Sunday, January 11, 2015

Being Given the Gears


It’s been interesting these past few weeks to think back 7 years to my first day at Kivillaq Health Centre.The details remain sharp.  Having arrived the day before in the darkness of night, I had risen after a well deserved sleep. Recalling that the day before had been a long day of travel...from
Departing on Wednesday Jan 2, 2008
the 3 a.m. wakeup, the 4 a.m. transport ride to the airport, check in and a 6 a.m. early breakfast off the airport property with my brother.

The boarding of the 8.a.m. Westjet flight to Winnipeg…the waiting…the check-in to my 3 p.m. Calm Air flight…the waiting…some TSN World Junior hockey tournament viewing…a bowl of chili and a cold beer in the Air Canada lounge…some waiting…the flight to Churchill…the refueling (more waiting)…the continuation of my flight to Arviat (waiting on the plane while they defrosted the built in steps of the plane)…and, finally, the touchdown at Rankin Inlet airport amid some winds and swirling snow. A greeting party of two had met me in the airport arrivals waiting room and, like a VIP, had wisked me away in an SUV to my new Rankin Inlet address (commonly known to the locals as “the barn”).

A quick breakfast and, if the mind is accurate, my airport greeting party again arriving just before 8.a.m. and driving me into the Health Centre (otherwise, how would I have found it?).

It had seemed like forever to get ready for the outside. My face mask, gloves, boots, coat, over pants, sweater and heavy socks had taken forever to install for that 20 second trip to a warming white (or was it snow covered) SUV left running outside my apartment. 

Here, at “the Barn”, I had unpacked a bit the night before to organize my food and my clothing for
2008 MUDROOM at "the Barn"
the next day, so I would be prepped when the “cock crowed”.

The morning was crisp (they all were) and it was dark (same again). The winds were calmer and the packed snow of the parking lots crunched under my Sorell’s.  As we entered the backdoor of the Health Centre, I couldn’t help but notice, the absolute cleanliness and neatness of these surroundings. The floors were pristine and literally sparkling. The place was only a few years old but one could tell that it was well maintained.

I was escorted to my “workplace”…and as lights were energized, I was introduced to a couple of early arrivers. They had anticipated my arrival and were eager to meet me (mostly since they had been without a tech for over a week). As I defrocked my outside clothing, I toured my surroundings, scoured the notes and papers affixed to equipment and walls, and generally looked over my “tools” of the next few weeks. I powered up the xray control and table to the normal hum of electrical equipment. My morning had started.

Now it was time for the darkroom portion of my excursion. Checked cassettes and film bins…found the flow taps for water and power supply, closed the lid…and started up the processor. Suddenly, there was a hard banging. It was regular with each one about a second apart…..Panic….Problem….Shutdown….where was the emergency power shutoff??? After what had seemed like an eternity (probably only about 15-20 seconds), I killed the power and immediately the banging ceased. This was not the way to start my Nunavut career. Would I need a service call BEFORE I even got started? Where would they have to come from?  No time to panic, but it was, instead, a time to solve.

Pulling the lid off the film processor, having determined I’d better start and run through a complete diagnostic check of the whole unit, I lifted the developer rack. The tank was empty…dry….well there was some residual developer in the bottom. I tried to comprehend...why dry?

I turned my attention to those first set of rollers. The developer rack was caked in oxydized developer...dry and dark brown…so this was not recent drainage. Feeling more like Sherlock than Roentgen, I glazed on the next tank. It was almost to capacity and stunk like fixer…a far better sign. After a glance at the rack, though, I could see my next hurdle. The encrusted and dried fixer had
2008 Fixer Rack
deposited on all the gears...and they would not turn. I tried again with all my strength to turn the main drive gear, but to no avail. This was definitely a drive train problem and now to check on the gears.

Now, while this was happening, the remaining staff of the Kivillaq Health Centre was arriving to begin their normal workday. Even before they had removed their coats, almost each and every one seemed to stop into Xray to greet me, wanting to shake my hand, and welcoming me to Rankin Inlet. My hands smelled of fixer and developer…and I had dripped chemistry all over their pristine floors…this was not a best first impression.

Next Time: RESOLVING THOSE UNREVOLVING GEARS

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