Cameron in Beijing!

The bus to the Great Wall took longer than the 40 minutes it took to get back.  This was due to today’s mandatory tourist stop to a jade factory.  These guys were less successful than the silk factory.  It was still amazing to see the intricate carvings some of which were so massive for example life size lions which cost about AU$70,000 before you tried to get it home.  The wall was as spectacular as I was expecting, however it was a hell of a lot steeper than I anticipated.  The section we walked went straight up a mountain with some of the steps knee high.  There were hundreds of others sweating there way to the top with us.  After reaching the top I found an alternative route down.  Nobody else was game to give it a go as we were not sure where it ended up and they couldn’t bear the thought of having to walk back up if they got lost.  The risk was very rewarding as the entire trip down I ran into 4 other people which made for far better photo opportunities.  Turns out the reason for the two routes were that this section of the wall was built as a trap.  They let the invading Mongolians through the first wall, closed the gates behind them and as they were all now trapped within the walls killed them all.  No sign of any rabbits!

The afternoon shift was really enjoyable.  It started with a few wheelchair repairs (much newer and higher functioning chairs today)
Then a reporter for Fairfax (Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) turned up wanting some Australian stories.  I told her how Bruno Ast (APC Prosthetics Chairman) had actually came up with the concept of the whole Otto Bock Servicing unit at the Seoul Paralympics in 1988.   Now 20 years later, I am one of 136 technicians helping support the idea he came up with 20 years ago!  The circle is complete.

After five it got more interesting.  A sprint leg of a US athlete that had been realigned with a new carbon foot yesterday, needed to be rebuilt.  Then half the Russian sit volleyball team turned up.  4 guy's all amputees, all needing adjustments.  Greg (Otto Bock, Melbourne) and I sorted them out.  The first guy was wearing a silicone line which was wearing out but still functional.  When walking his knee was unstable but there was no more adjustment available in his componentry.  He wanted a new liner but because it was not an emergency we kept the liner in stock and told him if it was still here at the end of the games he could have it.  I tightened up his condyles and gave him a knee sleeve which stabilized his knee some and he left walking as good possible without making a whole new leg.  The next guy I saw was a below knee amputee who had a hardened stump end and a suspension method I have never needed to use before – the old waste belt.  Turns out the socket was open ended and there was a huge gap between the end if his stump and the end of the socket.  I rebuilt the bottom end of his liner with a 5cm thick plaztazote pad to give him distal contact for the first time.  He loved it and over time his stump condition should improve dramatically.  I suggested through a translator (who spoke some English) that both these guys should try and have new prostheses made when they get home to Russia and told them what need to be different with their alignment.  Greg repaired a cracked above knee socket and replaced his torn liner and had to turn away the fourth guy who wanted us to replace his new liner and new knee joint.  To cut a long story short I would not have my prostheses made in Russia if I were an amputee!

We had to leave work early because a group of 8 of us were being taken out to a swanky modern Chinese restaurant and a tour of the Otto Bock facility in Beijing.  Both were most impressive.  We hit a famous bar strip after dinner and here Greg and I ran into a problem – drinking with a Pommy Prosthetist after the others had gone home – we got to bed around 4am.

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