Talaud Islands, Indonesia

In the helicopter on our way to the Island

We are on day three here at Talaud Islands with the MedCAP and the crowd has been lining up since 4 am. Yesterday if i am remembering correctly, we saw 273 people! Here on site we have dental, optometry, medical, physical therapy, laboratory, and pharmacy. 

Check out a video of the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 used one of their MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter to provide supplies in Indonesia!

The kids are so fun and full of life. They laugh at me as I attempt to speak words in Indonesian but then help me out too!

Last night the translators took us into 'town' to the market. I bought some mentos from a shop!! My tagalong children pulled me in every direction to their friend’s shops. Then the kids walked us home to the school singing jingle bells in English.

Our sleeping quarters - cots and mosquito nets

Then we took our cots with our mosquito nets outside to sleep. I actually slept because it was cooler. Still hot but not as bad. Well we had an early morning wake-up call. Monsoon style rain! It turned into the first shower we all took! Shampoo and all in our bathing suits! And we washed some of our shirts claiming the change in downpour was The cycle changing.. Wash, rinse, spin!

Today June 5th we saw 350+ patients! I was in the triage area doing vitals and basic assessments. We noticed a large percentage of our population had blood pressures > 230/120 and they were wanting to go to optometry for blurry vision. So… I taught the waiting crowd about high blood pressure, prevention, signs and symptoms, and treatment. They were very receptive and asked good questions. Later I worked with a local nurse to improve the education for tomorrow to alter it towards Indonesians. 

The Chief cutting up coconuts for our team

Tonight the translators and the head of the district here arranged a bus and some cars to transport our team to the beach!!! We had so much fun it was like a spa for us! As I was getting out of the water I was stung by a jelly fish. That was not so fun... It was like a sudden burn by an iron. The welts formed on the inner side of my right upper arm and across my chest. One of my corpsman offered to pee on it, but I opted out. :) The swelling is down and the stinging is gone now and it's time to attempt sleeping outside again! Hopefully no rain!!!!

 Here's a fun article on the Pacific Partnership site!

Getting ready to land in the Talaud Islands