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An unexpected trip home
Updated: Thursday July 19, 2001 3:10 PM
Canadian aerialist Deidra Dionne may become one of the top young athletes of the 2002 Olympic Games. The 19-year-old was named 1999-2000 World Cup female rookie of the year and won a bronze medal at the World Championships in January. Check out Dionne's diary on CNNSI.com as she trains for Salt Lake July 19, 2001 A trip home to see my family and friends is something that I don't take for granted. Being an elite athlete often means moving away from home at a young age to pursue your sport and dream. I moved away from home for the first time at the age of 14. At that time I was living an hour south of Red Deer in Cochrane (Calgary), but it was far enough to make me realize how much I appreciated my family. As I made different teams and got older, I continuously moved farther and farther away from my parents and brothers. Being in Lake Placid, I am farther away than I have ever been. I normally see my family once during May and October. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, but when our first World Cups of the year in Australia were postponed due to the lack of snow Down Under, I jumped at the chance to visit my hometown of Red Deer for a small vacation.
Although it was to be a mini vacation, it wasn't all pleasure as over the last year I have had chronic knee pain. Initially it wasn't holding me back, it was just bothersome. In the last month, more recurring pain had gotten to the point where it was holding me back in some of my training. I was able to water ramp with no pain, but during activities like trampoline and dry land training, I was often unable to finish my workouts. On Monday, July 9 at 11 p.m., I was told by my coaches to go home and get my knee fixed. Tuesday I flew from Montreal (my plane was delayed in Ottawa for one hour) to Calgary where my parents were anxiously awaiting my arrival at the airport. After catching up on the family news on the way to Red Deer, I got to my house, spent some time with my brothers and then crashed. Wednesday started with a call saying they could do the MRI, but I would have to wait at the hospital all day, as they didn't know when they could fit me in. Following the six hours there, I was ready for the scope the next day to be performed in Banff, a three hour drive from Red Deer. I was really excited to be finally getting my knee fixed. The way it was explained to me in Lake Placid was that I would be getting a scope, which is a really simple procedure. They would clean up whatever was wrong and I would be in rehab for no more than three weeks. I didn't even mind the three weeks off spent rehabbing the knee because I knew that it would mean closure to the problem and prevent any future damage. That was the plan, but as everyone knows nothing ever works out as planned. I arrived in Banff, not having eaten in 24 hours (prepared to be put under), to be told that they couldn't find anything structurally wrong with my knee and therefore there was nothing they could do to help me. The best thing the doctor could do was suggest a physiotherapist who could hopefully help me to manage the pain. This news was a real shock to me. I had been told in New York that for sure I needed to get a scope, and for two weeks I had been mentally preparing myself to have my first surgery. I was ready. Although the news I received from the surgeon could be considered good news, at that moment I did not see it that way. I felt frustrated. I was right back to square one. I went there to get my knee fixed, and I left with the feeling nobody knew what was wrong, and there was nothing that could be done to fix it. Now that I have had a few days to think everything over and talk with my coaches and trainers, I realize the news should be considered good. I now know I am not hurting myself further by training with soreness. So now I am at home for another few days enjoying the only time I will have with my family until the end of October. What was initially a forced vacation and an emotional roller coaster, has turned out to be some relaxing time spent with my parents, brothers and friends. On Friday, I will return to Lake Placid to start training, accepting the fact I will need extensive physiotherapy to maintain control of the pain in my knee and to continue training for the upcoming World Cups in Australia in September. -- Dionne What type of land training do you concentrate on in order to increase your core strength and landing ability? -- Jacquie, Banff We start every lifting day with three core exercises, most of them done on the physio ball or on the dynadisc. We also have core and balance workouts twice a week. During these workouts we do a circuit of exercises that include the use of medicine balls, physio balls and dynadiscs. We try to incorporate stabilization into our core-strengthening program. As for working on our landing stability, we do a lot of balancing. We start on one leg and then throw in variables that make it much more difficult, whether it be closing our eyes, adding arm movements, standing on unstable surface (dynadisc) or all three at once. Do you still train during the holidays or do you get time off to see your family? -- Paul Sarenas, Montreal We normally get Christmas off to spend with our families. Depending on the competition schedule, we can be back on the hill in a matter of days or weeks. This upcoming year we have a week off after Christmas before the first World Cup of the year 2002. Do you mind if I show this article to my Grade 7 Guidance class and have them each ask you a couple of questions? Naturally they are following your career with great interest! -- Eva Dionne, Raymore, Sk. I would be delighted to answer questions from anyone in your class. Have any students with questions send them through my website and I will do my best to get back to them! I appreciate all the support!
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