Sunday, August 31, 2008

A Journey to Remember


In her own words, Sydney tells her story.






A Journey To Remember
by
Sydney Carlson




It was my last turn to try and make the best round off back tuck on that day of July 17th, 2008, so I put my arms by my ears, my right foot in front of me with my toes pointed and my legs straight. I lifted my leg, put my hands on the beam and kicked my feet over top of my head. It was at that moment when I realized that stinkin left foot was just not going to meet the beam, but even though it wasn’t going to I was still going to try my hardest to use all the power in my right leg to make the back tuck all the way around and stick it and that’s just what I did but unfortunately I missed the all the way around part and landed on my neck. That’s when I heard it, the crunching of my C5 and C6 vertebrae. I wasn’t quite sure what to think, should I yell for help or should I get so frustrated that I could just not contain myself? That’s when I chose to yell for ice and began to stand up when one of my coaches, Kayla Whipple, who is also training to become a paramedic told me to lay down and DON’T MOVE!!! It was at that moment that I began my journey of courage. As the paramedics arrived and put me on the most uncomfortable board EVER it was pretty near impossible to have positive thoughts but all I could do was try and just think that everything would be ok. Before I knew it I was being released from the hospital and everything was going to be ok (or so I thought). So there we went, back to the gym to let every one know I was going to be ok. As I showed everyone my scrapbook pages that I planned to enter in the stampede, that’s when we got the call to get our butts back to the hospital (as Eva would say). Oh good lord did I have to pee so badly, and that’s when the bad news came, they were going to stick a catheter up there!!! Literately I thought it was the worst thing ever until I got the news that I had broken my neck. So this was it, all those times climbing on the fence and the trees at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house with Grandma yelling at me that I was going to fall and break my neck and it just so happened it wasn’t the fence or the trees, it was the beam. So they rushed me to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary by air ambulance, where I thought I was going to have the world’s worst experience there, but being there with my wonderful nurses Heather, Stephanie, and all the other nurses and being around all the sick children just made me realize how much we take for granted in life. After a horrible sleep that night the doctor came into my room with the news that seemed horrible but could, in the end possibly save my life, I was going to have to wear a halo. So here I am halo and all enjoying life to what right now is it’s fullest! There are a few good things about it though; I don’t have to pay for my cell phone for 5 or 6 months, I get out of carrying groceries for a while, and a lot more, and even though there are more bad things than good things all I can do is think positive and this will all be over in the blink of and eye. Like I said on my first walk in the hospital after the incident “whatever it takes”. And now when Grandma yells after me saying “you are going to fall and break your neck,” I can just say it has already been done. And even though most people think I am absolutely insane for going back to gymnastics I plan to go back and put my heart and soul back into it and “SHOW EM WHAT IM MADE OF!!!!”

Friday, August 29, 2008

Hawaii Meet

Attention all Competitive Parents!!!

We have the opportunity to go the the Aloha Gymfest (hosted by Kokoahi Gym Team)!!!

Where: Near Honolulu, HI
When: Tentatively January 15-January 21, 2009

Registration Cost: $90- level 7-10
$70- level 4-6
$25.00 for USA Gymnastics Number (required)


Flights so far are around $900.00 but we are waiting for a group rate. We will request that a few parents join us to help look after the kids. It is important to get your passports ASAP if you intend to go (can't go without one!). If your child is going then we need to know as soon as possible as we need to register as of yesterday (I know it's a little late of notice).

Please email me when you decide if your child can come or not :)

gymnfly@gmail.com

Feel free to look at the website for some information:

http://www.kokokahigymnastics.com/aloha.htm

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Groups

Grouping for this year will be announced within the next two weeks. Coaches have been announced with the time table. If you have any questions thus far please speak to your coach(s).

New Groups

Please see the dates that you will be training below

Provincial Level 1 and 2:
Kristin

Tuesday: 4:30-8:30
Thursday: 4:30- 8:30
Friday: 4:30- 9:00

Provincial Level 2:
Kayla

Tuesday: 4:30-8:30
Thursday: 4:30-8:30
Friday: 4:30-9:00

Provincial Level 3+, National:
Becca and Eva

Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Tuesday: 4:30-8:30
Wednesday (optional)
Thursday: 4:30-9:00
Friday: 4:30- 9:00

Pre-Novice
Eva and Becca

Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Tuesday: 4:30-8:30
Thursday: 4:30-9:00
Friday: 4:30- 9:00

Pre-Competitive (old Silver group):

TBD

Boys Competitive

Dave

Sunday: 9:00-11:30
Wednesday: 4:30-7:00

Wall-E Fun!


After the big parade we all decided to go see a movie... WALL-e.... and what a fantastic movie it was!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Parade Pictures!

Thanks to the McCubbin's for taking the pictures!











Sunday, August 17, 2008

OPEN HOUSE!!!

There will be a Open House for Recreation Gymasts on:

September 13, 2006 at Salta

10:00 am - 4:00pm

See you there!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Watching the Olympics on TV

I am really impressed with how the Olympics are being covered. For those who don't know, you can watch it live (without commentating or commercials!)and you can see more gymnastics! Click here

When you get there, be sure to change the schedule time (it's in the right side of your screen) to Calgary. This will display all the Olympic events. The events will be highlighted when they are playing and you just choose what you want to watch live!!!

Monday, August 04, 2008

Please Bring...

Please be sure to send your little athletes to the gym with the following:

A HEALTHY lunch
water bottle with name
Runners
2 pairs of wrist bands
a pair of COTTON socks
a long sleeve t-shirt (if you don't want trampoline burn)
a binder with your name on it



Also, if anyone has any old backpacks kickin' around we could sure use them!

The Parade!

A huge thanks to everyone who helped with the parade preparations! A special thanks to Lewis- our driver.. aka...Dukes and to Davis Construction for donating the trailer and the truck. A special thanks to the parents/athletes who came in to set up and take down the float. We all had a blast and look forward to another success next year!


It's Syd!

Sydney returned last week with some fancy accessories! You look amazing kid!