Summer, a time of fun, camping and trekking into the wilderness...
Do you have a dog? Does the dog like to play outside in the fresh air? Do they listen to you when you call or tell them to do something? Mine too, or so we thought.
My husband and I used to like to go out into the bush and go exploring and camping on our time off. We had a few days off and decided it was time for a camping trip. We had gotten all the appropriate garb together for the camping trip. Everything into the truck, clothes, tent, camp stove, extra wood(dry of course), sleeping bags, food, rope, tarps, shovel and tools. We were off for our adventure.
We set off for the Liard river. Now at this time of year, late spring, the rivers are slightly swollen, and hard to cross in the pickup truck. We found an area of the river that was not as deep and proceeded to cross without any problem. When across, we found a great area that had a small clearing just big enough for our tent. Great because you could put a tarp up by tying it to the trees, making a weather block to stop rain and wind that might happen. Camp gear was set up. Sleeping gear put in the tent and we were off on our adventure.
Now we had a great Ford F-150. It was set up for bush travel, so it was a lot higher off the ground than a usual truck. We started the climb over the huge boulders and crevices that were all over the road to the copper mine. Once over that area, the going was easy on a road that had been created for the moving of ore from the mine. Don't get me wrong, this was not a well travelled road or highway, it was a dirt road, and I use the term road loosely. Up and down hills and over more smaller rocks. All in all the road was pretty good. It only shook your guts up a little, better than the ones we had to travel to go to work at times. Fun for the most part.
On the way up to the next river crossing, we came upon the most beautiful beaver dam. It had caused the water to back up and fill a small area of marshy land with a great fishing hole. On went the gum boots and off we went to fly fish for the big one, ya right. Ali, our Aerdale was having a ball. Sniff here, sniff there, then she was gone. She wandered off all the time, but always came back when she had gotten tired of what she was chasing.
We caught a bunch of small trout, which we planned on cleaning and cooking for dinner that night. It was a great afternoon. Sunny and warm. Calm, or so we thought.
Out of the bush comes Ali, crying and howling at the top of her lungs. We thought maybe something was chasing her at the speed she was moving. Up into the truck she jumped and laid down. What is the matter. We are looking around, moving rather quickly, thinking something is coming. Nothing came out after her so, we look into the back of the truck to see Ali with her nose and mouth covered in Porcupine quills, and I mean covered. There was not even a small area of her face that did not have quills in it. She was lucky and did not have any in her eyes, close but not in them. She got a little to close to what she had found and the porcupine let her know about it by depositing all of the quills in her face. She just laid in the back of the truck looking at us with this please help me look.
Now comes the hard part. Ali moved to the edge of the truck tailgate and let her face hang over. My husband got out the pliers and began slowly trying to remove the quills. Ali laid there with me holding her for the whole procedure without so much as a whimper. We removed all the quills we could find. She even had them in her mouth. We took some cold water and poured it over the area to clean it once we were done. She was not happy about the cold water, but let us pour it over the sore areas. She just looked with her sad little eyes, as if to say thankyou.
We did find one more tiny quill about a week later, that had lodged itself in her gum/corner of the mouth. It had become infected and we pulled it out and treated the area until it healed. Now Ali was a great dog. She was bred for hunting bear, not procupines. To think back now, it is funny how all of it happened, but at the time not so much. I will never forget Ali's day with the porcupine.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
First time surgery, what a hoot
Surgery, what a concept. How do you know who to go to or when to get a new doctor? Have they done this before? Are they good at what they do? Do they teach others their craft? What about the new guys, how do they learn? Here is a little story of a new doctors first time surgery...
Dad walked into the doctors office, with the intention of getting checked for a skin graft that was recommended by his personal doctor. He had been referred, so felt confident that the physician he was seeing was competent. He did the preliminary exam, and was very positive about the outcome of the procedure. The surgery was planned. Appointment made. Here we go... a new look when Dad looked in the mirror.
Now arriving at the surgery area is one of the most unnerving things to go through. Questions asked and asked again. Clothes removed, IV's started, people to talk to, more questions to answer, doctors in and out. What could go wrong? Everything.... Ok, it's time.
Dad was taken into the surgical area by a nurse and preparation was begun for the surgery to take placed. Dad's face was cleaned with the appropriate cleanser, then the area the graft was going to be taken from was preped the same way. The graft was to come from his chest, very close to the left armpit. It's time.
In came the doctor, followed by the minions that are all needed for the procedure, PLUS ONE. "Do you mind if this new fellow sits in on the procedure?" was the question from the surgeon. Of course, my father being the man he is, he said "Of course not." It began.
Off the doctors went to scrub and scrub some more.
All the scrubbing done and in came the doctors with their hands raised in the air, ready for the donning of the surgical garb. Dressing the surgeon was done first then the nursing staff turned to the "NEW" doctor.
Donning the surgical gown was easy. Then came the gloves, which he proceded to put on the wrong hands. He also did not know what size to ask for so the fingers of the gloves dangled over the ends of his fingers, the wrong direction due to the fact they were on the wrong hands... then came the mask.... OMG where did they get this guy.... mask on, the facial bra that is suppose to filter your breath and stop any bacteria the lungs may provide... that only happpens if the mask is on right... NOPE upside down so the nose kept peaking its beak out over the top... what a riot... and this guy is going to be a surgeon.
Well the procedure started and the surgeon asked his new orientee to help with mopping up any excess blood or body fluids that got in the way of proper visual access to the areas that were being surgically removed or attatched. The surgery was going fine, cutting and sewing was advancing as the surgeon had described, until the surgeon looked up and made a suggestion that the new doctor might want to take a seat on the stool against the wall... he was smiling, or that is what dad could see in the surgeons eyes over his mask. All of the surgical staff were smiling, almost giggling under their masks. The new doctor orientee was whiter than any bleached sheet dad had ever seen.... He sat there and watched from afar.
The surgery was over and all went well.. The graft looked great. The dressing was applied and instructions were given on the proper care of both of the sites. As all of this was being done, a small voice from the corner stated, "Your not going to tell anyone that this happened.. are you?" Oh course my dad said "No of course not". Lauging ensued.
When anyone asked how the surgery went, my dad proceded to tell all that had happened, especially the part about the doctor in the corner on the stool, and why he was there. Small amount of pain followed for a few weeks... The underarm graft site was the most painful of all the sites that were worked on. Now it was time for the return to the clinic for the follow up visit.
In walked the surgeon with a young man following him. The doctor looked at dad with a slight laugh the doctor made the comment "No, its not the same kid". Dad laughed and the visit went well with excellent results. First time surgery for a new doctor, what a hoot, I guess everyone has to learn sometime.... hahahaha.
Dad walked into the doctors office, with the intention of getting checked for a skin graft that was recommended by his personal doctor. He had been referred, so felt confident that the physician he was seeing was competent. He did the preliminary exam, and was very positive about the outcome of the procedure. The surgery was planned. Appointment made. Here we go... a new look when Dad looked in the mirror.
Now arriving at the surgery area is one of the most unnerving things to go through. Questions asked and asked again. Clothes removed, IV's started, people to talk to, more questions to answer, doctors in and out. What could go wrong? Everything.... Ok, it's time.
Dad was taken into the surgical area by a nurse and preparation was begun for the surgery to take placed. Dad's face was cleaned with the appropriate cleanser, then the area the graft was going to be taken from was preped the same way. The graft was to come from his chest, very close to the left armpit. It's time.
In came the doctor, followed by the minions that are all needed for the procedure, PLUS ONE. "Do you mind if this new fellow sits in on the procedure?" was the question from the surgeon. Of course, my father being the man he is, he said "Of course not." It began.
Off the doctors went to scrub and scrub some more.
All the scrubbing done and in came the doctors with their hands raised in the air, ready for the donning of the surgical garb. Dressing the surgeon was done first then the nursing staff turned to the "NEW" doctor.
Donning the surgical gown was easy. Then came the gloves, which he proceded to put on the wrong hands. He also did not know what size to ask for so the fingers of the gloves dangled over the ends of his fingers, the wrong direction due to the fact they were on the wrong hands... then came the mask.... OMG where did they get this guy.... mask on, the facial bra that is suppose to filter your breath and stop any bacteria the lungs may provide... that only happpens if the mask is on right... NOPE upside down so the nose kept peaking its beak out over the top... what a riot... and this guy is going to be a surgeon.
Well the procedure started and the surgeon asked his new orientee to help with mopping up any excess blood or body fluids that got in the way of proper visual access to the areas that were being surgically removed or attatched. The surgery was going fine, cutting and sewing was advancing as the surgeon had described, until the surgeon looked up and made a suggestion that the new doctor might want to take a seat on the stool against the wall... he was smiling, or that is what dad could see in the surgeons eyes over his mask. All of the surgical staff were smiling, almost giggling under their masks. The new doctor orientee was whiter than any bleached sheet dad had ever seen.... He sat there and watched from afar.
The surgery was over and all went well.. The graft looked great. The dressing was applied and instructions were given on the proper care of both of the sites. As all of this was being done, a small voice from the corner stated, "Your not going to tell anyone that this happened.. are you?" Oh course my dad said "No of course not". Lauging ensued.
When anyone asked how the surgery went, my dad proceded to tell all that had happened, especially the part about the doctor in the corner on the stool, and why he was there. Small amount of pain followed for a few weeks... The underarm graft site was the most painful of all the sites that were worked on. Now it was time for the return to the clinic for the follow up visit.
In walked the surgeon with a young man following him. The doctor looked at dad with a slight laugh the doctor made the comment "No, its not the same kid". Dad laughed and the visit went well with excellent results. First time surgery for a new doctor, what a hoot, I guess everyone has to learn sometime.... hahahaha.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Take a fall and see who laughs
Well, well, well... Have you ever fallen and then told someone about it. It is not so funny when it happens, but you can get people laughing so hard after the fact, you think they are going to wet themselves... that sort of happened today. I had the staff in tears they were laughing so hard. I guess my recounting of the way it all happened, was a lot funnier than when it actually happened to ME. I had them all in stitches.
Now the reason for their laughing was not one of my more proud moments. I had gone in to check the shower room and ended up on my ass so to speak. Slip, feet in the air, landing on knees and hand. I never thought this would happen to me. I am fairly well coordinated and tend to stay on my feet, at least that is what I thought. While sitting on the floor, swearing at all the world, I was hurt but more mad than anything. Stupid people who don't clean up after themselves.
Anyway, from there I worked through the night and then came the fun... in comes the supervisor and states....."You need to go to employee health". Those were the words I heard in the morning. Oh no, anything but that, so off I went.
Now you have to remember that I am now at the end of a three day weekend of 12 hour nights. I was sleep deprived and not in a very good mood. If I had known how many people would poke on the one part of my body that had been hurt, I would never have said anything to anyone. "Does that hurt, can you bend it this way and that?" Of course it hurt, I just landed my fat ass on the tile floor and tried to stop myself with my stupid wrist!!!! Off to the Dr. who again poked and pushed on the one part that had been hurt. "Does that hurt when I pu.., "Dam doc that hurts", guess I showed him, he did'nt even get to finish his sentence. Poke some more, pull here and there. Now turn over and lets do the legs too. No problem there, so I guess we need some pictures of that hand and wrist. Now off to the radiology torture chamber.... xrays... who said they are not painful?
You sit on a small stool and have your hand turned, moved and set into unnatural positions, to open the bones up so they can tell if they are broken.... Broken!!!! if they weren't when we started, they will be when this is over. Bend it this way! Bend it that way! Hold that position! Holy crap, how can you make something that hurts so much, hurt more. Now don't get me wrong, she was very gentle with the torture that she performed and I know it had to be done, but dam it hurt. Wow, did not know taking a picture of something would be so involved. Now back to the examining room to wait.... Pictures done. No breaks, but you have to wear a brace for a week.
At least I can still work. I just have to take the brace off when I see patients. Wish me luck with the exam next week. I really don't want this stupid thing on when we have the party in three weeks. If you really want to see some smiles and a laugh or two, take a fall and see who laughs. Not one of my prouder moments.
Now the reason for their laughing was not one of my more proud moments. I had gone in to check the shower room and ended up on my ass so to speak. Slip, feet in the air, landing on knees and hand. I never thought this would happen to me. I am fairly well coordinated and tend to stay on my feet, at least that is what I thought. While sitting on the floor, swearing at all the world, I was hurt but more mad than anything. Stupid people who don't clean up after themselves.
Anyway, from there I worked through the night and then came the fun... in comes the supervisor and states....."You need to go to employee health". Those were the words I heard in the morning. Oh no, anything but that, so off I went.
Now you have to remember that I am now at the end of a three day weekend of 12 hour nights. I was sleep deprived and not in a very good mood. If I had known how many people would poke on the one part of my body that had been hurt, I would never have said anything to anyone. "Does that hurt, can you bend it this way and that?" Of course it hurt, I just landed my fat ass on the tile floor and tried to stop myself with my stupid wrist!!!! Off to the Dr. who again poked and pushed on the one part that had been hurt. "Does that hurt when I pu.., "Dam doc that hurts", guess I showed him, he did'nt even get to finish his sentence. Poke some more, pull here and there. Now turn over and lets do the legs too. No problem there, so I guess we need some pictures of that hand and wrist. Now off to the radiology torture chamber.... xrays... who said they are not painful?
You sit on a small stool and have your hand turned, moved and set into unnatural positions, to open the bones up so they can tell if they are broken.... Broken!!!! if they weren't when we started, they will be when this is over. Bend it this way! Bend it that way! Hold that position! Holy crap, how can you make something that hurts so much, hurt more. Now don't get me wrong, she was very gentle with the torture that she performed and I know it had to be done, but dam it hurt. Wow, did not know taking a picture of something would be so involved. Now back to the examining room to wait.... Pictures done. No breaks, but you have to wear a brace for a week.
At least I can still work. I just have to take the brace off when I see patients. Wish me luck with the exam next week. I really don't want this stupid thing on when we have the party in three weeks. If you really want to see some smiles and a laugh or two, take a fall and see who laughs. Not one of my prouder moments.
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