What My Girl Did On her Summer Vacation

My Girl Child made it home from her adventure at fencing camp on the Prairies. She had a wonderful time and is now looking for a job that will earn her enough money so she can return to camp next summer. 

Just about everything that could have happened, happened. All the good: food, friends, fun, admirable fencing foes, tomfoolery and shenanigans. And what we're calling 'challenges'. Namely a very interesting sports injury and unexpected travel interruptions on the way home. 

On her last day of camp I received a call from the coaches. They wanted to let me know about a situation they were having 'difficulty' dealing with. The Girl Child had developed a most vigorous case of muscle spasms while on the piste. They'd moved her (a project involving a ladder and six young men) to a salt bath, but six hours in and she her muscles were still seizing. A most painful and exhausting situation. 

The staff had consulted the knowledgeable head coach and trainer. Another coach went to the nearest pharmacy for rehydrating salts. A massage therapist made himself available to her. What else was there to do?

She managed to get some sleep. In the morning - her travel day - she packed up early, with help, and headed to town with her coach and the camp's head coach. A carefully timed massage and a trip to the pharmacy where muscle relaxants were obtained. As long as she didn't move very much, the spasms weren't too bad. Her calf muscle had settled and most problematic were the quad and glute on her right side. 

As her coach was flying out an hour after she was, she had company at the airport. Then a bunch of fencers showed up. They were also flying home. 

But then her flight was delayed. So much so that her connection would be missed. Once we convinced her that it was more important to take care of her flight than it was to wait with her new friends at their gate until they boarded their planes, she managed the situation well. 

She obtained a new flight and a different connection. The longest leg of her new flight ended up being first class. On the same plane as her coach. Serendipity if I ever saw it. 

I had great fun tracking her flights home. When she made her connection at Pearson International in Toronto, we waited until it departed its gate before heading out to meet her at the Ottawa airport. The plane arrived as we were parking. Perfect timing....for once that day. 

She was tired and sore, limping and her glute was still having spasms. We made jokes about her 'twerking' at the baggage carosel. But her spirits were good and she was looking froward to bed. 

I'd planned a welcome home dinner for her the next day...the same day, really. My family and her boyfriend came. We had BBQ corn and chicken kabobs and for The Girl Child, a giant pot of comfort food: Mac and cheese with peas. 

So her first 48 hours home were filled with taking care of her. As much food, drink, rest, massage and salt bathing as she could handle. And sure enough, the muscle spasms slowed down and stopped and today she is back to regular activity, next week she's back on the piste. 

♥Mrs. A