Merry Christmas, Larisa Yurkiw.
I know Christmas is on the distant horizon, but Christmas could be extra special for Yurkiw, a member of Canada’s Alpine Ski Team.
Or it might not.
Last year, just before Christmas, Yurkiw crashed at Val D’Isere, France in a World Cup race, damaging her knee to the extent that she is still recovering, still rehabbing.
At home in Owen Sound this week, Yurkiw related she’d seen her surgeon Dr Litchfield at London.
Dr Litchfield had some good news, telling Yurkiw there was acceptable progress in the healing process.
And that’s gratifying for Yurkiw. who by fate and by design has slowed her training regimen, to a crawl.
The somewhat surprising statement by Dr Litchfield, was his direction for Yurkiw to tone down the already reduced training program.
And Yurkiw will do it, not because she’s a patient patient, but rather because she wants full recovery and will not jeopardize her return, come back too early, and find herself in a lengthy rehab process again.
And speaking of returns, Yurkiw’s medical advisors think she could resume skiing again at Christmas, which would make it a Merry Christmas indeed.
I’m Fred Wallace