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