First Blog of the New Year....

Welcome 2011!!  The new year hasn't started off so well.  A nagging back pain that began in October was diagnosed as osteomyelitis.  First few days of the new year began in excruciating pain followed by a two week stint at the Victoria Greater Hospital.  Finally back home again, crawling down recovery road at a turtle's pace.  This pace was forced upon me by my doctors and my portable intravenous pump that I haven't been able to make friends with yet.  Needless to say, I am not rowing ( = grumpy Steve) or doing anything for that matter.  Lots of rest and the occasional errand.

The best day of my hospital stay was when my teammates all bleached their hair and came in for a visit.  I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard, for so long.  Laughing so forcefully made me feel alive again and was truly one of the most thoughtful ways to show support.  Check out the links below for photos and some words about the afternoon's events.

Rares' blog entry about the visit

Kevin Light's photos

Another favourite moment (probably 2 of 2), was the delivery of a parcel to my bed.  Who gets personal mail in the hospital!?  Well apparently I do.  The Canadian Athletes Now Fund was awesome enough to send me a care package filled with all sorts of goodies to keep me entertained, fueled and warm.  Also kept me occupied with a winning scratch and win ticket-booyah!  Nobody supports Canadian athletes like the CAN Fund.  Why not take a few minutes and read about the Athlete Holiday Drive.  It's not very often that you can donate to such a good cause and have your money go twice as far...

CAN Fund Athlete Holiday Drive

All for now....bones need sleep to regenerate (its science!).  Lots more to come... hospital photos (paparazzi), the screaming hallway woman, buzzer fun (drip drugs), why hospital's don't make sense...