Take your rusks and run!

Sitting in the mall parking lot last night: before Lisa got out to go pay her parking ticket she said, "If they want the car, give it to them. Take your rusks and run!" For those of you who have experienced the delicious sweet treats that are South African rusks, you understand this completely. What good life lessons I'm learning here in SA.

Had to snap a picture of my nickname,
even if it is accompanied by zebra rears

Yesterday was spent observing the intern biokineticists on and off at the campus gym. In American terms, I believe a biokineticist ("bio") would most likely still be considered a physical therapist in the States. They are the ones who see patients after they’ve been treated by a physiotherapist ("physio"), but before they can begin the rehabilitation process a patient must be pain free. If pain is present upon evaluation, a patient will be sent back to the physio. Bios remind me of some sports PTs I have observed in the States. They have the Four Phases of Rehab each patient goes through: Phase I involves core strengthening/balance, Phase II involves strength training, Phase III works on plyometric/explosive movements, and Phase IV focuses on specific sport(s) performance. College differs greatly between the States and SA. After completion of Grade 12, students begin university (aka college) in SA like we do, but they choose a professional field right off the bat and pursue that for the 4-5 years. The whole "undergraduate school" concept is taken right off the table. For instance, physio students study for four years after high school and are then a qualified therapist! Students here cannot believe the fact that I will have to do seven years total of schooling, and Eric will have to do even more for medical school. Although a shorter time in school initially sounds like a great idea, I can see the pros and cons to both systems. The States' undergrad system gives students time to decide what profession they want to pursue, as well as the opportunity to take a variety of classes that do not necessarily contribute to a specific field of study. But for people like me who basically knew I wanted to pursue PT during my first year at ASU, I would not have minded this year marking the end of ALL of my schooling, unless I had wanted to pursue a Masters (which some students do in SA). Then again, those four years would have been much more jam-packed with all day classes, practicals, and even required work experience on campus or in the community. In my mind I would have missed out on the whole "college" experience, but not having three more years of PT school to pay for/applications to work on the day I get back to the States sounds pretty appealing right now.

Drummers that led the processional
of professors

We thought it was neat that the graduates walked
between two rows of their professors before entering

After watching part of the Masters and Doctoral students’ graduation ceremony this morning, we have spent the day trying to pay our accommodation fees, which has proven more difficult than expected. We will meet with Marlene, the Sport & Exercise Medicine Research Coordinator, later today to give feedback about the program. She has been a significant part of our time here at UFS, sort of like our campus mom. Once she found out we were required to pay for certain transportation to clinics, she took it upon herself to organize rides and free transport. We do not have much else scheduled for the next couple days as our program winds down. I cannot believe it is already coming to a close!

Looked similar to something you'd see in the States,
except for the chancellor sitting in a throne-like chair that
students stopped at to do a sort of bow and shake his hand

Only two days left of my South African adventure!

The Drakensberg aka "Dragon's Back"

My cozy view from the lodge
waiting for the clouds to clear.
Not too shabby, eh?

What an amazing weekend spent with the Coetzee family at our new home away from home! Not only was I able to see South African life outside of Bloemfontein, but I also received some much-needed family time that I had not even realized I was missing. Our weekend adventure began Friday afternoon after a morning case review session back at National District Hospital with the medical students. After a pit stop for lunch in the infamous village of Clarens (a small, touristy, artist town), we made it to Lisa’s house in time for a delicious dinner with her family. They live in Nottingham Road, KwaZulu-Natal, which we were told is South Africa’s “Hamptons”. Needless to say, we had a spectacular weekend, enjoyed delicious food and warm hospitality, and we finally got to see the Drakensberg! Saturday was spent sightseeing and taking a trip to the museum at Nelson Mandela’s capture site. That evening, the Coetzee’s provided us with the one thing I have heard mentioned countless times and have been dying to try… a braai. Everyone has told us that American cookouts and barbeques have nothing on a South African braai, and I’ll be the first to say that I was not let down. Between that and the endless supply of coffee, tea, rusks, and Mrs. Coetzee’s crunchies (yes, I got the recipe), I do believe I ate my weight’s worth in home-cooking and have absolutely no regrets. Sunday was spent making the

Champagne Castle peak once the clouds cleared,
far away but still amazing

hour drive to Champagne Castle Peak, which is part of the Drakensberg mountain range that extends from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo and borders the country of Lesotho. It is the highest range in South Africa, and known in Zulu as the uKhahlamba or “Barrier of Spears”. After driving along part of the range, we stopped for tea and biscuits at a lodge and waited out for the clouds to clear so we could see the actual peak. The resulting view was worth the wait, and pictures do not even begin to do it justice! The scenery we saw on the drive to KwaZulu-Natal was great, but seeing the Drakensberg was icing on the cake.

Statue of Mandela's profile
near his capture site

Monday was spent driving back to Bloemfontein and getting settled back on campus. Today marked the beginning of our last week in SA! We spent it at a local facility that combines physiotherapy, rehabilitation, biokinetics, hydrotherapy, and workout classes. Eric and I were definitely not expecting to arrive and jump right into an intermediate pilates class at 8AM this morning. Although I instantly regretted my decision to wear jeans today (I do not recommend doing pilates in jeans for those of you that ever considered it), we got a great workout and enjoyed experiencing a class the biokineticists prescribe some patients. It was interesting to see the complete progression one patient can make from injury through rehabilitation all in one place. The facilities were very nice and Dr. Vlok let us observe his initial analyses of a few patients in his biomechanics lab. Watching him use EMG, gait analysis, and other techniques to determine each issue made me want to pursue PT all the more. I am thankful that the countless physio observations I have made the past four weeks have reaffirmed my decision to pursue a career in physical therapy.

Sunset during the weekend's roadtrip

I cannot believe there are only three days left of our sports medicine program here at UFS! It has been an incredible experience so far, full of amazing people and opportunities. I’m definitely not ready to leave South Africa quite yet. I may or may not already be planning a visit back next year…

With Lisa and her mom, Linda.
I have deemed myself an honorary Coetzee!

Scrub up!

A trip to the theatre this morning was not followed with popcorn and a movie, but instead almost five hours worth of orthopedic surgeries ("theatre" is another term for operating room). Unsure of how my body would respond to seeing the insides of live humans, since I have never observed such operations before, I was slightly nervous upon arrival to Pelonomi Hospital at 6:50AM this morning. After being told to dress warm, I regretted my three layers when dropped off to scrub up in the women's bathroom not quite knowing what to do. I put the orange shirt and pants over my coat and jeans because I didn't want to leave my belongings behind. I'm sure you can imagine the bulky prisoner look I was rocking when I met up with Eric and Dr. Pelser upstairs (no pictures, sorry). Feeling very awkward, it was a relief to see them sporting the same look, slippers and all. We got to observe the repair of one radial head, one scaphoid, and two metacarpal fractures. Dr. Pelser is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hands, which explains the three surgeries we saw. Although I'm sure Eric (the future orthopedist) was hoping to see more, I was very content with the smaller bones, as it was a good start for the girl who has never been in an operating room before. It is always amusing to tell the doctors and medical students I'm studying to be a physio because I can tell they wonder what I'm doing there. Needless to say, I had an exciting morning, discovered that I look super attractive in orange scrubs, saw what the inside of an arm looks like, learned a lot, and did NOT pass out. I was honestly preparing myself for the last one to happen, so I was extremely proud when our time was up and I had maintained consciousness the whole time. For the record, I still have no desire to be a surgeon but am thankful for those who do!

We observed in the orthopedic ward at another state hospital Tuesday, which is where we met Dr. Pelser. I have not had much medical experience, so it was fascinating to see his examination of minor issues and explore some of the facility. Many patients generously allowed us to observe and were even willing to converse in English. I feel like I have told our backstory hundreds of times by now, but it is still nice when people take interest in where we are from and share about themselves as well. We even got to meet Father Christmas, long white beard and belly like a bowl full of jelly (well, the man who gets paid to portray him in the local malls). People like him and explanations of many injuries I knew nothing about made for a good day.

Shaun, a physiotherapist at Dr. Holtzhausen’s sports clinic, let us tag along with him to work with Bloemfontein's cricket team (The Knights) Wednesday morning. Although their season does not officially start until October, a few of the players had a conditioning session, with one recovering from a serious ankle injury. Before it began, we were given a tour of the field and locker rooms, as well as a crash course on cricket. Knowing nothing about the sport before coming here, I definitely have a new appreciation for both it and rugby.

 

  

         Tomorrow, we will be back in the orthopedic ward with Dr. Pelser before ending the day early to leave town for the weekend. A friend has invited us to spend the weekend with her family at her parents’ house in KwaZulu-Natal near the Drakensberg. Words cannot describe how excited I am for the chance to see the beautiful mountain range we have heard so much about. Bloemfontein is great, but it will be nice to say I experienced a bit more of South Africa than just this one city. We’re even planning to pass through Clarens on the way. Not sure what internet connection will be like there, so I may not get another chance to blog until next week. Thanks to those who have stuck with my blog!

Baby leopards and blood duty

Another whirlwind of a weekend has come and gone. Today is Youth Day, a public holiday, so it was nice to sleep in, catch up on laundry, go for a much needed run, and just have a breather. The pastor of the church we visited and his wife (who turned out to be the Research Director at UFS that we spent time with our first week here) have invited us over for supper tonight, so I am looking forward to a home cooked meal and good conversation.

Oh hey baby leopard that we got
to practically sit and play with

After our morning with the kinderkineticists on Friday, our physio friend (Marna) took Eric and me to the local Cheetah Experience. We'd heard great reviews about it, plus who could pass up the chance to spend the afternoon up close and personal with a bunch of cheetahs for only $10? I know you could see all of these animals in the States, but there was something special about doing so in their native land (except for the Canadian wolves). Although we were not allowed in some of the cages, the lions and jaguars, I don't know that I would have wanted to if given the option seeing as it was dinner time. The animals got anxious every time we walked by expecting us to have their food, which was neat to see them so active. We even got to watch some of the feedings. The whole reserve started a few years ago back with a single cheetah that now roams the property, in and out of the owner's house, and even sleeps in her bed like a dog. Between all the cats roaming around, we were ensured they never have a problem with people attempting to break in. Hardeee har har! Check out Eric's blog for more pictures.

You guessed it. This is the pet cheetah that sleeps in
the house and gets served dinner in a dish.

Not the best quality, but had to get a shot of the
team's sign we pass on our 20 minute walks to the field.

Friday night, we were put on "blood duty" at the University's rugby game. And yes it was exactly as it sounds, for we were given gloves and gauze to stuff our pockets with and instructions to follow the physios on the field if a big group of players went down and they needed extra hands to control the bleeding and injuries. It made for an exciting game running around on the sidelines (me on one and Eric on the other) minus the fact that no serious injuries occurred. Afterwards, we got to celebrate the win in the team's "lounge" with the players, coaches, doctors, and physios. Although a little intimidating to be one of four girls in the crowd, it was fun to be around such a relaxed environment with the players and coaches alike.

My view from the sidelines

South Africa played Scotland in rugby yesterday, so naturally we spent the entire evening watching it with some medical students we had met earlier in the week. When in South Africa do as the South Africans do, right? It was a great evening spent with new friends, delicious food, and plenty of cheering at South Africa's victory (sorry, Brits). It will be good to get back in the groove of things with our program tomorrow after a long weekend. Apparently, this week will be spent at some state hospitals (what the students and faculty refer to as "third world" compared to the private ones we have seen so far).

A mix of South African, British, and American medical
students watching the game

Sloppy runners

Where has the time gone? I cannot believe that two weeks have already flown by and only two more left in this amazing country. I may have already consumed enough coffee and tea to last a lifetime (it is offered multiple times throughout the day at every place we go; have I mentioned how much I love SA hospitality?), but no way am I ready to part with this place yet!

Wednesday was spent back at the Cheetahs stadium observing Christiene do physio with the rugby players. Since I did not want to go to the theatre (aka operating room) with Eric to watch orthopedic surgery performed all day, I decided to spend more time with the physios. Given the option between bloody shoulder operations and rugby players, naturally I chose the latter. It was great to see many of the same guys from last week and the progress most had made. And since it was a slower day appointment-wise for Christiene, we had a worthy excuse to spend more time drinking coffee, gabbing, and swapping stories. I do love being a girl sometimes! Playing with one of the guy’s beagle puppy was not so bad either. Am I learning anything through all this fun you ask? 100% yes! Between the endless supply of anatomy, physiology, biokinetic and physiotherapy lessons I receive everyday, I’ve also been blessed to hear amazing stories, learn life lessons, and really get to know some of the people we have crossed paths with.

Christiene gave me a tour of the Cheetah's locker room aka the Players Den.
Complete with a stocked bar, bear skin rugs, and jacuzzi, I would not
have minded staying in there the rest of the day.

Thursday was so stinkin’ cool! We were dropped off to spend the day at Anton Kemp’s runner’s lab. Anton is a foot specialist who makes orthotics and prosthetics for his patients (did I mention he is also a 3-time Iron Man competitor?). Typically, patients will come in to his office after many unsuccessful attempts with orthopedists, physios, etc. for foot/leg pain relief. He will analyze and record their walking or running pattern on an elongated force plate, show them the problem areas, and then offer to personally make an orthotic (when necessary) to correct the problem. The solution to almost every runner’s problem is the fact that they run with a heel-strike pattern, which is actually detrimental to the ankle, knee, and hip joints. Although he does not prescribe barefoot running as a solution, he does offer a type of shoe that promotes a mid-foot strike and an easy fix to so many athletes’ problems. In my Biomechanics class last semester, we briefly learned about the foot strike pattern, and why a mid-foot strike is much better for the body, as it reduces the ground force reactions, etc. It was neat to see that information applied. After a patient had cancelled her afternoon session, he even analyzed our running styles! I consider myself a runner, but turns out I'm a sloppy one. Needless to say, it was beneficial to hear what I should work on to improve my style and enjoy running even more. The only thing that could have made the day better was receiving a free pair of Newton mid-strike running shoes.

Eric's foot analysis of rotation, pressure points, alignment, etc.
after running on the force plates. We even got to keep the print outs. 

Anton working on a patient's orthotic (shoe insert)

Now I am finally caught up to Friday! This morning, we traveled with the 4^th year kinderkineticist students to a local primary school. Poor Eric was definitely in the minority as all the students were female and we went to an all-girl’s school. The kinderkintecist students travel to different schools during the week to run about an hour’s worth of activities to get the kids active and work on basic motor skills (running, throwing, catching, coordination). In other words, we got to spend in hour playing outside with a ton of precious 4-year old girls. The moment we walked in with the kinteticists, we were swarmed with hugs and yells of “Teachers! Teachers!” It was great to be surrounded by such enthusiasm and to be a kid again, even if it was for just an hour. I sure hope we get a chance to go back before we leave.

One of my groups at school this morning aka beautiful
balls of sunshine and energy

Playing cat and mouse

As for now, I’m off to play with some cheetahs. But really…