A devastating blow

I'm writing this blog from the waiting room of the Steadman/Hawkins medical clinic. Two days ago I was one turn away from my first World Cup Ski Cross win when I lost my balance, got tripped up by a gate panel and found myself in yet another ugly/spectacular fall. The result of the fall is an AC joint separation, which means my shoulder separated from my clavicle. Clearly this is not an ideal situation 30 days before the Olympics.

I have never in my life experienced such a dramatic change of fortunes in such a short amount of time. This is my thought train in the final heat of the World Cup in Les Contamines: "Who is in the final?...Krauss, Hayer, Kuhn...I'm skiing great, if I can just get one good start today I think I can win." Starter says, "Racer's ready... Attention...GO!" I think, "Good start...Yes! I'm in the lead...I won the start...yes, yes, yes...now just ski well and you got it...(no thoughts, just automatic skiing until the bottom of the course)...there's no one behind you, you've got it...get over this double and you're there...uh-oh... you're back and rotated...just get to the gate...c'mon legs...you can make it...(as my tips hit the gate panel) no, you can't...(as my face hits the ground) damn! You're not gonna win the race...(as I'm flying upside down and backwards through the air) oh, this isn't good...this is gonna hurt...(wham, boom, bang) Race Commentator yells, "Kuhn gagne! Kuhn gagne!" "Kuhn wins! Kuhn wins!" I groan.

I try to move and feel a sharp pain in my shoulder. Suddenly a wave of terrible thoughts enters my mind. "Oh my god, I think I just broke my clavicle... I'm done for the year...my run at the Olympics is over." I sit up and look at my ski, which is almost broken in two. It was one of my fastest pairs of skis. I let out three primeval screams when I realize that I just went from the top of the world to nothing, in a tenth of a second.

I'm now waiting for the results of the MRI. I'm actually optimistic after talking to Dr. Millet. He thinks I may still have a shot. I know I'm in for some intense therapy and rehab. I will be missing some races. But my dreams of a fifth Olympic appearance are still alive.