Nursing in Barrow

Last weekend I began shoveling the drifted and packed two feet of snow on the ramp opening up into the area where I’ve been storing the many boxes I shipped up from Washington in early October.   When I stepped out the door, layered in warm clothing and shovel in hand It was -14 ᵒ F.   By the time I’d made a small dent in the packed snow on the 15 foot ramp and beyond, I was hot enough to take off my face mask and began making trips inside for tall glasses of cold water. Today is moving day and it’s -20 ᵒ F.   It’s dark here now all of the time although the sky lightens slightly in the afternoon and is a beautiful, deep blue.   This morning it was very dark, so I felt as though I was beginning my move closer to midnight than at 9:00 in the morning.   I finished the shoveling, creating a wide path down the ramp and into the parking area where I’ll be loading the boxes.   I’m grateful that from store room to truck, the distance is not more than 25 feet. ...

It’s been enjoyable learning more aspects of public health nursing here in Barrow.   I mentioned in an earlier post that w e have a close alliance with the Infant Learning Program Developmental Specialist who follows up with children who may have developmental delays or disabilities.   She invited the public health nurses to join her in two of her December teleconference sessions that are a part of the Developmental Disabilities class she’s enrolled in through the University of Alaska in Anchorage.   Bertrand and I had just returned from the clinic in Wainwright, so we weren’t able to attend the one offered on Friday, 12/7.   The first part of the program had to do with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and about how it is diagnosed.   The second part was an overview of developmental disabilities and metabolic conditions.   It was facilitated by a developmental pediatrician, Dr. Beth Ellen Davis, from the University of Washington.   It would have been...

Christmas here in Barrow was wonderful in every way.   Favorite things, of course, included talking with my family in Arizona, Washington, Pennsylvania and California and friends in Washington, hearing about their events leading up to Christmas as well as plans for the day and sharing mine.   My little granddaughters are growing by the minute.   Little Jordan’s voice is so clear and my heart melts listening to her talk about the many subjects on her mind.   She usually ends our wonderful and funny conversations with, “I’m sorry, Oma, but I have to go now, OK?”   Her little sister, Keira, isn’t far behind in conversational skills, I’m sure.   I long to see my children and grandchildren again and am continually grateful for their blessings to be working so far away, “up in that cold place” as Jordan says.   Among other things that made Christmas joyful here was attending a church service with live music and carols.   Live non-Native music is ...

The week at work was a busy one with beginning to train in the Barrow clinic with one of the other experienced public health nurses, Michelle. It’s interesting to see how she, Joanne and Bertrand have different ways of interacting with their clients, all effective and all giving complete assessments, but bringing in their own unique personalities and focuses. I have several sets of competency lists that I’ll begin to take with me on each clinical day and will have Michelle, Bertrand and the Nurse Practitioner, Colleen, check me off as I progress in each skill area. So far I feel confident giving adults IM (intramuscular) Tdap and flu immunizations, ID (intradermal) flu shots and adolescents IM Tdap, flu and HPV-4 immunizations. I’ve given children as young as five IM flu shots and nasal administrations of flu-LAIV (live attenuated influenza vaccine) and have given a child a sub Q (subcutaneous) varicella vaccination. I’m feeling comfortable with drawing up the flu vaccine from...

Walking across the lagoon last weekend, I noticed an inch and a half wide crack in the ice that ran across its entire width from the road to the dike.   It was puzzling as the ice had been frozen for weeks.   My only thought was that it might have been caused by the 5.3 magnitude earthquake that shook Anchorage a couple of weeks ago, but I hadn’t heard that its rumbling had traveled this far north.   Valerie told me later that she’d seen a large truck driving across the lagoon earlier in the day and we both imagined that its weight had caused the ice to crack. People at work this past week talked about the weather feeling colder and the temperature has been steadily dropping.   Last night Julie called me to remind me to leave the water running in the faucets to keep the pipes from freezing.   This morning it was -34ᵒ F, but warmed up to -21ᵒ later in the day.   However, as I realized the moment I stepped out into the whipping wind, it was much cold...

Darlene knocked on my door last Friday night looking like a snow man with red cheeks, a smile and a back pack with shoes she brought to change into at the Health Department Christmas party.   I looked a lot like her as we walked past the store, the library, and the Heritage Center, around a few bends and arrived at Eben Hopson Middle School, where the party was being held.   I was amazed to see many women dressed in clothes similar to those worn in major cities, mostly beautiful, glittery red dresses, having driven in warm vehicles to the party.   It was tempting to feel out of place in my REI pants, but nice sweater and shoes until seeing the veterinarian, Sara, in her Carhartt jacket made beautiful by her smile and talents on the key board.   Many families attended, children played and had their pictures taken with Santa, carols were sung, and karaoke brought out the soloists in some.   A gift exchange left everyone with the original one they had ...

I was tired from a long day at the clinic on Thursday night, but the moment the drumming began, all traces of fatigue faded away.   I was caught up in the rich sounds being produced, beginning with a soft tapping on the rims and working up to an energetic beating of the skin of the drums made from the liver membrane of the bowhead whale.   Dancers began to fill the floor in front of the drummers and watching them made me think of my trip to Barrow with Dad as a teenager.   I saw the drumming and dancing there and have recalled it in my mind many times over the years.   It’s a large part of what drew me back to Alaska and especially to Barrow.   I asked one of the Bodfish women if she knew what the movements of a particular dance meant and she said that she didn’t have any idea.   I later learned that most families have their own songs and dances, many that have been passed down through the generations from their ancestors.   ...

Not all people wear the traditional Inupiaq fur clothing today, so even local people are impressed with the beautiful handmade fur parkas, hats and mukluks shown at the Wainwright celebration.   I caught some photos of people showing their outfits.

  The photo in the slide is of Waldo Bodfish, Sr. It sounds as though he was a very prominent person in the community, being involved in many of its activities over the years. Elder Billy Nashoalook remembers when black and white motion pictures first came to Wainwright. Waldo rented a space and charged a small amount for admission; I believe he said 5 cents. Elsie and the some of the Bodfish decedents that were at the celebration invited me to sit with them and agreed to my taking a group photo of them. The man in the third row up, another Willie Bodfish, held up the book I'd brought and that they all had signed for Dad. The older woman in the red and black parka in the front row is Marietta, Waldo Sr.’s daughter.   His son, Waldo Jr. is in the Carhartt overalls in the separate photos with his wife, Eileena.   He squeezed my hand very hard and was happy to hear about Dad knowing his dad.   Eileena told me that it was alright if I took her photograph...

Bertrand and I were fortunate enough to be working in the clinic in Wainwright during the week the community was celebrating having incorporated 50 years ago in 1962.   Everyone was invited to events taking place each night.   It was the first gathering for many months following whaling and fishing seasons--many had recently returned from fish camps and seemed to enjoy being together as a large group again. On the first night, the Mayor of Wainwright spoke and then introduced representatives of the Mayor of the North Slope Borough and of the Governor of the State of Alaska who both congratulated the citizens of Wainwright on their having incorporated and on the progress they’d made in creating their community government over the years.   The Wainwright Mayor next invited elders to talk about the history of the village.   They each shared stories about growing up there, remembering when they didn’t have electricity and talking about life having been much mor...