Monday June 4 - Sailing Again

We left the 1st little island last night about dark. I stood on the flight deck and checked out the land as it went by. There was some kind of fish swimming with us as we left. It had some type of fin but could not tell it if was a dolphin or not. The fish never came up enough to see what it looked like. There were all these tiny 2-man boats out fishing way out. Don't know how they get that far out. The winds picked up on the deck as we pulled out from the land. Really could feel the sea winds blowing. There was some rain sprinkles and clouds, but just fun to stand outside.

The garbage is piling up on the mid section of the ship, so don't want to breathe too deep down there. They burn all the paper but everything else just gets put there. They look thru the big paper bags we take up to make sure there is nothing in there that can't burn. If they see something they make you go thru the whole thing, take out what is not to be in there, then check it again. Today we had put paper OR hats and masks and they said they had elastic in the edge so I got to sort thru the whole bag and find everything that got tossed in the wrong bag. These bags are twice the size of a grocery bag at the bottom and about 3 feet high. Plenty of stuff to go thru and I didn't have any gloves with me to put on. Glad is was mostly dry stuff in there. If you guys think sorting into garbage and recycling is a pain, try paper, plastic, metal/ bones and perishable.  Fun.


Today after breakfast I was able to go up to the bridge where they steer the ship. Jennie was told to come up at 6 to watch the helicopters taking off. We were able to go right up in to the flight control tower and take pictures. Really cool to see them take off.

Not much happening in the department today. Helped clean as I still do the bathrooms. I gave Casualty Receiving some of my stickers to give the kids. I will have to take some to shore with me. Post Op also came and asked if we had anything to give a 12 boy something for his birthday today. Danielle Taysom  had brought some stuffed animals and toys in boxes from San Diego so she but a bunny, coloring book, crayons and toy truck in a bag to send up to him.

Danielle showed me some hygiene kits that we need to put together. These people appreciate anything from us. If things stay the same, I will get to take 2 duffle bags of hygiene kits onto the shore on the 6th and give them to the people as they come thru for registration. The Navy finally gave us permission to do this on shore. We can't give them any on the ship but we can give them the kit before they get on. Go figure! My job on shore is to help with the Chest x-ray screening. I will be the person who records if the patient and their escort have a neg or pos chest for TB.  This will be at the new hospital in Manado. Too bad most of the local people will not get to use the hospital, as it seems this one is for the rich that have the money to pay for it. I am hoping to get copies of pictures from the people who when on shore the last two islands.

I talked to everyone at Sunday dinner. Steve & Lisa at her mom's and the rest around the dinner table. I got an email form Marianne Lampson and Shaila Cartwright (my co-worker). It is fun to get all this communication. What did we do before satellite phones, cell phones and the Internet?!!! Hope to get some other pictures sent off so you can see the sunsets and landscapes. There looked like on the island a church or temple of some kind. It was white with spires, maybe a Buddhist one.  I watched them load the band-aid boat on the ship. They pull it next to the ship, attach a host cable and then just lift it straight up  on to the boat deck with two guys still in it. Tried to get it on video but it was dark so hope you can see it.

All is good. I think we did 1 chest at 4 am, a CT, an OR case on an elbow and a portable on a leg and I didn't get to do one of them. It has been very slow today but that will pick up when we at in port in two days. We will be busy for those  two days.

Love to all!

Good luck in your class Cam, you will do fine in it.