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

1st Anniversay (a reflection)

We had a very busy weekend. Ian was invited to participate in a basketball tournament.  He called himself "The Great White Hope" which has now become quite a joke between us. Basketball here is a huge deal and it is common to find 50-60 year old men and woman playing regularly in a league.

Great White Hope

Since Ian is athletic we both thought that his skills would make him a competitive match against any challenger. Unfortunately the street ball play found here required a lot more endurance than skill. More surprising is the reputation that Ian now has in the village. Since Ian was called to be the center for the team, word around our village is that "white men can jump."  Unfortunately they lost their first two games, but Ian won some local fans.

March 14 was our 1st anniversary, who would have thought we would be spending it in rural Alaska! I was in church this morning reflecting over the very fast last year and how blessed we both are. The first blessing was for the work that God has done in our lives. His unconditional love and devotion to us has been overwhelming to say the least. The second blessing was for the physical way that he showed this, through our parents.

I really believe that God has used both my parent's and Ian's as vessels to show us his love. I want to thank Dianne, Ian's mom, for her act of faith in bringing Ian into my life. I remember the first time I met Dianne at the Nursing Clinic. In comparison to her "Princess Dianna" like appeal, she is even more beautiful on the inside. On an unusually slow day seeing patients, she shared with me her great life story and then described her son, Ian, making for a wonderful finale.  I remember trying to see the last name on her lab coat, just in case...a girl always thinks of those things. Getting a new and GOOD last name is a big deal. And, so began the adventure of meeting and falling in love with Ian. Thank you again, Dianne, for sharing the life of your son with me!

Speaking of mothers, my own mother deserves praise for her endless hours of prayer. Thank you mom for your continual prayer for my "husband." I believe that Ian is in my life because of them. Your faith and continual devotion to the Lord manifests daily in the way you bless others. I am so proud to call you mother and best friend.

Next up are our fathers. Jon, I thank you for your example in Ian's life. Your life of charity has been passed on to your son. As little eyes watched you continally give, a man grew in your shadow. Your random acts of kindness planted seeds into your son who reflects your giving heart to this day. You didnt just give him a great last name, but a legacy of servethood as well.

And to my dad. I thank you for also being an example. Quite honestly you are probably the most faithful man I know. You endless devotion to the Lord and in following his comands set a high standard  for any man that I could marry. Through you I learned the importance of needing a spiritual leader to be the head of my household and marriage. I thank you also for your prayers in my life, and for the friendship you have established with Ian.

One thing I am begenning to understand is that God does things with purpose. There is a purpose to why one of his greatest 10 commandments is to honor your mother and father. Not just because they often know what is best, but because he uses them as vessels to bless his children.

The 3rd blessing over the last year is seeing the Niecko's, Ringenberg's, Jacoby's, and El-Shaarways's come together. I just LOVE that our mom's have become fast friends (sister-sister), our fathers share a common love for old and rusty junk (I mean things....haha), my brothers often call to talk to Ian and sometimes forget to ask about me, and I now have two new sisters to share clothes with. Through the marriage of two people came the larger establishment of friendship and love. So often the union of two people is only that, two people. Ian and I are blessed that the covenant between us really did bring together the growth of one family.

Wherever I go, there I am....

First, let me say congratulations to my sister Brianne, and Terek, who just had a baby boy!! We can't wait to meet Malek. Also, happy birthday Pappa John! You are so appreciated and loved by all your family.

 

Today the gears have shifted slightly. Sarah has differed the next blog to me. Since it has been so long, she figured people may like to hear from me. So I thought i would oblige. Since I last wrote (the first blog entry), life has happened very rapidly. I wrote this title as a bit of a twinkle in my eye, but also with hopes to get the cranks in your head turning early. So a little about the title..

I saw a trailer for a particular movie that showed a couple striving/working really hard to come to a particular place in life, one everyone else around them was looking for as well: Secure a nice suburban home, attain to a steady well-paying job, have children, and work your best to maintain it. They achieved all of this..Exactly what they were aiming for. The irony, however, was it was not like they thought it would be. The wife started to question the whole way of life, as far as the people around them were living and practicing it. She said things like, "who made these rules?" "Who said we have to do this." "This was not like I thought it would be." She was in fact questioning, in a way, not unlike Jesus, the way one lives life. A thought, indirectly related to the trailer, blazed across my mind...... Wherever you are in life, your heart will follow you. I for one, do not despise vacations or new locations, I mean, where we are now fits that bill pretty well. However, restlessness, irritability, anger, if existing in the heart, will follow one on that "vacation" as well. Jesus was telling the Jews of His day, that true kingdom people must deal with their motivations and intentions (hearts). Sooner or later, people will help you see it in yourself. They are always faithful to do so!  So this led me back to the biggie question again. What is the point in life? Just...why?

Maybe big question is not at all "how can I best be satisfied or fulfilled?" It's not that I do not believe the Scriptures address this issue, in fact, they do. But they come at it from a different angle. Jesus' sole concern was "pleasing" the Father. He wanted Him to get the love and respect he deserved from "His people." This obviously meant even at the expense of His own life. In that kind of loyalty and committment, no one experienced more of a blessed and purposeful life. The gift is open to all, a gift of grace. "Whoever drinks of me will NEVER be thirsty!" So why are so many thirsty today? Could it be because we go to everything else before Jesus to quench our thirst? Can Jesus, really, today, 2000 years later, quench our thirst? Is your cup overflowing? Are you quenching your thirst on Jesus,or are you quenching on things that appear to have life, but, as the scripture says,  in the end lead to death? I personally believe this is why Jesus says in Matt 7 that the way is wide that leads to destruction, and many (most) take it, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few find it. This is not focused on going to heaven and hell, but about who enters into the true LIFE right now. Again, the gift is free, for all who would come, but to experience the narrow way, the only thing Jesus wants in return is your full love, attention, and loyalty. The relationship is always on HIS terms, it is a covenant (marriage). Afer all, would you expect anything less from your spouse. :)

Speaking of spouses,I am so glad Sarah is back. We have now worked 3 weeks together. It is quite fun. Sometimes, I get to go to her office and tell her to change or correct something on a form. But to watch my girl in action has been a blessing. She is GOOD at her work. Of course, I know many of you who know me are inside laughing at the thought of me doing admin work, let alone in a clinic/health-care setting. I have observed, in my short life, the conspicuous absence of males in admin work, esp. in hospital/clinic settings. Not sure if this is partly due to the minimal locations I've purviewed, or something else. I suspect guys were not created for this type of work. :) I can't express how many times I've said "whoops," "my bad," or "sorry" in just 2 short months. I am surrounded by very capable women on all fronts. A little of what I do: I book travel for village to village flights, village to Anchorage, file charts, register patients, make appointments for audiology, dental, physical therapy, mammograms, optometry, even drive people sometimes. In saying all this, I may soon be transitioning to a position in behavioral health. This is what I originally applied for, but it was filled. I will talk more about this if it happens.

Here are some pics as we went out snow-machining with some friends today. Wow, the scenery on the hills was outstanding. Unfortunately, I was focused on just maintaining balance on our machine, and so I could not look as often as I would have liked. Nonetheless, when we stopped it was breathtaking, really. I even made a hobbit-sized hole in the side of the hill. 

Ian's Igloo




God is working here. Sarah was able to pray with a person with deep anxiety issues. This person felt a major relief after this prayer. He maintains Jesus kept him from further self-destruction. I have been meeting with a group of Chrisitian men every Thursday night. One guy flies his plane in every Thurs for the meeting. (haha). Thinking about flying lessons myself. These guys have me interested. We may be planning a retreat in the summer soon. Men desiring to do business with God alone and together! We all would end up flying to the location. Everyone flies!

View on top of small mountain

Finally, communication is still difficult, as Sarah and I are without internet and phone. We do our business at the clinic. Hopefully, that will change as April comes. We are open to having any of you come out and spend some time with us. We have room!


 

My First Code x 2

And so begins life on call. Last night I actually received my first somewhat emergent call at 1:00 am. After figuring out what to do I eagerly tried to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, this never fully came and I found myself eating a homemade carrot/apple muffin at 2:00 am and sitting on my couch reading. Eventually I made my way back to bed and finished the restless night.


Needless to say I was quite groggy this AM. Even though I did a few joint injections, a toenail removal, and saw countless influenza illnesses, I felt like the day was never going to end. Then around 5:45 when I was getting ready to pack up and leave two emergencies came in. My first was a young septic girl and my second was a man actively having a heart attack. Suddenly I found myself in a whirlwind of EKG's, labs, IV fluids, meds, blood cultures, and chaos. My empty ER was soon full and here I am at 9:40 pm waiting on my second troponin before I activate a Medivac.

We have been very short staffed this last week due to the flu and so both Ian and I have been extremely busy. It is amazing how much you learn to depend on people.  Thankfully tonight I had an amazing health aid (like a nurse) who was able to take care of a lot. It has been so long since I have had to start an IV or get fluids going, she was absolutely irreplaceable tonight.

Ian has also been extremely swamped in the front as both of his colleagues have been out. For a couple of days he was even the lone man in charge. There were actually a couple of nights that we both got home and just stared at the wall not sure what to think. Thankfully we can both laugh about it now.

Office Man Ian

This weekend Aniak is hosting a basketball tournament and I think we will be attending Friday night's games. It is a pretty big deal here and I am sure that most of the village will be attending (all 500 of us). The transition into the village has been very smooth and Ian is already established in a weekly men's group. I am planning on attending the women's sowing club that meets every Sunday and we have been contemplating on joining the weekly co-ed volleyball team.



Other fun news in our life is that we also got into our first ATV accident. I will not say who or how, only that we crashed and cracked the rim of our quad. Thankfully no one got hurt and only minor bruises were attained. The ATV is also fine, I think it looks loved now.

Hoppy, My NP Colleague

Another cool thing happened last week with our janitor. Without going into detail, someone anomalously gave him a little extra $$ for all of his hard work. Last week he also had the flu, but because he was concerned about not getting paid if he left,  he continued to work everyday that he was ill. When asked why he just wouldn't take the day off he replied that he wanted to be able to support his family. He has such an exemplary work ethic and such a peaceful and pleasant demeanor. When he opened the envelope of money the other night his smile was completely priceless. He then went out and bought Ian a Pepsi and a Slim Jim and gave him a hand written Thank You letter to the anonymous donor. He is such a blessing and his gracious and thankful heart was so awesome. I am really hoping that Ian and I can befriend him and talk to him about the Lord. There is a real gentleness and tenderness about his spirit that makes you think about Christ. With the little that he has been given, he is a great ray of light.

I also want to wish a very Happy Birthday to Mama Dianne! We love you and miss you!

Camping the Bush Way

I woke up nice and refreshed Saturday morning ready to begin my wifely duties: laundry, dishes, putting finishing touches on the apartment, etc, only to find that there was no electricity. Patiently I waited all morning long, but as the apartment continued to get colder (it was about -20 outside) I knew something else was going on. We headed over to the clinic (they have a generator) and found our behavior health counselor camping out as well.

Unfortunately one of the pipes that contains the electrical wires had frozen and broken in half. This split the wires and hence our problem.  However, the bigger issue was that the pipes were built underground at the airport, and since the permafrost is completely frozen, no one would be able to fix this anytime soon. And, supplies would need to be flown in from the nearest city, Anchorage, which is about 400 miles away.

Needless to say I spent my first 2 days in Aniak, camping. It was actually very fun. Ian and I played a lot of Scrabble and Risk by candlelight (he of course beat me at both) and ate almost our entire supply of chips and salsa. We ended up showering on the second day at the clinic, more out of necessity than want. In the bush you have to learn to be creative and just go with the flow. Things may take a little longer to get done here, but the adventure is very worthwhile.  

On Saturday Ian and I were invited to ride snowmachines. We went about 30 miles round trip down the kuskokwim, into the woods, and into the open tundra. We found a beaver dam along one of the tundra tribuitaries and Ian was able to catch some airtime as he jumped this. Unfortunately once I got on we tipped over. The snow came up to our thighs so flipping a 1500 lb snowmachine was quite difficult.  

Riding in the Tundra

We actually had to cut our ride short because the wind was increasing and we were worried about a potential white out.When this happens even the most experienced outdoorsman can get easily disorientated.  Our friend, Randy, was telling us that this can happen within seconds and is very dangerous. So, after 3 hours we headed home.

Thankfully, on Sunday the electicity came back on and we were able to warm up. I spent the rest of the weekend cooking. On Monday I actually spent 6 hours in the kitchen trying to figure out bulk food preparation. Overall things turned out pretty good. Thanks to my friend, Angela, I now have some better ideas of how to not make rice too sticky and beans too mushy. Thanks Ang! I am trying to do most of the cooking on the weekend and have meals prepared in advance for the week. If anyone has any good vegetarian recipes, please send them my way!

I am about to finish my first week of work here in Aniak. So far things have been very smooth. We have been steady, not too busy, and no traumas yet, thankfully! This weekend we are thinking of having some friends over for a night of Risk, and Ian might be going out on Saturday to help a friend cut some wood.  Settling in has been fun, you never know what the day will bring.

Also, I want to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Dad!!! He turns 64 tomorrow, Feb 25. Love you lots dad!

-Sarah

Finally, Aniak

I can now officially call myself a Bush Alaskan. Not only because I now have a permanent place of residence, but also because I traveled on a bush plane through a major snowstorm and didn't get sick. First though, let me start with the beginning of my week, that was actually very smooth.

I arrived in Emmonak, a costal village at the mouth of the Kuskokwim river right off the Bering Sea last Friday. During our flight in I actually saw a moose from the plane window! I arrived in the afternoon and saw a few patients at the clinic befor heading over for the town's Potlatch. A Potlatch is when the natives gather together and perform several ceremonial Eskimo dances. 



Arial view of Emmonak

Some of the dances have been passed down for generations, some are new, but they are all performed in remembrance of their ancestors and recently passed loved ones. In the background, the elders of the tribe use chants and drums to provide the rhythm of which the dance is performed. It was very cool and you could feel the pride they felt for their heritage.

For their dances, the natives dress in their traditional attire: homemade fur hats, belts, boots, etc. Their clothing and beading is just beautiful. I have been so impressed with their ability to utilize earth's resources. They can use just about any element, fur, or grass and create the most beautiful and functional things. In Emmonak, the women gather grass along the coast and make baskets. I don't have a picture of one, but the baskets are unbelievable. There is so much detail in them, it is hard to imagine that it was all done with grass and completely by hand.

Potlatch

I had dinner Tuesday night with a new friend, Jen, and her family. We met a few weeks ago in Bethel at the woman's retreat that I attended. Her husband, Austin, is a pastor in Emmonak and they moved up from New Jersey 4 years ago. It was really nice talking with them and hearing the stories of how God has used them here in Alaska. I just know that Ian and Austin would become fast and good friends if we lived closer (Emmonak to Aniak is about 300 miles)


I finished the rest of the week at the clinic then flew back to Bethel Thursday night.  Friday morning I left for the airport with great anticipation to see Ian. As a matter of fact, I had a very hard time sleeping the night before because I was so excited.

Unfortunately, when I got to the airport at 8:00 am, our flight was on weather hold due to fog and an impending blizzard. Gotta love flying in the bush! The funny thing is that every time I try to fly out of Bethel I get stuck, and every time I get stuck I end up receiving a great revelation from God. Friday I was able to finish the Old Testament and again I felt the power of God come alive in me. If you want to read about that, you can see my 2nd blog (website found at the top of this one, or you can go to http://hosannamylord.blogspot.com/, that's hosanna my lord all one word). I probably won't have that post up until tomorrow, though.

Thankfully, just after I finished reading Malachi, they gave the all clear and I was able to get on a 5:00 pm flight to Aniak. Even though the fog had lifted, the snow was really starting to come down hard. The pilot thought it was safe, though, so we all boarded. We actually had to take a caravan (a 10 seater) because we were also transporting supplies to the villages.

This was by far the worst flight I have been on. I actually found myself chanting the Jesus Prayer ("Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner")  as the plane was being whipped to and fro in zero visibility. We were doing up and down and the pilot's cockpit controls were blaring. NO JOKE!  I really thought we might crash (you couldn't see the ground at all) and I began confessing all my sins. Even though the pilots here are some of the best in the world, and flying in Alaska is actually safer than riding an ATV or snow machine,  I was not comforted.

Thankfully, though, Christ carried my plane to Aniak (after a quick drop off in Kalskag). I was so relieved to be on the ground that for a brief second I forgot all about seeing Ian. Usually I try to get "pretty" for him if I haven't seen him in a while, but this time I smelt like B.O. and sweat.  I think the scary flight over knocked all the pretty out of me.



Our snow chariot

He picked me up at the airport (picture to left) and we took the quad to our new house. When I walked in the apartment he had a "Welcome Home Sweets" sign up with lots of candles lit. The house looked and smelled amazing! He did such a great job unpacking, decorating, and cleaning. Everything was organized and put away so neatly... I know it must so have been a lot of work! Thanks, Ian!

If you like candles, check out Frontier Family Farms...they make the best homeade organic soy products!  www.frontierfamilyfarms.com. They are friends of ours who live in Marshall, Michigan. A super christian family!

Yesterday I went to bed so happy to finally be home! As a matter of fact, I kept waking up and looking at Ian.  I know, I know,...but I am just so in love with him and we have been apart so LONG! He is such a great husband and he gives me so much joy. (Jason, I can see your eyes rolling!)



Our Living Room

Anyway, I am extremely glad to be here and we are already having lots of fun. Last night we were even able to get in a few games on the Wii before our power went out.... and we are still without electricity (I am typing this at the clinic and its 2:40 pm).

Our Dining Room

Nevertheless, we have been cruising around Aniak in our quad and laughing at the good times that have begun. Aniak still feels like the right decision and now that I am back with Ian, things are finally complete. 

- Sarah



Toksook Bay

What an adventure I had in Toksook Bay! I spent Tuesday - Thursday this week in this small village of about 500 located right on the Bering Sea. I couldn't see Russia, but it is pretty close! ... About 50% of the village still does not have running water or electricity. So, the natives go to a watering hole (a fresh spring) and carry large pales back to their home.


Local Catholic Church

Toksook also boasts some of the best halibut fishing in Alaska, and having had some, I agree! One of the local providers had me over for dinner Tuesday night and the halibut was absolutely delicious!  Believe it or not, the halibut here get up to 150 lbs!


In addition to their reliance on fish, muskox is another important substistence food for them. Right now there are two large muskox herds nearby that the locals have been hunting. To be honest, I didn't even know what a muskox was before I moved to Alaska. Basically, they look like a small ugly buffalo.


Toksook Ambulance Sled

Wednesday I got to do a home visit for a sick elder. One of the health aids (Alaskan version of a medical assistant/ nurse) took me on her snow machine to the elders house. Even though it was extremely cold (-30 with wind chill), snowing, and windy (around 40 mph) I found myself all smiles again. I really don't think there is a cooler job than mine. Here I am all bundled up in my parka, on a snow machine, headed into the middle of nowhere to help a sick Eskimo. After examining her at her home I found that she was actually very sick and would need to be transported back to the clinic for further testing and an EKG.  


A full parking lot at the clinic

 

The rest of Wednesday and Thursday was filled with sick children: pneumonia, dehydration, bronchiolitis, until I saw Mr. X (name has been changed for HIPPA privacy). He is a chronic alcoholic who apparently is homeless (not sure how that works in freezing Alaska). He was seen yesterday, diagnosed with scabies, and in today as a follow up. However, when I was talking with him I got the impression that something else was very wrong...my first clue was that he was as pale as snow!

As I began my exam, I also noticed that he had a new blowing systolic murmur. Not to my surprise his CBC revealed a hemoglobin and hematocrit of 5.5/18.2. For those of you not in the medical profession, that is extremely low. We actually transfuse people when they are around 7.  As you can imagine he was extremely short of breath and very fatigued. He also had an atypical scabie type rash on his entire body. I am not fully convinced that it is even scabies, though.  It may possibly be a secondary manifestation of another disseminated illness. As I was looking at his rash, I also noted that he looked extremely emaciated. When I asked him the last time he ate he said about 24 hrs ago.


View from plane, frozen Bering Sea with mountains in background.
You have to look very close!

 

This just broke my heart, so I gave him my dinner (I am not so emaciated that I couldn't go without a meal). Alcoholic or not, this man needed care! To start, he needed a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, this is unavailable in Toksook. So, I had to arrange for him to fly to Bethel on the next commercial flight (later that night). However, he didn't have anyone to take him there, so I decided to bring him myself. Around 5:00 pm we boarded the Cessna (seen below) and headed to Bethel. Once we landed I got us a cab, then personally escorted him to the ER. It actually worked out very well that I was able to take him myself, that way I could help in the transfer of his care. It also ensured that he would get in quickly and not spend hours waiting in the ER to be seen. Today it was really awesome to help someone who might have not made it otherwise, only in Alaska would this include taking your patient on a bush plane!



Our Plane - An 8 seater Cessna


Tomorrow I will be going to Emmonak, another small and traditional village. They are having a potlatch tomorrow night. This is a traditional Eskimo celebration and dance that is followed by a large meal. It should be really fun to watch and I will try to take lots of pictures to post.

After Emmonak, ANIAK! I will finally be able to go to my new home next Friday. Even though I have enjoyed my time here in Bethel and the other villages, I am very ready to get to my clinic.

Ian is still doing very well. He also got to go on a snow machine last week. He was able to join a family as they went to quarter a moose.....I will let him blog about that!  He has also been busy unpacking our apartment and says that it feels more like home now.  We have received everything we shipped except our ATV. So, Ian has been walking to and from work everyday, about 1 mile. Hopefully we will get it sometime next week.

That's all for now. Have a great weekend and check the blog next week sometime for more updates!

- Sarah

Who Says Airports Are No Fun?

I got up this morning thinking I was headed to the village of Toksook Bay. I promptly arrived at the Bethel Airport around 8:00 am to find out that all flights were on a weather hold. Since we were flying on a 4 seat Cessna bush plane, I was happy that the pilots were grounding if it was unsafe. So, I took my seat and opened my bible to the book of Isaiah.

Have you ever read this book?! As you can probably tell, I had never fully read it in its entirety. But today, after being delayed 6 times, I read it start to finish. It only took me 9 hours. Yes, I stayed the entire day at Bethel Airport reading the book of Isaiah!


For me this book profoundly impacted the way I view my relationship with the Lord. Through new eyes I was reading about an all loving Creator who was pleading with me to turn back to him. This really shook me up.


Verse 30:14 talks about his "wanting to be gracious to us, and exalting himself to show us mercy." This is something that I had heard my entire christian walk. After all, I have clung to that promise for years. Even on my best day, without his grace and mercy I would still be a hell bound sinner (harsh but true).


What I neglected to see, though, was the ultimate love that He pleads to us with. And so began my journey into Isaiah, I had no idea it would be so life changing.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you: when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you - 43:1-3

Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you - 43: 4


...everyone who is called by my name, whom i created for my glory, whom I formed and made - 43:7

Wait a minute, did I read that right? The all powerful Lord of all the universe, who created light, who angels worship day and night, who is perfect, glorious, and righteous honors me? What does He mean he will give men and peoples in exchange for my life?


And, after filling the earth with all its natural beauty: the heavens, waters, land, vegetation, and animals, He still found it necessary to create a man in his own image and then go on to bless him?  Like man could bring God more glory than all of that?!


Did you ever wonder why, even after we fell into darkness and turned our backs from Him, this same God still chose to seeks us and to love us? Why even though our hearts remained hard and we continued to measure our idols (money, power, beauty, knowledge) against him, He still found us worthy?


Here's your answer:

For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another - 48:9-11

For his sake! Because he loves us! Because our praise matters to him! Can you even grasp this?! The God of the universe is PLEADING with you to love him back, to praise Him! Notice that in this one verse He repeats the phrase "for my own sake" three times!


And, the reason he won't seek his vengeance on us is because he doesn't want to cut us off from him. That is amazing!  Our praise is more important to God than his vengeance!  Even when we give our glory to other idols (money, careers, etc) and profane his name, he still continually forgives us AND still finds man worthy to reflect his glory.  I find this fact: that Christ is jealous for me and my praise, absolutely beautiful!
 After I read this verse I broke down in tears right in the middle of Bethel Airport.  The power I found in this revelation just broke me. I think I may have even had a panic attack, it was powerful!


Still, after his creation has rejected him, he chooses not to give us his wrath. Instead, out of his love, he gives us another way to glorify him.... he fulfills his promise from verse 43: 4, (I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life)...he gives us his only begotten son, Jesus! Really selah on this a moment.....


Have you ever thought about what prompted God to even think to do this? He ransoms a perfect savior in exchange for a wicked nation's salvation and praise. I think the reason he does this is because he loves us that much. That much that he gives his wrath on a perfect lamb to spares us!

Think about it: we reject him, we worship other gods before him, we break his commandments, yet he still pleads with us to love him back and to glorify his name. And, instead of destroying us all, he spares us through the blood ransom of his only son. He would rather his wrath nail his son to a cross than cut us off from giving him glory! Now that is love!


Thankfully today I understood a glimmer of Christs love..unfortunately my little brain still cannot grasp the expanse of just how deep that goes. I pray you read that verse and are shaken up as well. Great is our God and worthy is He to be praised!


Friends, be an enjoyment to God today. After all, you were created solely to give him glory. Period.


- Sarah

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRI!

To Be A Missionary

This weekend I was invited to a woman's retreat by one of the floor nurses. We met both Friday and Saturday at a local church and had a great time of fellowship. There I met some really fabulous and ambitious women my age. As we were getting acquainted before the service, we all started sharing our stories of where we were from and how we ended up in a place like Bethel. I noticed that most of us came here with a common theme, the desire to do mission work. Mostly medical, but often fueled with the heart of Christ.  Actually, a lot of the people I have met here have or are planning on going abroad to do some sort of missions. Some of the stories were quite amazing and many of the places I have never even heard of. For me, it has been such an encouragement to hear how God has directed the lives of others.

As I was listening to their stories this question kept running though my mind. What exactly is a missionary?  I mean does it have to be in the African jungles or in a far off isolated place? Does it mean not shaving my legs and wearing my pink dew rag (on our first date that's what I told Ian I was going to do...haha). I mean, really, we should be living our WHOLE LIFE as missionaries.  

As I was pondering this thought, my dear husband kept coming to mind. He lives his life ON A MISSION FIELD! When I first looked into Ian's eyes (bare with me a minute) I saw the eyes of Jesus and immediately felt love. I know this is kind of sappy, but really, he has the eyes of Christ and as a result everything and everyone he sees is through love.  He can abundantly give because of what he has allowed God to put in him. I just love that he has allowed Christ's love to be his all purpose garment.

When we first met, I was a very immature christian. Sadly, maybe not even one at all. I had prayed the prayer, but I had not TRULY died to sin and put on the new self. After our first date I really wanted to continue seeing him (even though he was still thinking about being a monk). But, as Ian was so in love with God, the only way I could know him better was to know Christ first.  You couldn't have one without the other.

His faith was a testimony and turning point in my life. You see, he was on the mission field in little old Battle Creek, Michigan. He didn't need a jungle, a foreign language, or a passport to witness to me.

So friends I encourage all of you to be a missionary in your life. In all that you say and do, people are watching. We all have the potential to change lives here and now through Christ. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt. Today, right now, in your very city you are the vessel that God has chosen to speak through. He will open the door, our job is to let him walk through it.  "Well done my good and faithful servant!"

Ian, if you are reading this tonight, I love you honey! Thanks for being a missionary in my life!

New Tooth, New Delivery

Last week while I was chewing a Reesen, a chocolate/carmel gooey thing (I gave into my craving) I lost a filling! As I am headed into the last frontier next weekend (Bethel is considered the "big city" here) I knew that I had to have this taken care of soon. So today, after much finagling from the chief of staff here at the hospital, I was able to get in to the dentist. I am now the proud owner of a new porcelain filling. I realize that this is not huge news for the blog, but it was a blessing to have dental access out here. Otherwise, I would have had to go to Anchorage.

So, that was my morning, followed by an afternoon in the pediatric clinic, then another delivery tonight. I was able to help deliver a 9.3 lb baby girl.  This first time mother was not as quiet as the last one, she made childbirth seem much harder and much more painful. Thankfully she did not tear (I will spare you the rest of the details) and was breast feeding and happy when I left. I am still awed by birth, life is so amazing!

I talked to Ian earlier and our stuff finally came in. I am sure that he will be very busy tonight bringing in 4300 lbs of goods. Thanks honey, I am there helping you in spirit! Hopefully sometime this week he will be able to get our internet and magic jack (land line phone that works through the internet) set up. We still haven't decided on what internet to choose. Option #1 has a $1200 installation fee but is very fast, and option #2 is more affordable, but has the old snail dial up speed. I am sure you can see our dilemma

Other than that we are both doing great. I continue to see some very disturbing cases in the ER (again I will spare you all the details), but am still thrilled to be learning so much. Ian is currently taking a medical terminology class. Its actually pretty funny when we talk. He likes to discuss his pretend health aliments with me using his new language. Its a little different than his native Hebrew, but he seems to be catching on very well.

Next week I will be working in two different villages, Emmonak and Toksook. They are both northwest of Bethel and have populations around 500-600. After that, I will finally be in Aniak with Ian.

I hope this finds all of you warm and well. I understand there was a major storm front in Michigan. I still can't believe that some of you are experiencing colder weather and more snow than we are in Alaska!

God Bless
-Sarah

Weekend In Aniak

What a great (and much needed) weekend! FINALLY, Ian and I were able to see each other. He looked great, of course, and had actually gained a few pounds (I was very happy about that). Although it has almost been a year since we were married, I hope that we never stop being newly weds. He really has become part of who I am, and I am so thankful for his friendship and love.

This first picture is our new home. It is a quadplex that was built for the medical providers coming to Aniak. We are on the top floor and Roberta, our office manager, lives on the bottom (those are her snow machines). She is around our age and I am excited for her to teach me how to knit.

This is our kitchen. We spent most of Saturday night cleaning the refrigerator, cupboards, window blinds,etc. Ian and I had such a good time doing this together. Who would have thought that scrubbing grime could be so much fun?! While we were doing the muscle work, we had a pretty good theological conversation going on as well. I think I may have even given him something to ponder....that may have been a first!

Overall the apartment was very nice, it needed a few minor scrub downs, but I was extremely happy when I saw it.  I know it will feel like home once our stuff arrives.We are hoping that it will come sometime next week.

This next picture is the Aniak Volunteer Fire Department. This is actually very cool. The volunteers are mostly high school girls ages 14-16. They meet every Thursday night and under the supervision of a local paramedic, they learn basic EMT/BLS skills and lifting/transporting techniques. They call themselves the Dragon Slayers and were actually featured on the Oprah Wimfrey show a few years ago. A&E also did a special on them (we watched it this weekend) and Toyota gave them a Forerunner! 

This view is on the bank of the Kuskokwim river. This is the same river that the mushers took last weekend for the K300. Because of the odd weather changes this year, the river froze, thawed, then re-froze again and created this unusual ice pattern. Usually it is very smooth, and often it is used to travel to and from local villages. The view here is just beautiful! Ian and I are really looking forward to some hiking and camping this summer.


This is our clinic. It is called the Clara Morgan Clinic, NOT Clara Barton,  ( I seemed to have gotten the name wrong the first time...see the posts below). It is named after a local native elder. It was actually one of the first sub region clinics in the Delta. It is about 1 mile to our apartment and across the street from the airport.

This last picture is for real...$20.29 for a 2.5 gallon of water! We still are not over the sticker shock found at the AC (our local grocery store), and are learning very quickly just how far rice and beans really will go!

This weekend we did splurge and order pizza and subs from the local Hound House, though. This is Aniak's claim to fame in the Delta, they do a really good job with their food. Even though they are the only restaurant around, it has quickly become our favorite!

I left this morning around noon and took the hour flight back to Bethel ( a very bumpy ride on a very little plane).  It was hard to leave Ian, but knowing that he is doing well and enjoying our new home makes it easier. He has already made some good friends, so in a way he is making my transition there smoother as well. He even received an award last week for his hard work and good attitude! Way to go, honey!

Lastly, I have a prayer request. I have a friend, a wife and mother of four young children, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I was shocked to hear the news. It has really saddened my heart and I am asking for prayers of strength for this battle that she has begun.

Love to you all, God Bless.
-Sarah

Here Comes Baby!

Yesterday I was able to be in on a delivery of a healthy 8 lb baby boy. The mother was G2P1 (2 pregnancies, 1 delivery) so she delivered quite fast. The Yupik women here are taught not to make any noise during labor. And most, if any, do not use any epidurals. As I type this I can think of several brave women: Michelle, Elizabeth, Tereza, who also did this spectacular thing naturally. Not sure if you guys were silent though :)

This long held tradition is rooted somewhere in the superstition that if you make a lot of noise during labor, the child will give you a lot of trouble growing up. Even though the native way of life (subsistence living, gathering, making your own clothes) is slowly being infiltrated and substituted with the Western lifestyle, some of the long held behavior norms remain.

It really is a beautiful thing to see. I am still amazed how cool the human body is, God is so creative! I say this as an outsider, never having any pregnancies of my own, but what an amazing thing! Who knows, maybe in the next year or too I will have to find out for myself. For all you current and soon to be mothers out there, I applaud you!

Next week I will be in the pediatric clinic. I will also be spending 1 day in the dental and ophthamology clinics as well. They actually shortened my training down from 8 weeks to 4, I attribute much of this to my time with Dayone. I learned a lot about medicine while being there.  Even though Bethel has been great, I am ready to be in Aniak with Ian, so this came as very exciting news!

As a matter of fact, I will be flying to Aniak tonight to visit him. Unfortunately it will be a very quick trip, but I am really excited! It has been 3 weeks since I have last seen him. The distance has been the most difficult thing about the move, I enjoy being with him so much.The other added bonus for tonight is the pizza place in town (the only restaurant for at least a 100 mile radius). I have been drooling, I mean dreaming about that for a while ( I am a very big pizza fan). Now on my 3rd week of rice and beans, I am ready for some real food!

Hopefully we will be able to get some pictures of the village to post. It is beautiful there, lots of mountains and trees. I am asking for prayers for safe travel, there is a storm front coming in from Anchorage today. The pilots here are excellent, some of the best in the world, so I am not concerned, but prayer is always good.

Also, I want to wish a VERY happy 84th Birthday to my aunt Faye. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you! And a belated (January 27th) happy birthday to Amanda Feyes, love you too Panda Bear!

-Sarah

Angels Humming

This is another great story. A true testimony of the omnipresent spiritual realm.

Monday morning (late entry, I know) I went to work out at the hospital gym. I got there around 5:30 am (that's when they said they opened) to find a very locked YKHC building. So, a little frustrated because it was early and about -30 out, I walked over to the main hospital to find out when someone could let me in. A very pleasant security officer, Florence, informed me someone would be there at 6:00. So, I sat down and we started talking.

The next words out of her mouth were, "Have you ever heard angles humming?" No, I said, I haven't. She then proceeded to tell me the story of her cousin's death. Apparently he loved to play the harmonica, and was actually quite good. When he was dying, the family gathered around and played the harmonica to him. Another family member recorded the audio. It wasn't until they re-listened to the recording later that they heard angels humming along to the chorus.

She then played the audio for me. I am telling you, it was angels humming. No person could have been so beautiful. It gave me, and still does give me chills. When I looked up in tears, she had her eyes closed with a GIANT smile on her face.

This woman was FULL of the spirit of the Lord. Evidence that the first words out of her mouth were about angels and Christ. Someone once told me that you can tell true lovers of Jesus when in the first 1-2 minutes of meeting them they cannot help but share Him with you. We continued to talk, mostly about the goodness of God and of her faith. Her story really blessed me, especially as coming from a native. There is so much darkness here, it was beautiful to see a small but bright light shinning in the Delta.

As Christians we should not be living in the physical, but in the spiritual. The kingdom has already come! Its inside each and everyone of us if we open our hearts to receive it.  Join him in living in a continual revival and rise up to take your place with him in selfless faith. His blessing are all around us, and we are bathed in continuous showers of mercy and love. So today my friends I sing: Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! Heal my heart Lord and make it clean. Open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how me to love like you have loved me. Break my heart from what breaks yours, everything I am for your kingdoms cause. Help me to be the soldier of light that SEES for your glory!

-Sarah

Kuskokwim 300 Dog Sled Race

My First Dog Sled Race

What a fun night! After work today I volunteered at the annual Kuskokwim 300 dog sled race (the name of the large river that runs through town, a.k.a the "ice highway"). The mushers and their dogs travel round trip (300 miles) to Aniak, our new home, and back.

So, tomorrow around 9:00 a.m., Ian will be watching the teams come in. He will also be volunteering for the race, possibly feeding the very hungry dogs. There were about 22 teams total, most training for next months Iditarod in Anchorage.

It was exciting tonight! Even though it was -40 degrees out, I was laughing like a little kid. Unfortunately I did not get very good pictures because of the cold. I was wearing my "super" gloves and coat (thank you Lisa Engel for that amazing love gift!) which kept me extremely warm...But I unfortunately had to take my gloves off for the pictures. I am not exaggerating when I say that I had less than 5 seconds to take the picture before my entire hand went numb. As a matter of fact, there were warnings out today. Apparently any skin exposure in this weather could lead to frost bite in a short amount of time.

 Here is another picture I took tonight. With most things, pictures just don't seem to capture the moment. Believe me when I tell you it was very cool! Dad, you would have loved this! The dogs were so excited and ready to run, it felt like the dog sled ice-capades with all the jumping around and barking. So fun! 





To eliminate doggie jams they space the start to 1 team every 2 minutes. As these dogs are running on the frozen Kuskokwim (very slick ice), they wear special little booties with tracking on the soles. Most of the dogs are also wearing heavy nylon coats.

This picture was taken this morning as I got to work. I couldn't stop laughing. In Sturgis I was used to wooden beams in the Walmart parking lot for the Amish to tie up their horses. In Alaska, they use their beams to plug in their cars. In just about every parking lot they have these "electrical outlets".... If you don't plug it in, it won't start!

This last picture is the hospital where I am doing my training. I like to call it my giant submarine. Like everything else, it too is on stilts. Thankfully though, unlike my house, this building doesn't shake.