I owe you all, the stories and Pictures from Guam. As well as myself, Due to Expo and their picture upload process. I will upload from my phone, and then back fill with the comments.
Let’s travel back in time, 2021. I was literally living my dream. C-19 was still going strong, and mass vaccine FEMA sites were going to start popping up. By the end of the year the main C-19 concerns, and big push would be over.
I had a job I was excited for, with loads of potential, in a growing company. A company I was proud to represent and consider my family. There were a few negatives. But I had a promise those were temporary. And that I would move up quickly.
That had managed to mix my passions, Risk Management, Remote Medicine, Travel. To top it all off, I had fallen for a girl who shared those passions. We had met on contract, and were exploring, working and living together. We worked for opposite contracts.
After the FEMA C-19 Vaccine sites shut down. She started a travel nurse contract in Louisiana. Two weeks on, two weeks off. On her off weeks she would stay with me. Although not ideal, it was a temporary plan.
We were both on cloud 9.
My season had started Early, January. Off to Flagstaff I go, still planning to go back to Alaska when that time came. Things changed, I was offered a full time position at Adv Medics as their Deployment Manager. And let Alaska know, I was not going to return to Egegeik for a third contract. Starting from my drive to Flagstaff I was on the clock 24/7. Not something that was new. After 120-150 days< I knew I’d need a break. And was told no worries It’ll happen.
I was the POC for all my deployment teams, including payroll, logistics for flights, hotels, rental cars. As well as the dispatcher, for when FEMA, USFS, DNR called and need assets. Including Wildland fire medical teams, ambulances, REM teams, UTV Teams. Medical bases which were new for the USFS. This meant, I would drive the medical base trailers down, to the location. Get them set up, and train the incoming crew. Then head back to the main facility in Bend.
That break never really came, the first weekend (including Fri-Mon) I tried to get off. The GF was down, and we were going to meet my family. I was still doing dispatching, POC for our deployed teams. On day two, I got a call one of our Medics had an emergency for a Motorcycle Medical contract. We loaded up and made the three-hour drive to cover for 2 days. The GF was understandably not thrilled to be spending it with me working an event. She hung out with the camper, and took the dog for hikes. But was a good sport.
The second time, was also 4 days. I did not have the dispatch phone, but was still POC for deployed crews. As well as entering payroll data, and confirming the 286s. A 286, is the emergency equipment use invoice. The short answer is, it’s how the company shows expenses, and gets paid. These would be upward of 100k$. If you get it wrong, they expect any overpayment to be repaid in 1 week. If it’s an underpayment they reserve the right for a correction to take 6months.
So for every piece of Equipment (Ambulance, ATV, Truck) and every person. Including expenses, flights, hotel, etc. / Every day; that’s one-line item.
It was supposed to be a whirlwind trip to crater lake. (The smoke was so think we couldn’t see wizard island,) we also hit the Lava tubes outside bend. And decided to go to the coast, ended up grabbing a room and staying a surprise night.) It was wonderful.
November, rolls around. Fire Contracts and FEMA contracts are done. I am granted a week off. At this time, the GF has picked up a Guam Contract and is doing vaccines there. We haven’t seen each other for 6 weeks. We talked about it and I encouraged her to take the Guam one. Why Not? right? all expenses covered, and its somewhere new.
Id fly in, stay with her in the hotel, she had weekends and nights off. As well as a rental car.
I drove from Bend Or, to Stanfield after work. (3-4hrs)
Dropped of Mishka to my mums, and flew out 5am the next morning.
PSC-SEA-HNL-GUM.
Guam is 17hrs ahead of Oregon for time zones.
6Hrs from SEA-HNL, short layover on HNL and about another 6hrs from HNL-GUM. What a travel day, ended up getting into Guam at about 6pm. Just in time to be picked up as the GF was getting off work.
All sunshine and roses. We were both soooo stoked. To the chagrin of those who saw the reunion....and waiting in the cars behind us at the pickup line.
A few teaser shots,
I don’t swim, well I don’t float. Not for lack of trying. In fact, prior to this I had never been in the ocean, unless you count on a ship in the Bering Sea. I always wore my pfd when running whitewater. And was able to kind of get to where I needed when I fell in.
I love the water. I even had professional swim lessons in High school from a friend’s mum who was a swim instructor. She said I’m hopeless.
Be it the saltwater, or being older, or the motivation of Snorkeling with the GF. Something changed. I learned the normal snorkel gear and my face don’t match. Once I figure out I needed a full face mask. It did the trick, also I love snorkeling. Unfortunately, I continued to struggle with the standard snorkeling gear as salt water crept into my mouth, nose and eyes. Until the last day. Same size mask as the SCBA for the fire dept.
Some memories that will never be forgotten, even if bittersweet now. And doing so at night in the warm water, and 80-degree air was also pretty awesome.
This is actually at the HNL airport, had a decent burger, beer and waited for the flight.
