Vail Training

It is my 3rd trip with the United States Paralympic team and right now we are training in Vail, Colorado before our NorAm races next week. We have been training Super G, GS, and SL for the past four days. I'm really excited because I'm progressing everyday. Everyday I find a new comfort zone and can work on different techniques. I'm really pushing to keep up with everyone else because the Paralympics are in two years! It's not a lot of time. But with a combination of my training at home with Ernie, and my training out here with the team, I think I will keep a good pace. Ernie has helped me build my strength and endurance up for the last two years and it is paying off. I cant wait to race next week to put everything up to the test!

A Phone Call That Will Change My Life Forever

I just got a phone call from Kevin Jardine who is the head coach and director of the US Ski team and he informed me that I am now an official member of the United States Ski Team. The US Ski team consists of three teams A, B, and C. The A and B teams are athletes that have points low enough to be world cup qualified racers. The C team is the development team. I am on the B team. Which means I will now travel with the best racers in the country with the best coaches. I will travel across the world with them now. I have been training and hoping for the last six years to become a part of this team to represent the United States of America in World Cups and the Paralympics. I have waited and worked so hard for this that for a while i thought it was just unrealistic for it to actually happen.
Well it did. Kevin called me and I started shaking as he told me this. " I want to help you get a bite out of the world and make it on the podium" was what he said. I will never forget those words and the feeling in my stomach I got from it.
But I will never forget the one person that brought me to here, right now. Mau. She was the first person I shook hands with when I was 9 years old at Camelback. From that day, to 6 years later, she has built me from a little 9 year old Pennsylvania girl, to an athlete which is now on the US National team. She shaped me and formed me into a strong, independent ski racer. She brought me this far, and I will never forget that as long as I live.

Mom away from Mom : )

Hey it's mom, Deb....

I must add to this saga. Yes Mau, you are Stephanie's mom when she's away. I believe this is trip #3 to the hospital this season? Coach, sister, friend or however you choose to refer her as, it's obvious she is like a mother to Stephanie.

When I first learned of her surgery Tuesday evening I frantically made flight arrangements to arrive in Denver the next morning to be with her. But knowing Mau was by Stephanie's side, a sudden calm came over me and gave me a sense of comfort.

Once I landed in Denver, the two and 1/2 hour drive to Vail was excruciating! I knew time was ticking and I had hoped to be there before they took her into surgery, but realized it was getting late and they had to move forward. Giving consent over the phone to the surgeon and anesthesiologist was so surreal. I began to get nervous. I then asked to speak with Stephanie. A little voice, but brave and confident assuring me that she will be okay. Who was comforting who here?? I told her how much I loved her and I assured her that I would be there when she woke up... Now my only hope was to get there in time... As the shuttle pulled up to the hospital, I received a text from Mau telling me Stephanie was out of surgery and everything went well. Charlie met me in the lobby and brought me to Stephanie's room. Stephanie was still very groggy from the anesthesia and as I walked up to her bed she looked at me and tears started to flow. I too was overwhelmed with relief and, once again so very proud of her.

It was that moment I realized Mau needed a break. LOL, she was like a walking zombie. After all, she hasn't slept since before the red-eye flight back from Alaska the night before. Stephanie stayed in the hospital that night. We were all relieved that the surgery was a success and over! The next day she started therapy. Dr. Sterrett and strength trainer back home, Ernie Baul discussed post-surgery plans.

And last..we cannot forget those who held up the fort back home. Thank you Bob Wineman for stepping up and helping Sarah take care of the animals etc back home.

I've said it before and I'll say it again....Stephanie's determination in proceeding to the Paralympics continues because of your love and support behind her.

Professional

Hey, It's Mau again. My mind wondered all night long, by 6:30am, I had to get up. Sneaked out of the room with Charlie to grab some coffee. Charlie helped me to make a list of last minute questions to the Dr.

10:30am, we wheeled into the Vail Surgery Center as we were told last night. As we checked in with the administration staff, I found out that they were not expecting us, which I wasn't too surprised. I didn't even know till 5pm yesterday! I told her I would be happy to start any necessary paperwork to start the process.

Her first question, "Are you her mom?"

No, do I really look old enough for her mom?!? Maybe. They needed her mom's consent to initiate the surgery process, but she started to talked to her senior staff and nurses, and figured out we could start with her mom's verbal consent over the phone. Very smooth and comfortable correspondence despite the rushed arrangement. Deb was just landed in Denver airport at that time and trying to get on the shuttle bus to Vail.

Charlie came into the room with two cups of coffee.

Administration staff asked, "Are you her dad?"

"No, thank God..."

Nurse came out from the preops room and called Stephanie in. I was still working on the paperworks with Deb on the phone. She asked me, "This is it? Am I going in for good? Should I go pee now?!?" They don't make a set time for surgery, which I thought it was interesting. They just start the operation when the patient is ready. Well, we were not, but somehow I didn't feel rushed nor pushed. Again, very comforting response from the staff.

Dr. Sterett came into her bed with his surgeon dress. He looked much handsome than his Dr. dress. He asked to Stephanie, "Well, which knee are we operating on today?" I knew this was a common ritual questions for all the Ortho surgeries to prevent accident, but Stephanie thought it was funny. "Right and the only one!" I'm sure it was a joke of the OR that day. Dr. Sterett wrote 'Yes' and initialed his name on her right leg.

As Deb passing by Idaho Springs on her shuttle, OR Nurse, Anesthesia Dr. and Recovery Nurse took turn on the phone to explain what they will do and read all the waiver of liability for the surgery. Nurse explained,"... understand there are risk of blood loss, joint damage, blood clot, brain injury.... are you doing ok, Deb?.... and possible limb loss.... " I'm sure she was freaking out!!!!! But it was very thorough job by all the Drs and Nurses. I had to talk myself into that it was a good decision last night. All the conversation with their staff made me comfortable and confident about this big decision. They are definitely professional who proud about what they do everyday.

Stephanie did well during the preparation, which made me very proud. She asked questions honestly, responded nurses questions well with her cheerful charm. I added some more medical history and her ski racing experiences to her answers as needed.

"You girls are like sisters! Must known each other for a long time."

Sisters, yeah, that's more like it. I've know Stephanie for 6 years and I was thinking about last 6 years of great adventures with her while she was in the OR. Stephanie went in the OR 12:05. A nurse called me as she came back to the room around 12:50, when I received Deb's TXT "I'm here." Everything went well. It was a well orchestrated procedure by dedicated professionals.

I drove Charlie back home in the afternoon. We bought a lottery ticket at the gas station.

Synchronicity

Hey, it's Mau. I'm writing today & tomorrow's entry for Stephanie, and you will see why I'm writing it......

So, right after the SL race on Sunday the 27th, we had a wonderful banquet dinner and then we took a shuttle to the Anchorage airport. Got in around 9:30pm, it was earlier than we planned, but we wanted to check in our luggages ahead of big team like CAN team and NSCD team. Our flight left 00:30, which is technically next morning and we flew red-eye flight to Seattle and then to Denver. With her knee hurting from the fall from the SL race on Sunday, I'm sure it was uncomfortable flight for her, but we hanged on the long flight because we had a 'hope'.

The 'hope' was provided by Gwynn & Ray. They have been recognizing Stephanie's needs to see Ortho Dr. to figure out what's really causing her knee pain. Ray arranged an appointment for consultation with Dr. Sterett at The Steadman Clinic who is the head physician for the US Women's Ski Team. Yeap, he is the Dr. who evaluated Lindsey Vonn after her concussion this February. We were hoping this world-class knee Dr. would tell us what the best thing to do.

Our flight landed on time 10:30 am. I called my husband Charlie as soon as I got out of the gate to arrange our pick up. He answered, "I'm still in George Town......" Because of the snow, they closed the Barthoud Pass in the morning, so he had to go around through Klemmling back on I-70 from Silverthon. Our appointment with Dr. Sterett was 2pm, so I knew we would be late at this moment. I panicked a little, yet I was so tired that all I could think about is just keep going. Charlie picked us up noon and we were on our way to Vail. Of course our car's side window broke, so I had to drive with the window open for a while, then the snow started, so we had to tape a paint cloth..... AUGH!!!

Despite an hour delay to our original appointment, the team of Dr. Sterett accepted us and gave us a clear crisp diagnosis for her knee condition. She has medial plica syndrome, which is caused by repetitive use of the knee joint, the tissue in the knee joint folded over and wrinkled at medial side of the knee by the femoral condyle. This gives her irritation from over use and creates swelling and knee pain. Most of us have this condition in different degree, but Dr. Sterett told us that it will be beneficial for her to surgically remove it.

Dr. Sterett, "So, how soon would you like to have this surgery done?"

Me & Stephanie thinking about the summer training camp, "As soon as possible! Even tomorrow!"

Dr. Sterett looked at his PA and said, "Ok, will do it tomorrow then!"

We looked each other, "Really? Well, really?!?"

My brain started to run 100miles/hour after this conversation. Well, how soon can I bring her mom to fly from PA? How should I explain to her mom anyways? Where should we stay tonight? What should I do with Charlie? (he has been patiently waiting out side of office for 2 hours, ready to go back home) Does she have enough time to start PT here? What should she do for SkiTAM? Well, CAN I GO HOME TONIGHT?!?

While Dr. Sterett team arranging the surgery for tomorrow, I went out to the lobby to ask Charlie' "Can you take a day off tomorrow?" "What do you mean?" Fair thing for him to ask, but he already knew he had to take tomorrow off, didn't need to understand why. Dr. Sterett called OR, Charlie called his boss, and I called Stephanie's mom.

Thanks to my friend Jimi & Ryoko, we found a place to settle in Avon tonight. After we stumbled into the motel in a sleep-deprived stupor, I had just a enough energy left to think and wonder, "Somebody must have planned our day. This must be the synchronicity!" Stephanie started to ask random teenager questions about her surgery. I didn't have energy left to answer them. I'm sure she won't sleep well tonight..... It was a long day.

SL

GS