Where has the time gone? I have been in Beijing now for one month! I can't believe it! Yesterday finished the first full week of school for the students to be back as well as the first full week of sports being started. Aside from one day this week, it has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Blue skies everyday except one. That one day I really felt the pollution in the air and in my lungs. I was told it was actually pretty low considering the winter readings. Yay! (I say that with a sarcastic tone.)
Not much really happened this week. I had my first injury on Monday. A student was out at a club and was shoved off the stage by a bouncer and sprained his ankle. From talking to the kid and then an encounter with the father, it was pretty bad. The injury occurred on Saturday, but I saw the kid on Monday afternoon. It seems as though the kid came to school on Monday and the nurse sent him straight to the Emergency Room at one of the hospitals so that x-rays could have been taken. When I saw the kid that afternoon he was on crutches and had an air-splint on, and zero swelling. I asked about the injury and he allowed me to evaluate him, actually the coach made me evaluate him. (Not really made me, but asked me to!) On evaluation I looked at the kid and said "Dude, this is nothing-a grade 1, maybe a grade 1+ ankle sprain. If you would have seen me prior to the nurse, I would not have sent you the ER, and I would have saved you money!" Now, I have nothing against nurses and please don't read into this-but when it comes to injuries (orthopedic in nature), Athletic Trainers are probably the most qualified profession to evaluate that injury, next to orthopedists. Nurses are fantastic at what they do, physiotherapist/physical therapists are as well; but ATC are equally fantastic at our jobs.
After telling him my opinion, rehab started. Poor kid had no idea he was going to get a workout! I ran him through some exercises for about an hour and had him off his crutches at days end. Sent him home with ice and exercises to do. I continued to see him daily this week and by weeks end, he was back in practice. In fact today, he played in a match on the sand! The father came to the office today to see me. When he realized who I was he asked me "What did you do to my son? He was sent to the ER on Monday and put on crutches and came home off them? Now he is practicing?" My reply was "I'm just doing my job! If I would have seen him in the morning, I would not have sent him to the hospital, instead I would have worked with him like I did." He responsed "Well your not a nurse." "Exactly, I am an Athletic Trainer, and that is how we handle injuries!" He was then appreciative, but still a little concerned.
On Wednesday, a friend came into Beijing I had met on an online chat site-we hit it off because he was biking throughout Asia. He has been biking for the past year and half. Before biking he was in marketing and hated his job. So he sold everything he had, bought a bike and a pack and started biking. So far he has biked through mainland Asia, Vietnam, Europe and is in Korea now and when finished in Korea he is going to New Zealand. He was showing me some photos of Shangri-La, Tibet, Chengde and all I can say is this world has some beautiful places in it; and I have only scratched the surface! It is so cool to hear about experiences of other adventurers-it really energizes me.
On Thursday and Friday I also met with the Assistant Principles of each school level here and discussed being a substitute teacher. I am now on the top of the list for subbing in each section of the school, in fact on Monday I get to sub for one block, 8th grade science. Excited to get started doing this! I have to make some extra money for my Christmas vacation.
Today we had the annual welcome picnic for all the new families to WAB. It included games, music, cake and traditional Chinese Dragon dancers. The cool thing about this school is that in everything they do, the Chinese culture is always present. Here are a few photos from the Dragon Dancers.
Tomorrow I will have lunch with my AD and his partner down in 798. This is the art district of Beijing. From the photos online, this may be my new favorite place. I will take a gander there tomorrow and will be back I am sure with my "real" camera to capture the area. I can already see me loving this place!
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