Ellie's Foot Adventure

Since Christmas, I have written at least 20 blog entries--in my head.

I wish there was a way to just transfer those

thoughts, without the tedium of keyboards and slow internet

connections, etc.  

I hereby resolve to actually write down my entries more often!

***

And what motivates me at this time?

Ellie's left foot.

This past Saturday, Ellie's team had their last basketball

tournament, held in Beijing. They were in 2nd place

in their conference (against other international schools), 

but had a whole month off for Christmas and Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), so the other schools were in better physical condition.  And they had become more aggressive.

The refs weren't calling many fouls, so there was a lot of

contact on the floor.  One of Ellie's teammates suffered a 

concussion from hitting her head hard during a fall (no foul

called).  She can't remember the game at all.  Ellie's woes began with a fast breakaway to go set up a play.  Her feet tangled with her defender's (or just maybe she was tripped), and she felt a snap

in her foot as she fell on it.  She tried to get up, felt another snap

and stayed down.  They iced her foot, had her sit out to wait and see if it was just a strain, but in doing the "toe-flicking" test,

pains were shooting up Ellie's legs, so the coach sent her

to get an x-ray--she was pretty sure it was broken.

I have to add here that we weren't at the game.

We were home in TEDA, texting back and forth with her.

 The assistant coach got a taxi and took Ellie to the

SOS International Clinic.  They confirmed in the x-rays that

indeed it was broken (bottom outside bone), but was in-line

and just needed to be stabilized to heal.

 And so she has a cast, toes-to-knee.

And crutches.

 However, she's been getting lots of piggy-back rides.

First, to the taxi.  Then, getting a taxi back to the tournament.

The taxi let them out at the elementary school side 

of the complex, so it was about a 2-block walk to the high

school side--with new crutches and a new cast!  

 I wish we had been there with our driver!

 And now, her classes at school are on the 3rd and 4th floors--and the elevator is not yet in service (it is a new school).  

The principal told Ellie's classmates that extra PE credit would

be given to anyone who gives her a ride up the stairs.

She also made brownies to hand out to helpers yesterday.

So the adventure continues--

a little differently than she had planned.  

Soccer season started yesterday (Alice got on the team) 

and Ellie was supposed to play.  

You see, there is this crazy PE requirement for graduation at this school.  They think you should take PE every year of high school.  In Cedar Falls, you only had to take one semester as a freshman, and then if your schedule was full, you were excused the other years.  So Ellie has to make up 3 years' worth of PE.  She took it 1st semester (for her sophomore year), and has it this semester (for her junior year), and had to be in two sports to make up the last credit.

Not only can't she do soccer, but she's not going to be doing much in PE for the next 6 weeks.  

Actually, she's sad about not doing soccer.   

Unlike basketball, she'd played it before. 

And the P.E. here has been something the girls look forward to--

I know, that seems so weird.  But the teacher keeps it fun, 

with Ultimate Frisbee, or other games, 

and the level of fitness has been good.  

Until  getting into the new school, they didn't have a gym--

PE was either outside on the astro turf (no matter the weather, unless it was a high pollution day) 

or in the large lobby.  

Maybe the key to liking it is because they 

don't change into squirrelly gym outfits.