I’ve received a few comments and many emails from those who have been reading about my trip. This is number 32 in the series and I fully expected to hit fifty before this arctic adventure is complete. Thanks to one of my neighbours, however, that may not be possible. You see, for the past week, I had been using a wireless connection to the internet to check facts and details about the territory and hamlet. That ceased today with “linksys” now using a WPA. There is good news on the horizon though. I can access the internet through my Nunavut government connection. Yes, tech support finally came through yesterday (as well as my contract today) and now I am both connected and officially an employee. bbriggsjude@gov.nu.ca will reach me at least until the 18th. I hope the cookies arrive soon! I HAVE ONLY 10 DAYS LEFT !!!! Where has this time gone?
I will tell you I have developed a new skill set while here…baking and bailing. Today was cleanup day (again). I talked about our flood of requests on Tuesday at three p.m. After yesterday’s final case of the day, I expected it to be a somber day of both reflection and mourning. Everyone who comes to the clinic knows everyone. They smile and hold each other kids and pass the time while they are waiting to see the clinic staff. They may be a neighbour, relative or friend. In a town of 3,000, people pick up their mail at the post office and when death occurs everyone knows the person, the family and many times they were friends as well.
Folks here meet each other at the various stores and socialize at each others houses. Only outsiders lock their doors and knock when they enter a friends house. I thought I would be able to report how death is handled in a small town “north of 60” but that didn’t happen.
Instead it was raining cats and dogs when we arrived at the centre today. That’s tough to do when the outside temperature is 25C (again please note the minus is understood). Water was everywhere on the floor from the elevator all the way down the hall to pharmacy. We had at least an inch of water on the floor ranging from reception to medical records into transcription and registration and into a couple of the nurses stations including the fridge and the coffee maker room.
Again, the crew of staff members from the entire centre pitched in until within an hour, the place was bailed and we could turn our attention (once again) to the flooded boiler area. This time it was less water, in the hold, than before but it had to be done. What happened today you might ask? I’m starting to get the blame. Some of them are now counting the days till I leave town. It seems that the effects of xray room’s sprinkler demise of Tuesday afternoon had also affected the elbow at the end of the run directly in the front storm porch entranceway of the health centre. It must have happened just before the NOC (nurse on call) had arrived at eight. The ceiling was spewing gallons of water. It got shut off just as I got in. Nobody changed. They dropped their gloves but no fight broke out.
Instead, bailing, vacuuming, and general mopping as well as sweeping occurred. I was asked if I was bringing in muffins, again, on friday. I replied “sorry guys but today xray is dry!” And so, what had thought to be a somber day was a genuine diversion of huge importance. We had all pitched in and moved medical records, computers, faxes and gallons upon gallons of water. It had a huge therapeutic effect. People had accomplished the near impossible with the most minimum of losses.
I have suggested that floor drains be installed this spring so we just have to mop up the boiler room. It would save a lot of work. I’m still looking for the employee’s suggestion box now that I am one. Maybe I’ll get a free trip to Winnipeg!
I will tell you I have developed a new skill set while here…baking and bailing. Today was cleanup day (again). I talked about our flood of requests on Tuesday at three p.m. After yesterday’s final case of the day, I expected it to be a somber day of both reflection and mourning. Everyone who comes to the clinic knows everyone. They smile and hold each other kids and pass the time while they are waiting to see the clinic staff. They may be a neighbour, relative or friend. In a town of 3,000, people pick up their mail at the post office and when death occurs everyone knows the person, the family and many times they were friends as well.
Folks here meet each other at the various stores and socialize at each others houses. Only outsiders lock their doors and knock when they enter a friends house. I thought I would be able to report how death is handled in a small town “north of 60” but that didn’t happen.
Instead it was raining cats and dogs when we arrived at the centre today. That’s tough to do when the outside temperature is 25C (again please note the minus is understood). Water was everywhere on the floor from the elevator all the way down the hall to pharmacy. We had at least an inch of water on the floor ranging from reception to medical records into transcription and registration and into a couple of the nurses stations including the fridge and the coffee maker room.
Again, the crew of staff members from the entire centre pitched in until within an hour, the place was bailed and we could turn our attention (once again) to the flooded boiler area. This time it was less water, in the hold, than before but it had to be done. What happened today you might ask? I’m starting to get the blame. Some of them are now counting the days till I leave town. It seems that the effects of xray room’s sprinkler demise of Tuesday afternoon had also affected the elbow at the end of the run directly in the front storm porch entranceway of the health centre. It must have happened just before the NOC (nurse on call) had arrived at eight. The ceiling was spewing gallons of water. It got shut off just as I got in. Nobody changed. They dropped their gloves but no fight broke out.
Instead, bailing, vacuuming, and general mopping as well as sweeping occurred. I was asked if I was bringing in muffins, again, on friday. I replied “sorry guys but today xray is dry!” And so, what had thought to be a somber day was a genuine diversion of huge importance. We had all pitched in and moved medical records, computers, faxes and gallons upon gallons of water. It had a huge therapeutic effect. People had accomplished the near impossible with the most minimum of losses.
I have suggested that floor drains be installed this spring so we just have to mop up the boiler room. It would save a lot of work. I’m still looking for the employee’s suggestion box now that I am one. Maybe I’ll get a free trip to Winnipeg!
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