Yap Island and Dr. Rosemary: Oi trip now we are in Satawal then Elato

05.23.15. En route from Satawal via Lamotrek and Elato to Wolleai

It has been a very busy week and much harder to work on the computer as the ship rocks and rolls. Had spent one day on Satawal with plans for a second day of work there. It is the last island in the state of Yap, so the one that usually gets only one visit whereas the others get one visit on the way to Satawal and another to pick up and discharge passengers. When you are in Satawal, you get one chance. Saw a woman with an abdominal wall hernia that I referred to Yap. She is the daughter of the health assistant Margie, who is a real firecracker and she can really swear when she needs to. No doubt she was in the States. The dispensary there is the nicest I have seen, and probably the reason is that the Chief of Staff is from this island. Yes, it is who you know.

It was an uneventful night on the ship until ………………. I woke up with a very high fever and shaking chills. I was freezing and burning with a fever at the same time. I had only a sheet for warmth and when I thought about putting on another shirt, I managed to go ashore in the morning, but have no recollection of much after Melissa told me I looked sick. Melissa stayed on the island because she cannot swim and we had to take a local motor boat to the ship going through surf. For some reason they all are very worried about the surf. I know boats can flip if not properly balance, but the surf is not that high. With the noted exception of Melissa, most are excellent swimmers. And she is too embarrassed to wear a life jacket. Long story short, I did not meet with the women, but was led to the exam room where I slept. I do have a recollection of a nice young man bringing me a lei from a friend who loves in Satawal. I found the note from her two days later when I found the contents of my pocket on the table. Melissa told me two men held my arms and helped me walk to the boat then I climbed in, without any semblance of grace no doubt. Then when we got to the ship the crane lifted me and the crew. All I remembered without being told was that I saw the rim of both the ship and the boat and was not really certain where I was.

That night they called Peace Corps Andy, who insisted on hearing my voice so I got up to talk and told him I would be fine and not to worry. Then I crawled back to bed and was having another fever – 105.2ᵒF. They called the hospital in Yap and spoke to the director who is married to the chief of staff and the pharmacist relayed messages back and forth. Melissa, Thomas (both immunization nurses) and Subriano (health assistant in Wolleai) were told to do vital signs every two hours all during the night. And they did, they woke me every two hours. They started an IV, left me with lots of water and oral rehydration salt solution (tastes terrible by the way) and coconut. Peace Corps Andy may have called the office in Pohnpei as I was later told that they were prepared to call Guam to send the Coast Guard to get me if I did not improve. The US Coast Guard would sail to Wolleai and pick me up there. I am very happy to report that I am now fine. So the US taxpayer is spared a ton of money that it would cost to deploy a ship to transport one PC volunteer to a hospital. I am curious if they would have taken me to the naval hospital in Guam or back to Yap. I have a feeling, but cannot prove it, but I feel my temperature was even higher that first night when I had the most terrible rigors – even worse that when I had malaria. Apparently this was a very bad case of food poisoning - probably from contaminated tuba orthe cup from which I drank.

I tried to return to work as soon as I could but did miss another island. I met their health assistant Joe on the ship and he was a big help with the immunization injections. I did get off the ship in Elato and slowly did my work, saw a few consultations, including over the radio from Joe. He sent me a lobster. (Yes, everyone on the ship and islands we visited knew Dr. Rosemary was ill. There are no secrets here. Joe called the health assistant on Elato where I was, and asked “Why did Dr. Rosemary visit Elato and not Lamatrek?” John the Elato HA said “Because Dr. Rosemary loves Elato!”. There could be no better answer. I went back to the ship on the first available boat, showered and straight to bed. Today I feel much improved and ate my lobster. Yum. Even better news for me was that this was a brief stop at two islands, not a working stop, so I could rest without feeling guilty. I am ready for tomorrow! And I will need to do another outer island trip to meet with the health assistants again.

Here are a couple of photos.

Cissy from Satawal. who babysat for Tommy, Reina, Honora and Theo. She was on the trip back to her home.

Some passengers would be lowered in the launch if they were unable to climbhte rope ladder.

This canoe sailed from Lamotrk to Satawal.

Surf's up! Always fun to get back to the ship in a launch.

Cute dog.

Making tuba - a fermented beverage from the coconut. It is an acquired taste.

Probably could have watched the pigs, chickens and dogs all day.

Patiently waiting for something to eat.

They were all right next to the dispensary.

Proud father and his son.

Our breast health and betel nut brochures posted on the wall.

Mom playing marbles with her little girl.

They start chewing betel nut at a very young age.

Dog talk.

It can be a challenge to keep that thu in place.

Mr Cool.

Yes, we put everyone to wrok. This 7 year old is the grandson of one of the health assistants. He put on bandaids for us. Sweet boy.

Margie, health assistant in Satawal.

Notice the slippers (flipflops).

Emilene, health assistant in Satawal.

Emelene's Mom is on the her right. A cousin with a cigarette.

Styrofoam ship.

Elato. Turtle on the beach. They eat the meat as well as the eggs.

Canoe (outrigger) and motor boat.

Beautiful Church. Only one I saw with tiled floor.

Cute branch of the cocumut, the end drips liquid that is collected into an empty coconut. The first liquid is sweet, then after that, it is less sweet and used to ferment for tuba.