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
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| Departing on Wednesday Jan 2, 2008 |
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
the next day, so I would be prepped
when the “cock crowed”.
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| 2008 MUDROOM at "the Barn" |
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
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.
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| 2008 Fixer Rack |
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
