Saturday Nights All Right for Fighting

While these families were enjoying another beautiful day here on North Beach, immediately next to Westport, I unfortunately was on weekend call. I actually had been looking forward to finding out what call was like, but having to work when the weather is absolutely perfect is always hard.

And though I was thoroughly beaten up last time I attempted to learn to surf, I am always tempted again when I see other people attempting. The call was pretty interesting and quite varied. We take care of a small number of hospital inpatients who at this point are all quite old and often need somewhat extended stays in the hospital due to their age and frailty. In the US we would likely need to discharge them to some long term care but those resources here are pretty maxed out. I treated a couple kids with fractures. I was called in at 4 AM to sew up a badly beaten teen who was bitten in the face. I think he might have taken on Tyson but it was his lip rather than his ear. Sunday was relatively quiet after that with only a few patients seen in the emergency room I never really got to wear my cape, or helmet or turn on my flashing green light!

Sort of reminds you of Erik Estrada in CHIPS doesn't it?

Monday, after I returned the call car I had the Morning Off. Happily I bought a bike and that Evening Carolyn and I took a ride on near-by Utopia Road, which is quite pastoral and a beautiful little road to ride on.

I know this one reminds you of Erik Estrada in CHIPS

Punakaiki and Charming Creek Walks

You might get the impression that all we do is vacation here but that is not completely true. We finished with some of our orientation this past week by driving the beautiful coastal road down To Greymouth, which is our primary referral hospital for those not needing tertiary care. I was great to meet some of the staff there but most importantly to have a clear idea of what transferring a patient along this coastal road of 100 KM actually entails. It is nothing like shooting down I 70 in the states. First of all you do not see these signs along the way.

The coastal road was beautiful and on the way back we had the chance to do The Porarari/ Punakaiki Loop Track, an outstanding 3 hour wlk along one beautiful river gorge, over a ridge and down another.

Yesterday we were favored again with a beautiful morning, It being Saturday we drove a bit North to the Charming Creek Walk, another river gorge along the Ngakawau river turning up Charming creek. The walk follows an old private railroad bed used in the last century for mining and timber. It passes some pretty spectacular waterfalls,and has a nice suspension bridge crossing of the river.

This coming week we are fortunate to have a full week in the clinic before my first weekend of call. Now that we have a bit of a handle on the computer system and the health care network, things should go fine, after all the health conditions and practice are the same as we are used to. But since it is a sunny Sunday, we are off to a coastal walk and perhaps hear some folk music at the Drifter's cafe in Granity.