Remote Medical Clinic -

How it works -

The three doctors and Cassidy hire a 4x4 and drive around the countryside looking for very remote villages.

Here they are stopped, and Dr. Kim is giving an adjustment, while the other Doctors treat some wounds.

Courage

A group picture in the remote area of the White Sands region on the island of Tanna during one of our truck clinics. One of the nice patients gifted me that nice woven fan.

 The clinic was in a broken schoolhouse where the winds blew in the ocean facing wall and roof. They lost most supplies, the books were still there, but had been all wet and were hard to read.

Shannon

Port Vila -

It is official, Cassidy has left for America, the motorcycle is in full use, and I found an ice cream factory!  So now in the afternoon we motorcycle down to the ice cream factory, and pick up our ice cream right there!

We are finding that we like civilization for the first day or two, then the need for a quiet anchorage with a sandy beach comes right back, and we scheme and plan for an escape!

Courage

Cyclone Pam Aftermath -

South River Village

Photo of Lil'  Explorers delivering food aid on Erromango Island

Lil' Explorers Ends ER-1

A 43 year old lady was treated twice at the medical clinic run by the doctors of ER-1 in Ponkill on Erromango Island. She was unable to digest food, and was basically starving slowly. Lil' Explorers ended up transferring her on board to Dillon's Bay in Eromango for a medical flight to the hospital in Port Vila. Unfortunately flights were unable to be scheduled. Hence Lil' Explorers ended up sailing her to Port Vila, taking her to the hospital, and briefing the on-duty ER Doctor on her status/condition. Fortunately the problem has been found and will be corrected shortly!

Salsa and probably Chez Nous should be arriving tomorrow, and an initial meeting of ER-1 with ER-2 is scheduled for 1730 on May 13th. 

What a truly wonderful experience, and thank you to everyone!

Courage

South River - Erromango Island Report

We arrived around 10:00am on May 8th 2015, AKA Shannon's birthday.

An initial brief meeting with the chief as he met us off shore. The chief said we were welcome to visit his village, and when asked about need for medical help he indicated that they did require medical assistance. He then took his boat back up the river to the village and let the people know that we were coming, and that he had welcomed us.

After anchoring Cassidy and I took our dingy up the river to the village. We were welcomed by Lency who spoke great English. He introduced himself as the CDC (Community Disaster Coordinator). He took us on a brief tour of the village. There were numerous areas that were easily identified as having been house sites before the cyclone, but now were just rectangular areas of bare dirt.

Many temporary homes had been rebuilt with wreckage from the cyclone to provide immediate shelter from the elements. As usual the villagers were very happy and welcoming. We were shown an area where we could conduct a clinic inside one of the two brick cyclone houses.

We asked about when their last food aid had been delivered and they stated it had been over a month ago and that it was all gone. They also stated that their next food aid was over a week late and they had no word on if/when it may occur. It was possibly delayed due to logistics with rain all week, but there is no communications and it is unknown.  These are a people who typically receive no aid of any kind and live completely self sufficiently.

There were about 130 people in the immediate village. And they sent "runners" to remote areas to alert the different families that there was medical aid being offered.

Based on our observations, discussions, and general feeling of the village we determined that giving them food aid would be appropriate and helpful. We delivered approximately 1000lbs of Sea Mercy rice, 400lbs of Sea Mercy split peas, peanut butter, meat, crackers fishing supplies, machete's, hammers, nails, and a large bag of lightly used clothing. Additionally we gave gasoline and bar oil for their chain saw. And gasoline for their boat that we used to transport the food to the shore.

Everyone helped carry the food from the river bank to the protection of a nearby home. The old ladies would carry 25 lbs bags of rice on their heads, and additionally a large bag of split peas under their arm. The men would carry two or three bags, and even the children would wrestle with the rice bags until an adult would come and relieve them.

Overall the people were clean, had clean clothes, and appeared to be in good health.

The medical report will follow, but in brief there were 40 patients seen with most being seen by Dr Shannon for their wounds and illnesses first, and then being referred to Dr Kim for sore backs, knees, and other joints. With all the manual labor required for the recovery efforts, many of both the men and women are in need of both medical and chiropractic help.  We ran the clinic by flashlight late into the night, and somehow managed to navigate the dingy out through the rock and log strewn river, through the surfline, and to the boat without killing the dingy or the outboard.

We are truly having a wonderful adventure.

Courage

South River Bay

As we approached the river entrance a small open boat pulled out of the river. We flagged it down and asked if they needed any medical aid. They indicated that they did, and we asked if the chief was at the village. It turned out he was the guy manning the outboard. He said he would go in and let the people know, and that he gave his blessing for us to visit the village.

We took our dingy up the river dodging upturned logs and large rocks. The waves surfing us in just added to the excitement. When we arrived we were greeted by a group of smiling faces. We were given a tour of the village and learned that all their homes had blown away, that they had hidden in the two concrete structures, and that when their houses blew away everything that they owned went with their homes. Not once though did they ask for anything.

All their crops had been destroyed, and I asked when they had last received food, they said about 40 days ago and that it was all gone. They were just eating roots, and the island cabbage that they planted after the cyclone was just getting big enough to eat.  So we off loaded about 1000lbs of rice we had brought from American Samoa and about 400lbs of split peas one of the other boats (Salsa) had brought from Fiji. And of course peanut butter, corned beef, crackers, fishing line and hooks.
Everyone in the village helped carry it up the hill even the old ladies with one bag of rice on their head, and a bag of split peas under one arm.  The people worked very well together.

This was one of the strongest communities that we have met. Most of their houses had been put back together enough to shelter them from the rain, and the people were strong and healthy.

Courage

Busy Day

Busy day, crossed from Tanna to Erromongo.  The boats split up so we can do everything we are supposed to on Erromango in a short few days.  Kim and I saw about 40 people today after a 5 hour crossing. We went in from about 1-5, then returned from 6-8 to care for the outlying villages that walked down for hours to see us. It would be a shame for them to walk that far and not get seen.  All in all successful day, nice visit.  

We leave early tomorrow morning to Ponkil to do a clinic there with the other boat Salsa hopefully at 10 am.  There may be 2 local girls here who come with us on the boat.  If they are onshore at 6:30 am, they come.  If not, it's about a 3 hour walk (or more).  

Goodnight,
Shannon

Body Heat Question -

So yesterday we went for a walk in the rain.  We were meeting with the chiefs daughter who had lost half her foot to an infection.  We had "borrowed" some crutches, and Salsa another Sea Mercy boat with us, had some shoes for her damaged foot.  We got her to take her first steps in 1.5 years!  Hopefully the family will encourage her to continue to try walking.

As we were walking home we found that even though the temperature is 75 degrees, the rain made it so cold we were shivering.  Now the question (Bet) that we have is how fast does a body lose heat when in 30 degree water versus 30 degree air.  Is it 10 times faster?  2 times faster?

Enjoy,
Courage

Today's Adventure - 5-6-2015

So today we started by going to see if anyone showed up in the pouring rain for the clinic we had scheduled for this remote town of Lavis. Monday we tried to do a clinic there, spent most of the day trying to get there by boat, truck and foot, then everyone was gone getting food aid when we arrived. So we said we'd be back today. We think they don't keep the same "schedule" that we do, but we felt obligated to show up.

Courage, Cassidy and Steffan went up the hill in the rain after I landed them on some jagged reef rocks in the wind and rain. They went up, dropped off some medications, borrowed some crutches, checked for any patients, then returned. We were all soaked! I just stayed in a swimsuit since I wasn't going to town. No patients came out in the rain. I think they have a hard time getting dry again in their dwellings, or caves, depending on where they are living now.

So, we came back, had lunch and dried out. Then we headed back out in the wind and rain to visit our friend at the local village with the partially amputated foot. We brought more clothes, plastic jugs, and kitchenware from our boats for them, and the crutches. We only had them on loan for a day, so we had to see if it was a viable option. Ellinor (Dr.Ristoff) from S/V Salsa brought a pair of Crocs and a pair of Tevas. Due to the deformity of her foot, it turned out Tevas were the only ones we could get on her foot. She had not been ambulatory for a year and a half. She is 21. So getting up was hard, I basically lifted her. We propped her on crutches, but her balance wasn't great, so I caught her a few times. I handed her off to Ellinor as she walked out of her house and Ellinor supported her while she made her way. She fell to the side a few times, but did great! Due to the rain, and the fact that she has muscular atrophy now due to disuse, we only went a little ways. We turned her and worked back to the hut she was in, got her settled back into bed. She was very happy to have an option to be mobile. She was shivering since she got somewhat wet. I pulled out and gave her one of Courage's sweatshirts that he was donating to them and she slipped it on. Turns out her father was the chief. He was so excited to see her up. He offered us a chicken, yams, and island cabbage. The woman was holding the chicken, but we declined it as nicely as we could. I don't see plucking the thing. We still had yams from their previous gift, so we accepted the greens and called it good.

We are supposed to return the crutches tomorrow when we go up to run the clinic. I have a request out to Dr. Moise, the local physician and apparently health coordinator for all of the Tafea Province. He is going to drop off some medications for us to deliver to Erromango on our next tasking trip. I have asked for crutches to be brought also!! I sure hope he has some. It is very hard for these guys to get to Lenakel to pick them up, so I am hoping he can bring them out here with his truck when he comes with the medications. I told him that we or Sea Mercy or someone would buy them if it was a money issue and the government doesn't provide them. If he is unable to get us some, maybe we can buy them from Mary at the Aid Post whom we borrowed them from?? I am quite excited for Yao, the girl, to get mobility after a year and a half. I told her my major concern for her is atrophy of her muscles, bedsores, and pneumonia. I told her she'd grow old quick if she doesn't find a way to get up moving. She was certainly interested and willing, so my task is to get her those crutches.

We brought all the children to shore with us since it's been raining for days and we haven't really been out. I think it was good for them to meet the villagers, see the donations, see their gratitude, and get outside for a little bit. But they were blue and shivering when we returned. We had hot chocolate and cuddled in dry blankets. Our cockpit and lifelines are filled with things "drying" after almost a week of rain. Rumor is there may be a break in the rain tomorrow. Would be great to be able to dry everything out, even if only for a day!! Get it put away, and then start accumulating wet again. The winds have picked up again this evening; maybe it's blowing the storm past us??

Today one of the little girls was wearing Vitality's old dresses. I hope they are wearing their sleepers we gave them for tonight. Those palm leaves are really no protection from the wind and rain. The overhang is only a shelter as long as the rain comes straight down or from behind it. Not if it is blowing toward it.

This is definitely a hearty population that does not complain; at least not to us.

Goodnight,
Shannon