Second-Life Obsessions

PART THREE:

Since Ethan gets driven around everywhere for the games and me and baby took the tube we were happy to accept when Ethan asked if we wanted to ride over with him and the 2 tandems representing Team GB in Beach Volleyball to the HGP. Zara and Shauna (who i’ve talked quite a bit about) for the Women’s side and John Garcia-Thompson and Steve Grotowski for the men’s side and their coaches, along with SEVERAL other Teams. 

Today was my first day getting to REALLY see other athletes, outside the Commonwealth, practice. It was really a special experience too. The top teams were out there pounding away. My American friends met us there and i got a chance to explore with them again around the side courts and the center court of the HGP before the athletes took to the sand. It’s incredible how it’s all come together the last few days. Massive. Brilliant. Perfect. 

If Ethan could he would spend all his time here. He adores the sport and all the athletes have such a respect for him and his desire to try new things on all of them to get them to their best. I know he is a Team GB supporter but the whole reason he is so respected by all the beach athletes is because his desire is to medically get the worst to their best and make the best even better, no matter what country they are from. You have to admire commitment like that. 

It was also nice to meet those pesky Americans Misty May and Kerri Walsh. They are just the sweetest people ever! I know my American mates were over the moon to be meeting them. Allowing my American flatmates to meet Misty and Kerri also set me up for the biggest surprise of the day. 

Some foreign colleagues of Ethan’s were around to help their teams and he was wanting to introduce me to them and especially to a medical tandem who were a Husband and Wife team. I left my baby in the care of my American mates (one of which is my former flatmate who is Jameson’s godparent) who were chatting it up with Misty and Kerri and the two other American athletes, apologies for not knowing their names, i’m trying to make an effort to learn them all, Ethan could tell you plus some personal fact he has learned about them by now. I was gone for MAYBE an hour. And by gone i mean standing outside the medical clinic door where they were with my baby. When i got back, all was fine. Baby was sitting on the lap of my former American flatmate’s lap and the Americans were having their legs rubbed out by their physicians or using the ice baths. 

It wasn’t until i went to change my babies diaper a bit later that we noticed just what had happened. He soiled his diaper quite badly while at the HGP. Apparently, Kerri Walsh, is a mother of 2 young children in diapers. They routinely come with her to competitions and she rarely cleans out her bag. So instead of coming to get a diaper from me, they got several diapers from her to change my baby with. 

Yes…my baby was unknowingly the victim of this American prank! We had a good laugh and i changed him back but later when i went to change him again, he was found in another Team USA diaper. I now wonder how many times throughout these games this will happen to his little Team GB behind! 

PART TWO:

After i had unpacked the clinic i went back home to get dressed in my own Team GB kit and to get baby dressed in his. Someone asked the question or made the comment i should be on the payroll too…i actually get something MUCH BETTER then money for assisting my Husband for FREE during the games…Medical School CREDIT. The entire games will be equivalent to TWO classes i DONT have to take this next term. As a mother of a young child and a relatively new wife in the middle of medical school, you come to appreciate the small sacrifices for more TIME in the long of it. It’s also giving me the experience i need to start the interdisciplinary process for Sports Psychology. How fitting for my family. Ethan the Sports Physician and me the Sports Psychologist. What a team. 

My American mates took off to visit with people they hadn’t seen since leaving London and i took baby to meet up with Ethan at the Olympic Village to assist in teaching the Health and SAFETY awareness class (now this i am actually getting paid for because well…it’s odd) to Team GB. 

After getting my guest pass and going through processing it was about time to have a late breakfast. The cafeteria is HUGE and full of every genre of food from EVERY country…plus a McDonalds. Important and Healthy? The line wasn’t long there; at all. We ate with members of the Team GB/Team USA/Team NZ medical teams and within a stones throw of Team GB athletes. We were getting the mickey torn out of us by the USA docs because of the class we had to teach. They had to do theirs today too but a husband and wife tandem teaching the class with their infant in the room was and is very comical to the Americans. 

After we were fed we had the class. I mixed in with the athletes just to get to know them. Most of them knew my husband and a few had even seen me around. I sat with Zara and Shauna from Team GB beach volleyball (I absolutely adore these girls! They are the highlight of my visits to HGP and i try and time it with them so i can see them every time i visit) through the first half of the presentation before it got to my part. Also…bit of ROYAL NEWS…Zara Phillips is staying in the Olympic Village and had to sit through the presentation. No Royal perks for her! But, like i’ve said…a lot of sex happens at the Olympic Village. In order to prevent pregnancies and diseases…we ask them to cover up. Reminding the athletes of that is as hilarious as it is uncomfortable. Not only were they given condoms in their welcome packages but we had them set out for the athletes and all of them were taken! mind boggling! 

After me and Baby went to the Team GB Medical clinic to watch daddy do a bit of work. We layed on the tables and got to meet world class athletes and have a giggle with members of the football team (who you see) and chat up plenty of others today. Baby was looking awfully cute laying on the medical tables as well. 

After, we got to sit in the room and watch Ethan do his first ever TEAM GB medical press conference. There have already been a few medical injuries before the games have even begun and today Ethan was the one to give the Medical Update to the press. this is a daily thing but the responsibility is rotated amongst the physicians. By the time this excitement was all over…it was 11.30am. 

Yes, i said it…11.30am. I was EXHAUSTED. We had done ALL of this before 11.30am. Poor Ethan was the one who has to keep going. Fortunately for us, our days events were about to come to a close…

Today is going to be one of those Picture posts where i post it after it happens (almost, most of today’s events have already happened). 

It’s been a very busy day and i’ve suddenly come to the realization that having a husband whose a Team GB physician is a FAMILY affair. He’s one man and can’t be everywhere, but his wife, she can be places too…and his wives mates…they can be places as well. We played tag along and have been riding the Olympic coattails of my husband.

Early this morning Ethan recieved a phone call from BOA changing his venue coverage from The ExCel to the aquatic Centre. I think he was more confused by this than anyone. He’s got far more experience with the events going on in the ExCel then with water sports. Not to say he doesn’t have experience, he ran the medical team at the Olympic Trials for swim and was on the team for the dive trials, he just prefers the demands of weight sports. So, needless to say, he was a bit panicked having never prepared for the coverage. He straight way sent for his things from ExCeL and i was made to come with him in the morning to help him out. I wouldnt complaint except i got 2 hours of sleep last night. 

So, early this morning was my very first insight into the world of Olympic swimming. The centre is MASSIVE. i’ve never seen a place with so many seats. While i was standing around waiting for Ethan to give me direction the participants for the Olympics started to arrive to see the place for the first time. I won’t lie, i teared up a bit watching the look of awe on their faces mixed with tears and nerves. I watched a bit of their practice before Ethan collected me on my first assignment. 

Unpack the medical clinic. 

His things arrived from the ExCeL and he had to start warm down therapy and couldnt help. Perfect timing, right? Daunting task. Picture included. I dont think he would have allowed anyone else to do it though because he knows i know exactly how he wants things to be set up. This is going to be his PERSONAL clinic at the aquatics centre for the next few weeks and its important it’s perfect. The main clinic at the aquatic centre is about quadruple the size and is host to all the nations but his personal clinic will be for Team GB use and will be used for more serious cases. It actually didn’t take long and i got to meet Michael Phelps from Team USA!!

So, that was PART ONE of today. 

This has been one of the most exciting days since finding out my husband was going to be a Team GB physician. I know life is only going to get more exciting but i have to share my life with you guys for the next few weeks. If you want an insight to the Olympics, you’ll appreciate my posts. 

For starters. We have 3 Team GB supporters staying in our house right now (me, Ethan, and our son Jameson) and 4 Team USA supporters (2 Team USA doctors, and 2 of my best American gals). When putting up decorations its important not to leave anyone out so today we completed decorations with a mixed GB/USA theme, all the way down to our medal count poster. 

Next, Ethan was drawn, along with a sorted few, to represent the medical team for Team GB and WALK in the Opening and Closing ceremonies with Team GB. I told him it’s because he’s young and hot and looks like he could be an Olympic participant anyways. We have known about this for a while but he was upset that he wasn’t going to get to see the ceremonies from the stands. TONIGHT was the Technical rehearsal for the Opening Ceremonies and The BOA (British Olympic Association) gave Ethan passes to attend. We had excellent seats and got to see the entire show. one of my favourites. I will be there for the actual opening but seeing this preview…the energy was brilliant! Ethan was so excited. It was cute to see him smile. We love this country! It was very casual a setting and a lovely LAST date night before i lose my husband completely. 

He’s a slave to his work now. With the athletes arrived he has been splitting his time between the Horse Guards Parade (i will from now on refer to this as HGP) and the ExCel Centre. Today especially. He had to meet me at the Olympic Stadium for the rehearsal and was still in his work kit. We got home a short while ago after some fireworks and Ethan was asleep before getting a chance to change. He’s got to be awake in 3 hours and at the ExCel in 4 hours. He’ll be there until midday before going back to HGP to run the medical team and patch up athletes after and during their practices. 

In the middle of all of that, he’s got to find time to go to the Olympic Village to teach a health and safety awareness to Team GB athletes. Emphasis on the safety part…and sex safety at that. Because, even though they are world class athletes, the amount of transmitted diseases that come from each games is outrageous. I will be assisting him in the presentation. Bonus points to me for earning medical school credit during my summer vacation by assisting my husband periodically during the games! He may not be looking forward to the presentation but i am looking forward to gaining access to the Olympic Village and having a look about! 

Expect more pictures!

Has anyone got any Olympic stories to tell? Or anyone want to share their plans for the Olympics?