enjoy the ever classic: pizza and beer. Hockey players, curlers,skaters, bobsledders and skiers all hanging out and enjoying the memories that are permanent. Everyone from home asks: did you see the NHL players? Afte their win and celebration in the dressing room, most had to leave. They had already checked out of the Village and most moved their stuff to the Host hotel , Westin near Stanley Parc, and were flying out that evening. Some had to be withtheir NHL team today. Only Scott Nedermeyer came to Closing Ceremonies. He was the captain and played his role. He's a genuine nice guy who didn't hesitate to be with the crowd and marching with us and ot playing the habitual pseudo-separation that we see with the NHL players. They are partof the team as Olympians but cannot shake their tag as Professional athletes and popular icons. I heard that most were pretty happy being part of the gang in the athletes lounge on our 12th floor "Penthouse" area. Imaging playing NHL hockey video games with your favorie hockey stars. These will be fine memoriesfor the amateur athletes composing our Olympic team.

A great Olympic Game.

Have a Great Day. This will be my last post as I'm packing up the clinic tomorrow and we're heading home on Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing all my family soon. Unfortunately, even if I attempt to describe or write about these experiences, it is never possible to fully understand "living" the experience. I have been fortunate to have been selected as a physician on Canada's Olympic Team. I hope you have enjoyed sharing it with me.

Richard

Day 23 (I think): Concept of "We"

These blogs are being written later all the time. I think I missed a day.

What an awesome day it was yesterday! Our men's team was able to resurrect what was becoming somewhat of a disappointing short track Olympic when compared to past Games. Charles Hamelin skated an impressive 500 m final, had a near wipe out slide at the finish and struck Gold. The crowd cheered so loud we couldn't hear the bell for the last lap. His girlfriend, Marianne St-Gelais who skated for silver earlier last week, was caught on CTV's broadcast during the whole race. Her enthusiasm was almost more entertaining than Charles Race. Francois-Louis Tremblay get a bronze in the same race. Even if these 2 skaters raced the sprint version of short track 3 times that evening ( quarter, semi and finals) they had to lace them up again as part of the men's biggest challenge of these Games: the 5000 relay. This is the last event and the most anticipated. It is wil, chaotic and has 4 teams of 4 skaters flying around for 45 laps. They exchange at each 1.5 laps by a push that has to be coordinated so the first skater exchanges towards the outside and the others continue as they finish with the last team ( as determined by who's in front and back of the line of skaters going around) exchanging inside. It is always dynamic as skaters start getting speed in the inner circle to be at the right place at the right time. Any mistake can lead to a fall, a delay which makes them unable to catch up and possible disqualification. This evening was even more impressive as France got "advanced" in the finals as someone had interfered with them during a qualification race. 5 teams of 4 skaters. The ice in the turns will look like chopped up railroad tracks by the end.

Canada lead most of the race to an ever increasing volume of cheering from the crowd. They utilized a secret weapon: they exchanged one turn ( I forget which one) at 2 turns instead of the habitual 1.5. They were therefore able to get ahead of other teams caught in exchanges and were able to save a little energy for the last skater: the ever important finisher. Charles almost fell with 2 laps to go and I thought the crowd was going to faint en masse. He caught himself and never lost the lead: they won Gold. A crazy atmosphere blasted off. 2 Gold medals in the evening. A great finish by the ever smiling Charles...unless of course you see his look at the head of the line while skating. Make no mistake, he is all business!

The whole country likely got interested in curling. The women were fighting for Gold and what would become a sad finish for the team, were not able to capitulate in the 10th end. This lead to the 11th end with Canada having the last throw: the hammer ( one thing about these Games is we're all getting familiar with each sport's technical jargon). Again, what would appear to be a routine placement fit for Canada to jump on the Gold ended up in disappointment with a very minor miss. Sweden repeats as Gold medalist having won in Torino. One should be quite proud to have won the Silver medal but there is still a disappointment when one realizes they had all the controllable options to get the Gold medal.

The men are on for their shot at a Gold medal this afternoon.

Our men's hockey team advances to the Gold medal game which basically means most of Canada will stop functioning on Sunday for the duration of the game. This is one event I will try very hard to infiltrate!

Now, about the concept of "we". I have had a lot of experience being part of the health care team for Canada at major Games. At all these Games we are support staff and help the team in all it's health care functions. Many other members of the Mission staff also help the athletes and their teams with all their needs when in the Village. We are not on the filed, the ice or the hill to compete but what happens all the time is a gradual use of the term "we". It is the same in many people who are at home watching these Games. They do it in other countries as well as it is evident in conversations we have. How many of you have said it I'm sure. When Cheryl threw her last rock at the curling match, most here were saying "We lost the Gold." When Canada won against the Slovakian team in hockey, most said "We've won, we're going to the final", "We 're going for Gold". The concept of "we". Sports achieves what many other elements of our lives cannot: it unites everyone. People become "we" instead of "us and them". It's a great feeling to feels that everyone is behind a team. I have heard many excited, cheering people who were jumping up for joy when our curling teams would make impressive shots. A common statement from those same people: "I don't even like curling!!!". It's because it's a sport, we feel connected with the participants and we live the excitement with them.

Tomorrow, everyone will want to say: "WE won the gold!"

Day 22: Canada:2 USA:0

I guess I'm biased as I have no idea how many Americans may be reading this blog. I just have to join every Canadian and rejoice in the Canadian women's third consecutive Gold medal at hockey. What a night it was. We have ridden the roller coaster. The last few days have been more of an upswing. I was at the game.....and so was everyone else it seems. Prime Minister Harper was in the seat section beside us. As were Wayne Gretzky and his wife, Donald Sutherland and a camera showed Michael J. Fox enjoying the game. The jumbotron also showed the men's hockey team in attendance...I think they wanted to get some inspiration. What a night it was, Gold for the ladies and the crowd was energetic and the elation was infectious.

I managed to rush to the PNE, site for figure skating, and see Joannie Rochette skate her long program. The crowd was highly involved on every skater's performance. The Japanese, the Korean (especially !!), the Americans and of course EVERYONE was up to support and cheer for Joannie. I'm sure her mother was there as well. SHe had a great performance skating in the penultimate position. She scored enough to be in third and the American skater finishing the evening did not manage to beat Joannie in the overall standing even with a flawless performance. Joannie got a bronze medal. What an emotional night!!

Just when you think it's all finished, we have the men;s hockey tomorrow and the biggest evening of short track. You do not want to miss this evening with the men's 500 m and 5000 m finals and the women's 1000 m finals.

Things are settling down and we're seeing more athletes enjoying the games. They are cheering for their fellow athletes and taking part in the "Olympic Experience". There is so much everywhere: parties, bars, pubs, fireworks, endless crowds cheering in the streets, concerts.....We're just hanging in the Village as it gets tiring trying to figure out where we can go, it's late...and we are up by 6:30-7 am.

Big day tomorrow but ....in 3 days the Torch goes out.

Day 21: Medal Haul....finally!

Where do I start?

I wonder how many of you were not in front of a tv somewhere watching the men's hockey game. I managed to get myself to it and got a seat to enjoy a stunning performance by our Canadians. They certainly looked like a team and had a great of motivation to get the job done. Even if television is a good medium to watch sports, you had to be there. The atmosphere was electric! My ears are still ringing from the loudness of passionate fans. I kept wanting to get a camera and walk around taking pictures of people everywhere. The colors, the painting, the signs and I think everyone was wearing something "Canada". Wonder how many jerseys with the new Canada maple leaf were sold ? They play Friday in semifinals. Tons of work to do but the morale is high.

The women are playing the gold medal game tomorrow against the USA. They have a good chance but nobody is clear on who's going to take that one. I might have to try and sneak into that one as well. I'll take the clinic shift all day to allow me to get some time to wander tomorrow evening.

How about those Bobsleigh ladies????? Gold and Silver. What a bad time to have that amazing performance...at the same time as the men's hockey game. You can see that hockey creates a large shadow inside which a lot of sports compete. In the era of technology, it's getting a little silly over here. While I'm sitting at the hockey game, I'm using my own smart phone to send PINs and emails to family back home about the excitement of the game, I'm receiving texts on my COC (Canadian Olympic Team has every Mission team member use a phone for communications) phone from a colleague covering the short track team and learning about our athletes going forward in the qualifications and the women picking up a Silver medal, and I am watching television ( you read it right!) on my COC phone with live coverage of the bobsleigh event on CTV.

Therefore within minutes I learn that we have a Silver at short track, a Gold and Silver (!!!!) at bobsleigh and we already had a Bronze from Clara Hughes in long track. A 4 medal day for Canada. Emotions are high and people are pretty pumped.

I finally got to see a Gold medal. Tessa came to the clinic to show us her medal. Thos things are heavy! I hear most medals are different having different versions of Haida art engraved on them.

Tomorrow will be a good learning day for health care personnel. At every Game there is an educational component. Tomorrow there will be a presentation on Prevention and Management of Head Injuries in sports. Should be good. It's right in the Village so I can attend and still cover our clinic.

Time to go.

Have a good day and tune in to the Gold medal Game. Should be a blast!!

Day 20: Ashleigh, Joannie and the "Guys"

We're feeling pretty healthy here but many are developing nasty sore thumbs due to rapid fire channel flipping to catch everything.

It looked like the winter Olympics, on the mountain at least. Vancouver lost it's bright cloudless blue skies to show what west coast "normally" looks like at this time of the year. On Cypress Mountain, fat snowflakes obstructed the habitual clear view of the skiers as they blasted away in the skicross competition. If our vision was unclear, imagine skiing down the hill really fast, in a predetermined path with jumps and banked turns. There are 3 other skiers beside you who are doing the same thing, trying to catch the best line down, the inside turn or the faster flat snow off the humps so they can pass you. It finishes off from a very steep jump that most of us wouldn't dare ski off. They don't have windshield wipers on their goggles.

Ashleigh was the 2009 World Champion in this discipline and she did not disappoint the crow. She took control from the start and finished off that last jump with the Olympic rings underneath her, a perfect tuck to land in a sea of red screaming fans, including her parents. Gold. Maelle Ricker had nailed Gold on the same course, in beautiful sunny conditions though, in the snowboard cross competition last week. It seems like forever in the past now. Time is a bizarre measure here as most have no idea how long we've been here for.

I loved Ashleigh's description of her event given on CTV a mere few hours after the win. She says skicross has existed forever. "It's what all of us have been doing for years as kids skiing together and seeing who gets to the bottom first". It's a perfect analogy. It's what people do on every ski hill and hopes they don't get thrown off and lose their lift pass. They're the ones safe skiers like us see blast down in a tuck and cut us off while we're trying to be safe. We all say : "Hey, you crazy fool...". Then they grow up and win Gold Medals!

Although it would have been better to get to bed, we heard there was a skicross party at one of the downtown clubs that evening. They were all celebrating the end of the competition and Ashleigh would be there with her medal. So we went over at about 11:30. The place was packed!!! You could barely move, tons of people were wearing Canadian regalia and everyone trying to get a picture with Ashleigh. I never got close (and I didn't bring my camera) and after about an hour we returned to the Village. I guess I like the quiet more than the club scene.

That was a brief experience of the "Olympic experience". The Games go on, people win, some lose, there is training, there is competing, there are meetings, you eat you sleep...and there is the partying. Vancouver has taken on these Games with intensity from all sides. The streets are packed with revellers every evening. Every day is like New Year's eve in Times Square. People are really enjoying these Games. It's called Olympic fever and it is contagious. I hear of some family and friends who had not made plans to come close to this place and now are unable to resist and simply pack up and show up. Hopefully get in some venues with last minute sale of tickets.

Don't even try to go to HBC downtown to get some Olympic clothing. At 7 pm last evening, there was still a line up to get into the store. It wrapped around the corner! There's a line up from opening to closing. You could be there for over an hour.

Joannie was on ice this evening.What a warm welcome she received at the PNE venue. She skated a great program and, as we all saw, broke down in tears upon finishing. We don't have to ask. We all know where those tears came from. Skaters' emotions often run high and will frequently have tears at their finish. It may be because they nailed a fantastic performance , think Scott and Tessa the other night. It may be because they had a fall or made mistakes they can't go back and correct and are disappointed. For Joannie, I am sure it was related to the absence of her mother for her performance. She has been strong but what a difficult period she is experiencing. The height of her competitive career at the Olympics in her own country and the loss of her mother.

Everyone is talking about "the Guys" game. We all know they're talking about the men's hockey game against the Germans. We have won decisively. 8-2. No questions regarding who was the better team. Today is serious: the Russians. Oveshkin and Crosby. Wonder what you'll be doing at 7:30 tonight........

Big events like hockey unfortunately take away from some really good stuff occurring all over the place, hence the sore thumbs on the TV remote. We have Canada 1 and Canada 2, women's 2 man (...now that's an odd name for their sport.....) bobsleigh. We are in 1st and fourth after 2 heats. Finals tonight.

Busy day ahead. Are you getting any work done?

(borrowed picture as I wasn't at the venue. It's Ashleigh's coach showing a little enthusiasm after as Ashleigh just won Gold)

Day 19: Golden Blades

They snuck under the radar. Their not a big hockey story. Canada vs USA in the women's hockey final for Gold in a few days, and the men's team starting low in their quest for the hockey podium with a match against Germany today. Ashleigh McIvor starting the women's skicross qualifications this morning to hopefully be in the final four this afternoon. These 2 stories have been monopolizing the airwaves lately.

Many of you woke up to find out Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won Canada's first ever Gold medal in figure skating's dance event at an Olympic Games. An event usually dominated by Europeans. The place was packed and when the Russian couple received their score putting them in third , it meant Scott and Tessa had the Gold.......the place erupted. I'm surprise the roof is still on. It is now 11:15 am and I don't think they've been to sleep yet. Pictures, media, CTV, etc.......I don't think they'll get a break for a few days.

But the Games are going on. Our curlers are dominating and today are fighting to get into the finals. Shall I dare say we might "Own the curling Podium"? I better be careful.

Things are still medically quiet for us and athletes are enjoying themselves. Some have finished competing and become cheerleaders for their peers. They get to go see other sorts as well. Most never get to see anything else as they are training and competing according to their schedule and if they are in a sport that lasts most of the games, they are committed and don't get to see much else. It's nice to see the stands with Canadian athlete cheering. Although they're hard to find as it appears that most people have been to HBC and bought some Canadian apparel which makes everyone look like a Canadian Olympic team member. The home team is therefore huge.

As I write this I am watching Cheryl Bernard throw her last rock against team Great Britain. Most, like myself, have trouble getting excited about curling. After looking at so many highlights of impressive control by our Canadian teams, We have become riveted by what is happening at the Curling Centre. So many phenomenal shots and Cheryl's last one, for the win, is long by about 6 inches. She has made this shot many times over the last few weeks. It's a draw. They're not done yet as they will play an extra end. But the pressure rises. I never thought curling could be that exciting but these are the best in the world and they have had a packed house at the venue. Some have said it's the noisiest crowds.

Ladies singles are on the ice starting today. Joannie Rochette will be skating and I suspect will have solid support from the audience .We also have a full schedule with medal events with the short track speed skaters tonight. Things aren't done yet.....

Day 18: Tragic sadness

No, I am not going to call our Canadian hockey team's loss against the USA a tragic sad affair. I can call it many other things..... It is a crushing loss for the team, the Canadian olympic members and most Canadians. But it's only a game. It is a sport and, as I have said before, we can't have 2 winners. It would be terrific if Canada had won. The morale in this Village would have picked up as you could imagine, things aren't as positive as could be in here.

The tragic sadness is late last night, Joannie Rochette's mother died suddenly in her hotel room in Vancouver. She had recently arrived to see her daughter compete as one of the world's top figure skaters. I woke up and learned the news from our CMO (Chief Medical Officer). A few of the docs got together to review some of the sad events. Joannie woke up to learn the same news. Her father was with her, having been allowed an accreditation to enter the Village. The whole Canadian team, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Skate Canada are all joining together to support Joannie during these horrible moments. Our condolences go to her and her family. She has decided that she will compete. I suspect she will be fighting with the strength of her mother as her internal power.

We continue to see some disappointing results from our Canadians which doesn't help morale. Our skicross men's team was down one athlete due to an injury a few days ago and a replacement literally flown in and showed up yesterday to train for one hour on the course and compete. We thought we had come from behind to capture bronze but a nasty wipe out took Chris Delbosco down at the last turn. If you read my post from a few days ago, you will note that I was standing at that curve and described its dangerous 90 degree turn after a high speed jump. That's where Chris flew off. One would assume he was still trying to get ahead by taking the turn close inside and was thrown up way too high and off balance.

On a positive note.....yes there is one! Kristina Groves got her second medal of the Games with a Silver in the 1500 m long track speed skating event. Christine Nesbitt, skating in the last pair almost made it 2 Canadians on the podium but sadly lost time in her last lap and fell to 6th. I guess we could say that today's many clouds ended up with a silver lining.

Tonight we are trying to deal with many bad moments, mainly helping one of our athlete deal with her tragic loss.

Have a good night.