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Daily report, 6 October
(Paris)
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Threat of the starching
effect
Position at 5H30 (Paris) :
10° 44 S / 128° 32 W
Little by little, weak winds,
Raphaëla progressed with difficulty, but at least she
is progressing. The door towards Tahiti is narrow but Guy
confirms: "at 129° W , all on the port side,
head for 240 and straight ahead". Weather forecast
for Tahiti is considerably less good since 48 hours:
"A wind of 25 knots from the West combined with rain-
this is really unusual" announces Guy, "and
yesterday I succumbed to jet lag , I was so exhausted , at
8pm. I was in bed.”
Saturday afternoon we were
at the Service de Rééducation Fonctionnelle
at the St Nazaire hospital to meet the EPONA organization.
There were 25 people gathered with us in the room that
was set up to converse with Raphaëla. Among which Hélène
Chevreuil (Raphaëla's nutrionnist doctor) and Jean-Claude
Belot (her physiotherapist). The name of the web site was
written in large letters next to the computer, the daily reports
and press releases covered the walls. Small Pierre throws
out, "so Raphaëla the board is swinging?".
Total silence in the room to listen to Raphaëla’s
response, the football match on TV is switched off …
Hélène Chevreuil
gives her a few nutritionnal instructions but Raphaëla
is immediately reassuring "listen , I think I put
on 1 or 2 kilos". If this is true then we can
award Hélène with the Mission Impossible Medal!
Jean-Claude Belot however will certainly have a lot of work
to do with Raphaëla when she returns:
- "I have 36000 painful spots so as far as the MTD’s
(Deep Transversal massages) are concerned at night,
I don’t know where to begin".
- "Ok , choose any point and circle around ".
Note that for Raphaëla, MTD’s have become extremely
painful massages …
- "Raphaëla, I suggest a good stretching movement.
Like when you close your bra?". She laughs.
Sunday morning the conversation skids, Raphaëla wants
to know what we ate last night. I hesitate and then say:
- "Well we started with scallops browned in a little
garlic. Then we had monkfish on a bed of leeks with a little
wine and ….". Raphaëla cant take it any more
- "Listen please stop talking about food!". I almost
hear her salivating. But I promise I was not the one to start
the topic…
On a daily basis, as she navigates,
the pain is difficult to contain at the level of the elbows
and the shoulders. Jaime, our chilian friend, compares the
crossing to the construction of his house:
- "I ache all over too , it is no longer possible
for me to put nails up any more. But when you come back the
house will be ready. We will have a party".
- "It’s the same for me when careen the board.
Or when I hold the telephone, my elbow aches…Tell me,
Jaime, should I do another crossing to let you finish the
house in time ?".
- "No, but if you take a round about that will give me
a little more time".
- "I don’t mind eating in the rubble! With a little
wine…".
Raphaëla careened the board again yesterday afternoon
"I took my courage with two hands, I put my wet suit
on and did as fast as I could. It was everywhere from head
to toe.
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Photo : Odyssée du vent
2003 |
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