A hands on day!

Last night when Rob added his blog I realized I was writing about the previous day so have decided to catch up to him so we are writing about the same day! Yesterday began with a slower than at home morning rush as there is no factoring in a 45 drive to school. At about 8:50, Amy and I ambled up to school, I really love that, and she was met by her new friends Jocelyn and happily followed her into the classroom. On my walk home I met of one the locals who is one of the local policemen as well as one of the church ministers. He chatted for about half an hour about island life and the changes that have occurred since council amalgamation! We think we have been hard done by! But I wont get started as I don’t want this to become a political soapbox!! Anyway, it was great to chat with and have a laugh with him.

When I got home Rob was heading out to the airport so I joined him in the ute and we picked up the regular RAN here as well as a visiting midwife, she has the most interesting job! She flies around all the remote island visiting women antenatally and postnatally and has some time every few months at TI hospital in birthing suite. SO essentially she can follow a women through pregnanacy, deliver them and then follow up Mum and bub once home. She says she loves it and that was evident. She invited me to sit in on her appointment to refresh my skills as she said if deliveries do happen then I will be called, being the female nurse. Worried!!!! My midwifery course finished 17 years ago! It was great to sit in with her though and I held a 4 week old island babe and did his 4 weekly check, a bit rusty but its surprising what does come back! Then she had a first time mum at 30 weeks who I helped assess and even found the foetal heartbeat on doppler, felt very proud J.

The cultural stuff here is so interesting. The midwife was telling me that all women go into TI (Thursday Island) at 36 weeks to be near the hospital centre for their birth. The birthing suite looks out over the ocean and the Mothers birth on an incoming tide. She explained that she watched a multi ( mother who has had more than one baby) stop contracting at 8cm when the tide started to go out and then restart once it turned!! No explanation for this but she said they are very connected to the land and water.

Whilst I was “working” Ben was out on the reef collecting all sorts of interesting things, a beautiful blue clam and a flame file shell. Just amazing creatures! Its great because he can collect them, bring them back here to have a closer look at, identify with books or uncle google, and then return them back to the sea!

Collected Amy from school, bit of a mixed feeling day. Same as all schools, there is some bullying here, not directed at Amy but some of the kids are quite physical with each other, something Amy is not used to. Still, she talked with us about it all and feels happy to go back.

Once Rob got home we went over to the jetty and did a spot of fishing as the sun set. Amy caught the fish!! Not sure what it was but it was great for her. Not big enough to eat but we will return tomorrow……

Robs View...Post 1

Robs words.

The breeze, the sea air, the panting of Coconut our clinic dog, the laughter of happy people going about their business,  the buzz of the charter plane coming and going from Horn Island, the beep of the blood pressure machine, the smell of fresh fish cooking in Chilli, lemon and Ginger, the crunch of crispy fried prawns.  Island life is just too hard to take.

Masig or Yorke Island is quite literally a tear drop in the ocean.  Formed as a sand island on a coral reef, this  tiny island is home to 200-250 islanders fiercely proud of their  ‘Ilan’ and their heritage.  They are a proud sea faring people with a thriving Reef Pilot , and fishing industry.   Across the outer islands of the Torres Strait, Masig is known for the Tiger and Endeavour prawns, sea mullet and cray fish.  The water is clear greenish blue, and cant be captured on film, though Joanne has done an outstanding job trying.  The clinic work here is different to all the other islands that you may have read about in www.robsoverthetop.blogspot.com but I am not sure if that is a function of the different attitude of the locals on this island, or a different view of me working in the clinic.

Things are different this time.  Saibai, was chaos, a real regimental aid post, crazy busy and always random, with the odd dynamic of PNG nationals coming over to Saibai for treatment.  Darnley was simply stunning, with a clinic that operated on the Torres model of health care, where Islanders ran the health service, and nurses were simply consultants for the complex clinical presentations.  Yam island , also beautiful, but with no permanent nurse, the clinical environment, stock, pharmacy and general day to day function seemed to be missing the TLC that only nurses bring to a centre.  Here, the CNC Robyn (Aunty Robyn or Aka Robyn to the children in the village) runs a well oiled machine that  demonstrates a relaxed and calm style.  Robyn has been the permanent RAN here for 17 years.  She has seen little ones born, grow up, go off to school, and come back to the island and start families of their own.  She is truly part of the island.

So what seems different?  Well for a start, here, I am not lonely!!  That is a big thing.  I have my family here on this tour of duty.  In Saibai, I was full of wonder.  I met some wonderful nurses (Tyson and Teresa) and school teachers (Sarah, Vanessa, Bill and Cass) who befriended me and with whom I shared a drink, and some meals, and a lot of laughs.  But I missed my people. 

On Darnley I didn’t share a house, but had health workers, and Annie and Chris to offer me company, but I didn’t have my family.  I missed my people.

Yam was the toughest.  I was the only nurse, and whilst the health workers made an effort to include me, the loneliness was really hard.  These experiences taint your view of the place.  But here on Yorke, I have other nurses, I have friendly health workers, and most importantly I have my family, and that makes all the difference.  I love it!!

Ben comes into the clinic randomly with odd reef creatures with amazing colours, and shapes.  Armed with a marine biology book, he sprouts off data and scientific facts about this shell, and that creature.  His home schooling as far as I am aware seems to be working, and if I could just keep him focused, then I am confident that the next 4 months for his year 10 studies will be seamless.

Amy has been going to the school for two days, she is reading year 7 work, and in a class of grade 5,6 &7 as the only year 4 kid.  She bounces home from school with interesting happenings, and learning, and her speech is starting (after just 2 days), to blend into a English, creole hybrid.  It is cool to watch her adjust to her new friends and environment. 

Jo is taking it all in.  She spent today with the Midwife “Sandy” brushing up on some Antenatal, and postnatal checks.  She also chatted with Uncle Ned, the island priest/police officer (and many other hats) about the island, its people, and history.  I am loving watching Jo’s wonder, and responses to the culture shock.  I call them “Saibai Moments”  because I had them in Saibai, when all this was so new to me too.  But all the other stuff aside, I come home to a bed each night with my wife in it.  Her smile, her smell, her touch, her ear, her being, makes for this whole experience …this time to be so , so different.  And for the first time in the Torres, I don’t feel lonely.  

I cant wait for the weekend when as a family we can walk the island, and have a fishing expedition, and try some snorkelling and reef walking, and just be, in the presence of my people for the first time above 10 degrees south.  Am I living a dream….you betcha!!!

day 2

Day 2            

Awoke this morning to blue skies and even bluer seas. Having looked at the local school yesterday and met the head master, Amy decided she would like to join the local kids. So we set off the 500m or so to the Yorke State School. We were met by one of the 2 teachers, Mr Donaldson who teaches grades 5, 6 & 7. The other class is grades 1, 2 & 3. Guess what, Amy is the only grade 4 child! So she joined in with the 5,6 and 7s. Another little girl was asked to buddy Amy for the week and together they headed into the classroom. As I walked away it felt a bit like the first day of school all over again, Amy is so brave!

So I walked home and I stopped into the Ibis store to collect some bits and pieces for dinner etc. The locals are friendly and all say hello as you pass. Its still surreal walking along the paved streets with hibiscus and frangipani and palm trees. I feel like I am in a dream and just waiting to suddenly wake up back in reality….I wonder when this will become the reality…

 Ben and I had a walk along the beach ( as you do…) and collected some cocoanuts and admired the ocean. I am really enjoying the walks on the beach and hope to get a bit of fitness and less fatness while we are here

Its surprising how once you have done all those houseworking things and prepared some meals, that suddenly it’s the middle of the afternoon. I walked back up to the school and was delighted to see a happy Amy who said she had had a great day.

Robert finished at the clinic at 5pm and one of the health workers, Veronica, invited us to collects some green coconuts and watch how they are opened. Its amazing how quickly the locals can scale a coconut palm! Within minutes, it was raining coconuts as Solomon pulled the machete out of his pocked and started to slash the palm. It was just as impressive watching the boys crack open the nuts and we drank some delicious coconut water. Its like nothing I have ever tasted, sweet but refreshing, slightly fizzy, delicious!!

The day ended with a huge feeling of relief. Ben is just so content, pottering on the reef, playing his guitar and of course, facebooking. I realise I must get a good routine going for his school work as self motivation is certainly not one of his strengths. Amy enjoyed her school day and says she is happy to go back tomorrow. Rob has had a good clinic day….island life continues

In the Beginning ...

Day one of our adventure. It really  began yesterday at 5am at the Novotel Resort in Cairns when our breakfast arrived in our room. We ate with bleary eyes and were ready to meet our airport bus in the lobby by 6am. Funny how its always harder to pack the pack the second time! Cairns airport was humid and warm and very multicultural with people flying to different parts of the world as well as northen Queensland. Our plane boarded at 8 and we walked out on the tarmac to the entrance. It was a reasonable size with two seats either side of the aisle. The departure from Cairns was steep with a wide arc over the ocean which was beautiful. As we continued up north we could see coral and just amazing sea colours. It was really beautiful.

2 hours later we landed on Horn Island just off the tip of Queensland. The airport is about the size of an average house and was crammed full of people heading in all different directions. Our luggage arrived on a trailer that was parked in between everyone and we located all our bags ( thankfully :) ) Within about 15 minutes, there were just a handful of people remaining. Two pilots were wandering around. One looked about 15 and is rumoured to bite her nails during final descent and landing. The other an older gentleman with grey hair....I was praying for him, he looked like he knew how to fly the pencil looking thing waiting on the tarmac for us!!

We stood under the wing of the aircraft to recieve the pre flight briefing. The same old tired looking life jacket was explained but I must say I did take notice as we would now be flying just over the ocean. The we boarded, all 8 of us, 4 seats on either side of the plane, and the pilot. It was comforting to be able to see the pilot but not so when an alarm went off during the flight and I saw him pressing a variety of flashing things to quieten the alarm, somethings I think its best not to know about! Anyway, we took off and the flight was really spectacular. We were all quiet and gazed out the window during the hour long flight from Horn to Yorke Island. It was cloudy at times but when the clouds parted, the scenery was beautiful.

The landing here on Yorke had a few more speed bumps that I like due to the high winds but we arrived safely and was met by Robyn in her ute ( the resident RAN - Remote Area Nurse) She drove us around the island pointing out the 2 shops and the school and then dropped us at our home to be for 3 weeks. The verandah out front faces the sea that is visible through the palm trees and the first thing I noticed when we entered was the post in the middle of the lounge room, just like home. It is very comforting! The windows are all glass louvres to maximise the sea breezes but the air conditioners in each room work well too. Ben, Amy and I unpacked bags and settled in and Rob got to work in the clinic with Robyn straight away.


 

Ben, Amy and I had a walk along the beach as the tide was heading out. It is really lovely and the water like glass. There is quite a lot of debris along the high tide mark, general rubbish and well as building materials. Its a stark contrast, the amazing beauty on one side, and the destruction on the other. Its not present along all the beaches though as we discovered later on. The shells here are so pretty and very different to what we are used to finding at Bribie.

After a walk we were all tired after an early start and excitement of all the new things. The hot water was sadly not, so we had cold showers until Rob discovered the gas bottle was not connected. The internet was also not happening so hopefully it will be fixed today so I can send this! A lovely dinner of prawns, caught just off the reef and off to bed. The phone woke Rob and I twice in the night and he was called into the clinic for a couple of minor issues. Its pretty full on for an island whose population is supposedly  100 to 200 people!

OK, day 1 down...will report in tomorrow about day 2

Love Rob, Jo, Ben & Amy