This morning I woke up and met Cheryl Wilkinson for lunch and some souvenir shopping. We went downtown to the Paradise Cafe and then walked around in the various shops. Over the past two months I have tried really hard to not look like too much of a tourist, but I think I dropped my guard a bit today as I was wandering in and out of various Alaskan gift shops. As I was walking I did meet a Vanderbilt alumni. He graduated from the divinity school and was in Alaska doing some mission work. One of my professors from this past semester has a husband who is a professor in the Divinity School. He remembered having this particular professor and we shared stories about the Segovias for a few minutes in downtown Juneau, AK. Just another example of how small the world really is.
After lunch I met up with the Bornstein family and went for my final hike. We went "out the road" to a place called Cowie Meadows. For some reason, I am absolutely terrified of bears. Ever since my first hike to the John Muir Cabin, I have never been out in the woods and not thought of seeing a giant bear lurking around the corner. Every time a bird chirps or a twig snaps under my feet my heart skips a beat (or six) and I stop in my tracks. Lucky for me, I have been out hiking and running and yet to see a bear - until today.
The first part of the hike was actually quite enjoyable. We went to Cowie Meadows Cabin and then further along the coastline to the Blue Mussel Cabin. Along the way we saw lots of Fireweed and other flowers and berries. These forest service cabins are pretty neat. For a nominal fee you can rent them for the night and camp out. Each is equipped with a gas heater and a sink. Enough to make you feel comfortable, but not enough to ruin the mystique of camping.
The Blue Mussel Cabin is right on the water and it is not uncommon to see humpback whales wander into the cove. We went a little past Blue Mussel Cabin and came across a tree that was smoking. Someone had started a campfire and had not laid a proper base so the fire went underground. There was smoke coming from some holes in the ground right around the base of the tree. It was really interesting to think that there was a fire underground that I could not see. We took some pictures and then started our walk back to the trailhead.
Before every hike I ask Dr. Bornstein, "What are the chances that we see a bear today?" He usually just laughs and tells me that a bear sighting would be very unlikely. We made it maybe three quarters of the way back to the start of the trail when we my worst fear came to fruition. Standing no more than 60 or 70 yards away was a giant male grizzly bear. The bear saw us as soon as we saw him and began to look our way. His ears popped up and he stood to get a better view of us. We stayed together and retreated back off of the trail. We walked away, slowly, until Dr. Bornstein eventually went to check on the bear. The bear was still checking us out very curiously and eventually began to cross the meadow and come over towards our side.
The scariest thing about the bear sighting is that once the bear sees you, you are no longer in control. You could be 400, 500 yards away and the bear could very easily catch you if he/she so desired. That's what makes me so uncomfortable is the sense that even if I do everything I am supposed to do in a situation like this I am still completely at the whim of a 2,000 pound, 8 foot tall wild animal.
Eventually we ran into some thick brush and were forced back out onto the main trail. We could no longer see the bear so we assumed that we were in the clear. We all breathed a sigh of relief and began walking briskly towards the trailhead. About two minutes later we were stopped in our tracks again as we heard rustling and crashing from the brush no more than 50 or 60 feet away. We never actually saw the bear this time due to the thick brush, but it was there and we were very close.
At this point I had just about had enough of hiking so I did my best to try and get to the car as soon as possible. Unfortunately my hiking mates had other ideas. All of a sudden Dr. Bornstein needed to use the restroom and Sam decided he wanted berries (you know, the same berries the bears like to eat). I was so scared and ready to go. I think a lot of my fear came off as humor, but it was definitely no laughing matter.
The Bornsteins bought me pizza and soda to settle my nerves after our hiking adventure. What a scary day. Tomorrow is my last full day in Alaska...
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Day 60 - Retirement
Today, after nearly 9 weeks on the job, I announced my retirement from SEARHC Dental. In January I blindly googled "Alaskan dentistry", and sent off emails to various organizations, private practice dentists, and public health clinics. Lucky for me, Dr. Tom Bornstein was the first to respond and give me an opportunity to develop a project with SEARHC. Over the past 9 weeks I have seen and accomplished so much.
I traveled to Hoonah, Haines, Sitka, and Skagway. I traveled by car, bus, plane, ferry, boat, and bike. I saw small Alaskan villages and large tourist destinations. I met people from all over the United States - each with a unique story and perspective. I saw and did many things. I walked on a glacier, rode on a dog sled, flew above mountains ridges in a helicopter, and hiked for hours.
From the clinic side of things, I also feel like I accomplished a lot. I developed two surveys that will hopefully improve the patient experience at SEARHC in the future. One survey, administered via telephone, was to address the high missed appointment rate in the clinic. The other, administered in waiting rooms all over Southeast Alaska, was meant to survey patients on new patient education material. I also found time to work with Dr. Hort to stock a vending machine with Xylitol products and do many other exciting things at the clinic. Beyond all of this, I found time to meet new people and see things from a different perspective.
What an amazing experience - one that will certainly take some time to soak in. Throughout the course of the weekend I will work on one final summary post but, for now, there are too many emotions and too many thoughts running through my head for me to capture the meaning of my summer project experience in a clear and concise way.
I still have a few more days in Alaska to get in some final sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Almost home...
I traveled to Hoonah, Haines, Sitka, and Skagway. I traveled by car, bus, plane, ferry, boat, and bike. I saw small Alaskan villages and large tourist destinations. I met people from all over the United States - each with a unique story and perspective. I saw and did many things. I walked on a glacier, rode on a dog sled, flew above mountains ridges in a helicopter, and hiked for hours.
From the clinic side of things, I also feel like I accomplished a lot. I developed two surveys that will hopefully improve the patient experience at SEARHC in the future. One survey, administered via telephone, was to address the high missed appointment rate in the clinic. The other, administered in waiting rooms all over Southeast Alaska, was meant to survey patients on new patient education material. I also found time to work with Dr. Hort to stock a vending machine with Xylitol products and do many other exciting things at the clinic. Beyond all of this, I found time to meet new people and see things from a different perspective.
What an amazing experience - one that will certainly take some time to soak in. Throughout the course of the weekend I will work on one final summary post but, for now, there are too many emotions and too many thoughts running through my head for me to capture the meaning of my summer project experience in a clear and concise way.
I still have a few more days in Alaska to get in some final sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Almost home...
Days 58 and 59 - Silverbow, Monday Funday, and Xylitol
The last two nights have been busy and hectic so I haven't had a chance to write at all. Tuesday, I went with some members of the dental staff to dinner at the Silverbow. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the Silverbow shows a movie for free so a few members of the staff are regulars. This week, "Invictus" was the free movie. I had yet to see it, so I figured it was a good week to go. We all met up after work - ate, played cards, and watched the movie. On Wednesday, I went over to Rachel's house for a BBQ. Every Monday, Rachel and a few other dental assistants go over to her house for a huge BBQ and night out together. It is usually on Monday (hence, Monday Funday) but this week we had it on Wednesday. We grilled and just hung out. I like the nights where I can just hang out on a couch and play video games or watch TV. The little things you take for granted when I am at home are the things I miss the most.
One of the coolest things about my summer experience has been interacting with all of the different members of the dental team. Very few are actually from Alaska, so if you walk around the office most parts of the United States (and some of South America and Europe) are represented. At no other place would people with such varied and diverse backgrounds make such a strong effort to get along and spend time together. Everyone is intrigued by each others backgrounds and stories. Very neat.
On the clinic side of things, I have really started to wrap things up. The big project for this week was to get the vending machine up and running. I stocked all of the products, made price labels, and set the prices electronically. I also took change and loaded it into the appropriate slots. I know more about vending machines then I ever wanted to know. Also, there is a Xylitol brochure and poster that will sit next to the vending machine to provide patients more information. I am hoping that the vending machine is a success because there are 6 vending machines currently sitting in storage waiting to be shipped to other clinics.
Hard to believe I proposed an idea 6 months ago and now that idea has become a reality. It hasn't been easy - I've worked hard, traveled a lot, and had to adjust the outcome of the project slightly - but, in the end, it has been such an incredible experience. Tomorrow is my last day at the clinic. We are having a BBQ luncheon for my last day and I will have to say goodbye to a few members of the staff. Can't wait...
One of the coolest things about my summer experience has been interacting with all of the different members of the dental team. Very few are actually from Alaska, so if you walk around the office most parts of the United States (and some of South America and Europe) are represented. At no other place would people with such varied and diverse backgrounds make such a strong effort to get along and spend time together. Everyone is intrigued by each others backgrounds and stories. Very neat.
On the clinic side of things, I have really started to wrap things up. The big project for this week was to get the vending machine up and running. I stocked all of the products, made price labels, and set the prices electronically. I also took change and loaded it into the appropriate slots. I know more about vending machines then I ever wanted to know. Also, there is a Xylitol brochure and poster that will sit next to the vending machine to provide patients more information. I am hoping that the vending machine is a success because there are 6 vending machines currently sitting in storage waiting to be shipped to other clinics.
Hard to believe I proposed an idea 6 months ago and now that idea has become a reality. It hasn't been easy - I've worked hard, traveled a lot, and had to adjust the outcome of the project slightly - but, in the end, it has been such an incredible experience. Tomorrow is my last day at the clinic. We are having a BBQ luncheon for my last day and I will have to say goodbye to a few members of the staff. Can't wait...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Day 57 - My last week
Today was my final Monday in Alaska. It's amazing how different it felt walking into the clinic today then it did 9 weeks ago when I arrived for the first time. Instead of nervously waiting in the lobby to meet Dr. Hort like I did in mid-May, I walked confidently into the back of the clinic ready to showcase what I have been working hard on all summer.
I spent the morning finalizing my waiting room survey data and preparing my patient education material proposal for Dr. Bornstein. We met in the afternoon and he appeared to be very intrigued by what Dr. Hort and I have come up with. It was also rewarding to be able to present to him the statistics from the telephone survey - most of which reflect positively on the clinic. I know that this is an issue he has wanted to address for a long time and it will be nice to have some analysis and data to bring to the board of directors.
One of the my main points of emphasis over the past week has been to ensure that everything I have done over the past 9 weeks remains easily accessible for anyone on the SEARHC staff. Because of time constraints and needing to be realistic with my own expectations, I have realized that I could not have possibly developed a survey, conducted hundreds of interviews, analyzed all of the data, and then created a series of educational materials for OB patients during the time frame of my summer project. I will leave with certain pieces of patient education material developed, but another focus point is ensuring that I have laid the groundwork for the SEARHC dental staff to be able to finish what I have started in the coming months. This includes brainstorming, outlining, and researching.
I have created an outline for a 6 month plan to disseminate various pieces of educational materials utilizing many different types of media. This ranges from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to local gatherings with community leaders in small Alaskan villages. In addition, I have provided the dental team with months worth of research to help them ease into becoming responsible for the new patient education material we have worked so hard to develop. As many of the staff members I have worked with have told me, it seems that SEARHC attempts to develop something new and innovative every year, only to fall short on sustainability and creativity. Let's hope this time it's different!
This evening I went to the mall to get a haircut and to purchase new headphones. For those who rely on public transportation, you know that having a charged iPod and a working set of headphones are vital to an enjoyable bus experience. The trip to the mall also made me look forward to coming back home and having my car back.
The public transportation system has been very useful and cost efficient, but it is often so time consuming. Take today's example: I had a 6:30 haircut appointment at the Nugget Mall which is about a 5 minute car ride from the dorm. I had to leave my apartment at 5:55 to catch the 6:00 bus that arrived at the mall around 6:15. After looking through the stores and getting a haircut I caught the 7:15 bus back to the school and walked into my dorm room at 7:45. What should have been a 40 minute experience turned into a nearly 2 hour experience. At least the people who ride the bus make it interesting.
Tomorrow is a big day as it is the grand opening of the vending machine. I am also presenting my findings at the staff meeting and will have an opportunity to thank everyone for being so kind and helpful over the past two months. Almost done...
I spent the morning finalizing my waiting room survey data and preparing my patient education material proposal for Dr. Bornstein. We met in the afternoon and he appeared to be very intrigued by what Dr. Hort and I have come up with. It was also rewarding to be able to present to him the statistics from the telephone survey - most of which reflect positively on the clinic. I know that this is an issue he has wanted to address for a long time and it will be nice to have some analysis and data to bring to the board of directors.
One of the my main points of emphasis over the past week has been to ensure that everything I have done over the past 9 weeks remains easily accessible for anyone on the SEARHC staff. Because of time constraints and needing to be realistic with my own expectations, I have realized that I could not have possibly developed a survey, conducted hundreds of interviews, analyzed all of the data, and then created a series of educational materials for OB patients during the time frame of my summer project. I will leave with certain pieces of patient education material developed, but another focus point is ensuring that I have laid the groundwork for the SEARHC dental staff to be able to finish what I have started in the coming months. This includes brainstorming, outlining, and researching.
I have created an outline for a 6 month plan to disseminate various pieces of educational materials utilizing many different types of media. This ranges from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to local gatherings with community leaders in small Alaskan villages. In addition, I have provided the dental team with months worth of research to help them ease into becoming responsible for the new patient education material we have worked so hard to develop. As many of the staff members I have worked with have told me, it seems that SEARHC attempts to develop something new and innovative every year, only to fall short on sustainability and creativity. Let's hope this time it's different!
This evening I went to the mall to get a haircut and to purchase new headphones. For those who rely on public transportation, you know that having a charged iPod and a working set of headphones are vital to an enjoyable bus experience. The trip to the mall also made me look forward to coming back home and having my car back.
The public transportation system has been very useful and cost efficient, but it is often so time consuming. Take today's example: I had a 6:30 haircut appointment at the Nugget Mall which is about a 5 minute car ride from the dorm. I had to leave my apartment at 5:55 to catch the 6:00 bus that arrived at the mall around 6:15. After looking through the stores and getting a haircut I caught the 7:15 bus back to the school and walked into my dorm room at 7:45. What should have been a 40 minute experience turned into a nearly 2 hour experience. At least the people who ride the bus make it interesting.
Tomorrow is a big day as it is the grand opening of the vending machine. I am also presenting my findings at the staff meeting and will have an opportunity to thank everyone for being so kind and helpful over the past two months. Almost done...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Day 55 - Dinner party with the dental staff
The weather was not great again today so I spent most of the day getting organized and lounging around. Now that I have settled back into Juneau I have started to utilize the Rec Center at UAS more than I did in the past. I talked with the student worker at the front and bargained my way into a 20 visit pass for $20. I won't use all 20 visits, but I will make one of my roommates happy when I leave next week. I went to the Rec Center today and ran on the indoor track (my alternative to running outside in the rain).
Tonight, Dr. Sohonage had all of the dentists over for dinner to welcome the new residents. The food was great. We had salmon, halibut, and crab cakes. They were all made from fish and crabs caught by a SEARHC employee. The food I have eaten here brings new meaning to the word "fresh".
That's about it from here. Tomorrow is Dr. Bornstein's birthday so I am heading over to his house for dinner and cake. Other than that, not much planned.
Tonight, Dr. Sohonage had all of the dentists over for dinner to welcome the new residents. The food was great. We had salmon, halibut, and crab cakes. They were all made from fish and crabs caught by a SEARHC employee. The food I have eaten here brings new meaning to the word "fresh".
That's about it from here. Tomorrow is Dr. Bornstein's birthday so I am heading over to his house for dinner and cake. Other than that, not much planned.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Day 54 - Dog sledding, Perseverance Trail, Mt. Roberts, Salmon Bake
For the record, I actually did spend a few hours in the clinic today. I continued to work on developing my patient education material and work on my presentation to the staff on Tuesday. However, what I did outside of the office today was much more exciting so i will focus on that instead.
I woke up early this morning to catch the bus to TEMSCO, the helicopter company that flew me to the Juneau Ice Field for my dog sledding experience. It was awesome. I had never been in a helicopter before and, as you could imagine, the views of Juneau and the surrounding islands from 5,000 feet in the sky are pretty amazing. We passed over ridges and mountaintops and eventually flew over the Mendenhall Glacier. I have seen the glacier from the west side and the east side, but it takes on a whole new personality when you see it from the air. The helicopter dropped me off deep in the Ice Field where there is still snow covering the thousands of feet of ice. We met the mushers (many of whom have raced in Iditarod) and then we got to meet the dogs.
We spent almost half an hour learning the names of the dogs on our sled, what their stories were, and why there were in the particular spot on the sled. After the introductions we did a 30 minute dog sled trail. I was with a couple from a cruise ship so we took turns driving the sled and sitting in the passenger seat taking in the views. At each stop we got off, spent time with the dogs and watched as they cooled down by eating or rolling in the snow. It was funny to see the difference in personality between the dogs. The dogs in the front of the pack are generally considered smart and responsible so when we would stop they would quietly sit down and await orders to continue. The dogs in the back, however, would jump around and bark - begging for attention.
After the ride, we thanked the dogs and then walked around the dog camp a bit more. There are over 200 dogs and 15 people who live up on the glacier during the summer months. We finished the tour a little early so the musher took us over to meet the future of dog sled racing - the husky puppies. The helicopter picked us up and returned us to the TEMSCO base. It was an awesome 90 minute tour and one of the coolest things I have done so far.
After work, Dr. Bornstein picked me up and we went for a run on the Perseverance Trail. The snow has melted so what was a 6 mile run a few weeks ago has turned into an 8 or 9 mile run. We decided we hadn't had enough exercise so we hiked from the base of Perseverance Trail to the tram station on top of Mt. Roberts. When you've run 8 miles, what's another 50 minutes of hiking and 1,800 feet of elevation? The hike was nice though as there were many ripe salmonberries and blueberries that we picked and ate along the way. Our reward for hiking to the tram station was a chance to see a rehabilitated bald eagle and a free ride to the bottom. The Mt. Roberts Tramway is a pretty big tourist attraction so I'm glad that I can say I crossed it off my list of things to do before I leave.
For dinner, I drove out to Thane with a bunch of friends from the clinic and ate at the Thane Salmon Bake. They had unlimited salad, salmon, halibut, cornbread, and drinks. The food was pretty bad. It started to rain as we left the restaurant, which was the first time it had rained in almost 50 hours. I am not certain, but that could be a Juneau record for the month of July (at least during my time here!).
It's been a long exhausting day so I'm headed to bed. Tomorrow is Saturday so I get to sleep in and just hang out...
I woke up early this morning to catch the bus to TEMSCO, the helicopter company that flew me to the Juneau Ice Field for my dog sledding experience. It was awesome. I had never been in a helicopter before and, as you could imagine, the views of Juneau and the surrounding islands from 5,000 feet in the sky are pretty amazing. We passed over ridges and mountaintops and eventually flew over the Mendenhall Glacier. I have seen the glacier from the west side and the east side, but it takes on a whole new personality when you see it from the air. The helicopter dropped me off deep in the Ice Field where there is still snow covering the thousands of feet of ice. We met the mushers (many of whom have raced in Iditarod) and then we got to meet the dogs.
We spent almost half an hour learning the names of the dogs on our sled, what their stories were, and why there were in the particular spot on the sled. After the introductions we did a 30 minute dog sled trail. I was with a couple from a cruise ship so we took turns driving the sled and sitting in the passenger seat taking in the views. At each stop we got off, spent time with the dogs and watched as they cooled down by eating or rolling in the snow. It was funny to see the difference in personality between the dogs. The dogs in the front of the pack are generally considered smart and responsible so when we would stop they would quietly sit down and await orders to continue. The dogs in the back, however, would jump around and bark - begging for attention.
After the ride, we thanked the dogs and then walked around the dog camp a bit more. There are over 200 dogs and 15 people who live up on the glacier during the summer months. We finished the tour a little early so the musher took us over to meet the future of dog sled racing - the husky puppies. The helicopter picked us up and returned us to the TEMSCO base. It was an awesome 90 minute tour and one of the coolest things I have done so far.
After work, Dr. Bornstein picked me up and we went for a run on the Perseverance Trail. The snow has melted so what was a 6 mile run a few weeks ago has turned into an 8 or 9 mile run. We decided we hadn't had enough exercise so we hiked from the base of Perseverance Trail to the tram station on top of Mt. Roberts. When you've run 8 miles, what's another 50 minutes of hiking and 1,800 feet of elevation? The hike was nice though as there were many ripe salmonberries and blueberries that we picked and ate along the way. Our reward for hiking to the tram station was a chance to see a rehabilitated bald eagle and a free ride to the bottom. The Mt. Roberts Tramway is a pretty big tourist attraction so I'm glad that I can say I crossed it off my list of things to do before I leave.
For dinner, I drove out to Thane with a bunch of friends from the clinic and ate at the Thane Salmon Bake. They had unlimited salad, salmon, halibut, cornbread, and drinks. The food was pretty bad. It started to rain as we left the restaurant, which was the first time it had rained in almost 50 hours. I am not certain, but that could be a Juneau record for the month of July (at least during my time here!).
It's been a long exhausting day so I'm headed to bed. Tomorrow is Saturday so I get to sleep in and just hang out...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Pictures added
I had such a long and exciting day today. I am completely exhausted and can't even begin to start writing and describing everything I did. For now, keep busy with the pictures I uploaded to the Picasa album. Check back tomorrow for descriptions and details.
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