Feeling Like Home

Things have been quite busy here in Alaska. 2 weeks ago Ian and I were in Anchorage. I took an ATLS (advanced trauma life support) and Ian did some major grocery shopping.

We bought about 300 lbs of food, shipped most of it back, and carried the rest on the plane. It was quite the adventure. Instead of grocery shopping with paper bags, we grocery shopped with plastic bins and zip ties. On the bush planes you are allowed to carry on two 50lb bins per person. As this was our first time we each took one bin as a carry on. The rest of our goodies we boxed up at the local post office and mailed home. Mailing your items puts a whole new perspective on grocery shopping! Most of our stuff arrived in 2-3 days so it actually wasn't that bad. The hardest part was walking through the Anchorage airport with our large plastic bins. You can always spot the bush people because they almost always carry such accessories with them.


Our Grocery Cart

My class went extremely well. Even though it lasted most of Saturday and Sunday (7:00 am - 6:30 pm both days) I had a wonderful time. I didn't get to enjoy much of Anchorage, but I would say that it was one of the best courses I have ever taken. Not only did they have mannequins with bleeding blood vessels to do procedures on, but they also had chicken bones for us to practice with. The class was geared for ER doctors and trauma surgeons, but as I am practicing in rural Alaska alone, I was allowed to attend.  Here in the bush, being confident in some of these skills (chest tubes, cricothyroidotomy, central lines, thoracentesis, reading xrays, etc) really can mean the difference between life and death.

When I came back I actually had to put some of the skills in to use. I had a patient who was in a snow machine accident, hitting a tree going 20 mph. Under the pressure of the situation I felt confident knowing where and how to approach him. The basics of trauma are all the same, ABCDE: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure...Anyway, it was nice to know that I can handle things as long as I stay calm.

Ian also had a great week. A new friend of ours invited him to go ice fishing. This wasn't just any fishing trip, they flew bush planes to a remote location nestled in between the mountains.  He was out all day and proudly came home with 4 lake trout and a sun burnt face. When he got home at 9:30 pm he presented his catch to me, of which I then had to fillet...I guess if he is going to be the hunter that feeds our family, my job is to be the wife that prepares the meal. Anyway, I cut the fish and put them in the freezer for future eating...pretty good for a 22 year vegetarian! 



Ian's Catch



Ian in the 2 Seater Bush Plane



Our plane just landed on the lake!



Last week I took another village trip via snow machine to insert a new PEG feeding tube (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube) into a patient. We traveled on the frozen Aniak river, about 25 miles up stream. This was the first time I have ever done this, and thankfully everything went well. Again, being out in rural Alaska, you get the chance to do a lot of procedures that you usually wouldn't do in the lower 48. It is very exciting as a provider to have all of these unique opportunities.

On the way home, though, I got the snow machine stuck. Thinking the nice and fluffy snow ahead would be a great place to turn around, I found myself  about 2 feet deep into a slushy water hole and only completing half of my turn.  My boss, a very experienced Alaskan (from Minnesota) was able to help dig and push me out. Unfortunately we both got pretty soaked (so much for my waterproof boots) and had to ride home with wet seats. On the way up the temperature was in the mid 20's and on they way back it started to warm up so the wetness wasn't too bad.

Today (Easter Sunday) our church had a sunrise service on the dike with singing and fellowship followed by breakfast and then an Easter egg hunt for the children. Although small, the church here is very full of life and we have established some very meaningful friendships. It really is starting to feel like home and now that we have met some new people, it feels like we might just actually make it.

Happy Easter! The Lord is Risen!

-Sarah

Marie's Story

I have gotten permission from Marie to publish this. Her story has both  greatly blessed and absolutely angered me.


I finished ATLS (more on this later) and came back to an extremely busy week. For most of you in full time work, you know how this goes. Going on vacation only to return to a mound of work that has been compiling on your desk, eagerly waiting for your return.  So began my Tuesday....my schedule was completely full and the charts on my desk were like the US postal service, they never stopped coming. On Wednesday I actually started to feel slightly depressed. It seemed like everyone I was seeing had major health issues that had either been neglected or needed immediate attention. I was exhausted.

Thursday morning my tank was on empty, physically and spiritually. Then I met Marie. This was the first time that I had met her.  I will not try to re-create her story, I want you to read it for yourself. With her permission I have attached the website. She bravely published this 1 year ago in the local newspaper.

Something just drew me to Marie and we started talking.  At the end of our time I felt like I needed to ask her if I could give her a hug. When I asked, she said yes, then she embraced me. I mean REALLY embraced me and then started to sob on my shoulder. I was not expecting this at all, but I know that this is exactly what she and I needed. She then proceeded to tell me the horrific details of her life.

Afterward she asked if I would like to read her story.  Like I mentioned earlier, she published this more than a year ago. After she left I went into my office and pulled it up. After reading the first 2 paragraphs I also started to sob. Having just met this beautiful woman then reading the cruelty of her life was very overwhelming.  Awful doesn't even come close to what this is.


So, I am asking for those reading my post to read Marie's story as well. If it touches you as it did me, I am asking that you write her a letter of encouragement. I have this vision. My vision is that this woman, who felt so unloved, would receive letters of encouragement, support, and empathy from people who care about what happened to her. That her existence be validated. Can you imagine opening up your heart and life through a story and receiving mail from people who were touched by it! I am asking from the bottom of my heart to open yours and bless Marie.


Here in the Delta life can be brutal. We have the highest (3 times the national average to be exact) rates of child sexual abuse ages 0-12 and domestic violence in the nation. It is pathetic. I KNOW this would bless her beyond belief. My goal is to get 10 letters in the next month. When you send the letter address it to me with her name in parenthesis. I will not open or read them, these treasures are for her.


Address the cards as such.  I will then drop them off at her home:
Sarah Niecko (Marie)
PO Box 208
Aniak, AK 99557


Marie's Story:

http://www.thedutchharborfisherman.com/article/1004healing_is_forgiving_those_who_hurt_me



Please share this with your friends, I really hope that we can pull together to bless her with some heart felt mail!

-Sarah

Is it Really Spring?

Although they say spring is here, I am really beginning to wonder if it really is. Last night we received another 2-3 inches of snow and it is still getting down to negative degrees at night and in the early morning. I believe last week it was -10 on our way to work as well. Often we see the sun, sometimes we actually feel its warmth, and everyday it stays out longer and longer. This next transition into 24 hour daylight will be interesting. We have heard many stories of how people just "forget" to sleep because it stays so light out...Ian doesn't think that I will have a problem with this, though..haha.

A few weeks ago Ian was able to preach at our local church. I was very proud of him and his sermon was well received by the congregation. Afterward a few people came up to him and said that it had really touched them. One woman even cried and said that it was one of the best sermons she has heard. We also have a huge praise.....Before Ian went up to preach I was praying that God would reveal himself through Ian and that he would speak to the heart of the people. As I was praying for his revelation to come, I looked over and a friend of ours (who does not usually attend church, maybe not ever) slid into the seat beside me. When Ian saw this he smiled, it was an answer to prayer. It was a very tender act for this person to come and want to listen to Ian's testimony, a real sign that Ian has been a light in his life.

I have also had some interesting medical situations. Two weeks ago I had 3 traumas (reason for the lack of blogging). At one point after placing the AED pads, I actually thought I was going to have to shock my patient. This would have been my first time ever having to actually "bring someone back." Fortunately I didn't have to, but it was very touch and go for many hours. His vitals remained dangerously low, and I found myself quickly referencing my ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) training manual. I also had to medivac a patient to Anchorage for meningitis. She was developing sepsis (widespread infection) and needed immediate care. Then, I had a severely dehydrated infant who we could not get an IV in. I was about to place an IO line (interosseous IV- through the bone ) when my boss, a former pediatric nurse, found a small vein in her foot that worked. She was also medivaced out to Bethel for care. Needless to say I was extremely tired after the busy week, but very thankful that I managed to handle the situations.

We have also been able to go on another snow machine ride up Artie's Trail. The scenery was so beautiful and because we went in the evening, the mountains looked purple. We haven't run into any bears on our adventures, but there is a mother moose (cow) and her calf that have been hanging around the clinic. They can be spotted frequently eating the brush outside the clinic. It often feels like we are living in the last frontier, especially when you see things like giant moose in your backyard.

I also received a lovely gift from one of my patients. He and his wife caught some fresh rainbow trout and gave us two of them. Of course we were extremely excited about eating them, we just didn't know how to get them table ready. Fortunately a friend of ours had us over and taught me how to fillet a fish. Yep, I officially know how to fillet a fish. He said that he would have me help him this summer when he goes fishing...of course my payment would come as salmon. Not a bad trade-off if you ask me!

This morning I will be going on another home visit to a local village, Chauthbaluk. This village is about 20 miles up river and we will be getting their either by snow machine or truck. Either way our "road" is the frozen Aniak River.  The elder that I will be seeing is home bound and terminal, and his family is requesting a check up.  It will be really nice to visit him and his family. Doing things like this is the whole reason why I got into my profession in the first place; to help people.

 Wolf Tracks

This weekend Ian and I will be going into Anchorage. I have an ATLS (advanced trauma life support) class that I will be taking to acquire skills for chest tube placement, tracheotomy airway placement, diagnostic peritoneal lavage, pericardiocentesis, etc (for those medical people reading this).  I have been studying for several weeks and am anxious to finally attend. We will be there for four days, my class is two, so the remaining time will be spent shopping and celebrating Ian's 33rd birthday.  I think we both are ready for some "Big City" life, especially some good coffee.

Thanks again for all the emails, comments, and gift boxes. We really appreciate them all. We are so thankful that amidst the 6,000 mile separation and lack of home phones/ Internet we are able to keep in touch with almost everyone somehow. God Bless and may he continue to shine his face upon you!

- Sarah