Daily Updates from
our Teacher at Sea
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Daily Updates from our Teacher at Sea |
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September 5
Tour of the Sickbay
| Hi, I'm Gail's cabin mate, Wendy, and I'm happy to report that Gail is feeling much better today. Our chief scientist Rebecca has been having a time of keeping her away from watch. Gail does not enjoy being bunk bound. |
The vertical view from Gail's bunk. There are exactly 22,483 dots in Gail's view of the celing. |
The horizontal view from Gail's bunk, and vanishing point perspective view of Gail's feet. |
It may seem that Rebecca is being overprotective, but it's important to take extra precautions when you're living in close quarters with a lot of people, especially if you're on board an isolated vessel, days from port. |
| Obviously there is no hospital, but there
is an extensive Sick Bay. I went with Gail to her doctor's appointment
today and found out first hand the extent of these facilities here on board.
There is no doctor, but we are in the capable hands of PA (Physician's Assistant) Tina Medrano, who has been in service for sixteen years. She and her medical assistant, showed us around the sick bay, and described their capabilities. |
Tina and Scott. |
Medical Instruments.
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The sick bay is able to deal with a variety
of ailments with its array of medications and equipment. There are
antibiotics for infections, sutures for lacerations, and local anaesthetics.
They can give you a tetanus shot or immunize you for Hepatitis A.
Broken bones can be spotted with X-rays, and casted to heal.
Tests can be run for "strep throat" or "mono", and your red blood cells can be counted on a "hematocrit". If need be, you can be given a temporary filling to last until you get into port and can see a dentist. |
| Before leaving port, they had to think ahead about all of the most common ailments that might affect the crew of the Polar Star, and stocked up accordingly. They are ready for about everything. Care for more serious medical emergencies requiring surgery, or more intensive care, however, requires the boat to head back toward port, close enough so that the Coast Guard helicopters can "medivac" the patient to shore. |
You're sure you had one when you came on board? |
