Icewind's Ramblings

Boston Marathon Tragedy – 04-15-13 Once again I find myself looking at the news in real time of another needless tragedy on so many levels of American society. Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this tragedy and the effects it will have on this country in our efforts to secure our safety and well being. "More than any time in recent history, America 's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek, nor did we provoke, an assault on our freedom and our way of life.  We did not expect, nor did we invite, a confrontation with evil.  Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive. 2 people were killed and over a hundred maimed and injured a couple of hours ago at the Boston Marathon finish line in Massachusetts .  This is another needless act of violence in this country.  Police were on scene as this tragedy unfolded and you could easily see that they ran towards the tw...

Anyone can achieve their fullest potential, who we are might be pre-determined, but the path we follow is always of our own choosing. We should never allow our fears, or the expectations of others to set the frontiers of our destiny. Your destiny can't be changed but, it can be challenged.   Every man is born as many men and dies as a single one. How is your own endgame of Life? Live fully and be prepared for the unexpected! Ice

It seems like this happens more and more these days as I received the call yesterday afternoon from an Old Friend that news of a family member having inoperable lung cancer was texted me so I would know what was happening.  Several phone calls later and with much anxiety details and some form of plan was put together on how best to prepare for things. It is never easy for anyone finding out news that affect your circle of family and friends but one which everyone needs to prepare so you can be the shoulder if needed or the foundation to give them your support and a pool from which to pull from your strength as needed while dealing with things. It is a bittersweet feeling that you are honored to be one of those who is trusted to give your thoughts on things but also the futility of not being able to “fix it” or make things immediately better.  All anyone of us can do is place things in “Others” hands to help everyone see things through as that is all anyone ...

One Hundred Twenty Five Hours that changed my Life - Part Three - The Hospital ER & OR I warmed my rig up and started for the hospital.  The winter time here in Alaska gives us a little different ambiance than that found in the Lower 48.  We are in our cold dark period and on this day it was minus 10 degrees outside and at seven o’clock in the morning it would be over three more hours before the sun would rise over the mountains to the east of Anchorage .  We are approaching the winter Solstice where we only get about five and a half hours of daylight.  The sun is up around 10:30 in the morning and sets just before 4 in the afternoon.  The rest of the time we are in darkness making for long cold nights here during the winter. On this morning traffic from my house to the hospital was extremely light with only a few cars making there way along my route.  I had seen a moose eating beside the road as I approached the Hospital by the University o...

Part One Sometimes we are so busy living life that we fail to see or recognize things that may be in plain sight in front of you.  I recently had one of those experiences that oddly through the mental pain, the physical pain and suffering found a way that surprised me and probably saved and changed my life. What I am talking about is a heart attack. Through my blunders and somewhat set ways I came through this and survived but as my cardiologist told me I could have easily died as most people do that have the type of heart attack that I did.  I had what is often called the “widow maker” is a nickname used to describe a highly stenotic left main coronary artery or proximal left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart.  Mine was the LAD type and the widow maker term is used because if the artery gets abruptly and completely occluded it will cause a massive heart attack that will likely lead to a sudden death. Mine was als...

It has been a little strange for me that since my heart attack that my being able to sit down and write just seemed to be stalled.  There was much to say and many notes to gain topics from which to write but it has been hard for me to sit down at the computer to write it down. I have tried many times in these last few weeks where I would sit and start and just as quickly stop not able to make my fingers hit the key strokes like they have so many times before.  It is strange in some ways as I could sit and write things on a notepad but could not bring myself to transfer the words from paper to word process.  I have wondered why that has been that way or what did not motivate me to sit and write during this time I have been in a state of convalesce since my hospital stay. It has only been two days now that I can seem to sit here and contemplate this state and start to put things down on what I would like to say again.  I have been editing my book getting it r...

I was in the hospital for a few days this week after suffering a heart attack. When I was in recovery at the hospital on Monday afternoon there was an earthquake here which lasted about a minute and 15 seconds and shook the hospital pretty good knocking out two elevators at the time. Once I returned home this afternoon and walked in all the rooms of my house noticed that several pictures and a few other items had been knocked off the shelves.  No damage just strange seeing things out of place, it was like someone had been in here knocking over things and leaving. Just a random thought. I will write more on the hospital adventure shortly but wanted to put this down tonight. Ice

I have written in the past about my travels to the rural (bush) villages for my work which is building water and sewer treatment plants for these native communities.  We provide what most of us take for granted in always having fresh drinking water or clean water for bathing, laundry, and brushing our teeth.  That is not always the case in many places off the road system here in Alaska and we are slowly bringing these necessary health changes to many places. We are changing people’s lives in the process of dealing with new technology or having ‘outsiders’ coming into the village to work on these projects.  Most villages welcome us once they understand what we are providing.  Change is hard to the elders whose existence in the harsh conditions is a way of life.  Hunting, fishing, and gathering food is a traditional way of life here and one that is important to the mindset of the tribes.  One of the things that my company does is hire local labor to hel...

Several days ago I posted about a family friend who was taken by Medivac aircraft off Shemya Island and brought back to Anchorage to Providence Hospital .  While in the emergency room he was told he had colon cancer and later that night I put him on an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle and then Orlando Florida so he could return home to be with his family and see his family doctor. After several days waiting to hear anything my brother in law received a call from his brother who said he had seen a doctor and was starting his medical treatment . . . exactly what that is or means right now is still up in the air for us but our prayers are with him and his family. His diagnosis is stage IV colon cancer which has spread into his liver.  This was a shock to all of us as the thinking was he may have an ulcer or some other stomach disorder.  He has had no pain or symptoms until it started several days before going back out to the island. We can only be positive and f...

I . . . am curious to know your thoughts on this?  As you know, recent Earthquake activity has sparked death and fear throughout Chile , Haiti and Japan .  It seems that more and more earthquakes are occurring, more and more wars are beginning or starting and the rumors . . . such as Libya declaring a "jihad" of sorts against Switzerland .  What’s that all about?  Are we rushing towards the “End Times”?   What are your thoughts?  Is this simply sudden random acts of nature . . . or are the predictions of our Lord coming true? The news of yesterday’s earthquake in Chile brought to mind a bible verse I learned so long ago . . . Matthew 24:7 Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Ring of Fire Chile and Haiti . . . Two countries . . . Two earthquakes, both tragedies and apparently two vastly different outcomes. One , Chile : a relatively wealthy nation, one of th...

The devastation in Haiti is a sad and unfortunate thing to happen in a country that sees natural disasters almost on a regular basis.  Every few years the seasonal hurricanes ramble through the Caribbean doing damage to anything in its path. Two days after the devastating earthquake in Haiti a story caught my eye in the newspaper.  Apparently some Haitians were so angry that the world was taking its time rushing to their aid that they were going to build roadblocks with the corpses of earthquake victims as a sign of protest.  How very intelligent of these people I thought expecting help from strangers and then possibly being ready for those who bring aid.  Not only will the stench and sight of a pile of rotting bodies make the rescuers feel really welcome but it would delay the convoy’s progress.  Clearly intelligence is not a commodity much in evidence in Haiti . What has Haiti done for itself?  Not a great deal by the look of things.  The ...

I’ve spent the last two days in an orientation class for job I recently started.  I was supposed to go to one in mid December but with the holidays it was cancelled until after the first of the year. I was able to start work for several weeks and as Monday approached I was starting to dread having to stop for two days to attend a class.  It had elements about the company and our mission.  There were lectures about the systems and the different divisions within our organization.  There were also several lectures (stories) about cultural differences within our staff and also our clients (patients/shareholders).  They were enlightening at times and showcased what makes this group of people somewhat unique in our fields of expertise. The class was filled with people from the four different divisions, some health care personnel with one doctor and six to eight nurses.  There were admin type people who worked in various clerical or billing type positions....

Or The Long and Winding Road . Recently I started working for a nonprofit group.  I think everyone has some preconceived notions about what it might be or what they might be struggling to accomplish. Mine is a Native Corporation whose mission is to provide the highest quality health services in partnership with our people and the Alaska Tribal Health System. We build health clinics, water & sewer treatment plants among other things to the different areas of Alaska .  Another very rewarding thing we do is build the infrastructure to bring running water and sewer into rural homes.  This is one of the neat parts of what we build seeing families who have never had indoor plumbing be able to have hot water and running water in their houses.  Many of us forget that there are still places in this country that do not have the everyday conveniences many of us take for granted. As the year closes I am thankful to end this past decade with several positive note...

Elin Picked a Wedgie I find it interesting as more information comes forward in the continuing saga of Tiger Woods.  He is a very private person who for years now has developed his ‘brand’ presence while little is reported about his life off the greens. As most of us had finished the turkey, cleaned the dishes, and settled down to enjoy the time away from work news broke about the crash of the Cadillac Escalade and the injuries to Tiger Woods. At first things just didn’t seem right as the story broke on the east coast while many slept but here in Alaska it was still evening and the pop-ups on the internet flashed the early news of what happened . . . or did it? ‘Backing up’ out of the driveway . . . hitting the fire hydrant and then the tree . . . but why was there damage on the front of the vehicle?  Perhaps a quick getaway? Tiger unconscious in the car, a window broken with a golf club after a heated discussion and a neighbor’s call to 911, a quick trip to the h...

Early this morning my wife and daughter boarded an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle so my daughter who has been sick the last two years will be able to get tests done that the hospitals in Alaska do not have the equipment or specialty doctors to perform.  We can only hope that there will be a positive outcome and finally will have a clearer diagnosis of the problem that keeps her vomiting 10 to 15 times a day.  It has not been easy for her as last night was the first time she was outside the house in over a month and it had its own difficulties. She made the flight to Seattle ok without totally alarming the passengers onboard as they requested seats in the last row next to the lavatory so when she had problems it was a quick move to the restroom without having to pass by row after row of the hordes onboard. She starts her first test at 7:30 am so we are remaining positive this will be a life altering trip for her gaining some of her weight as well as the ability to...

I ended up going out of town last week and did not queue this one up to post while I was away so I wanted to get this one out now. My generation is slowly dying off. This has been another hard week to watch or read the news as almost everyday this past week someone from my generation has died.  This summer has seen many deaths from the ‘baby boomer’ generation. It may have come after a bout of cancer, a heart attack, or just a passing of those who brought music, laughter, or a great movie or television role.  It is a constant reminder that life is precious and to not miss out on living it while you can for you never know what changes may come in the future. To some old friends who brought much to this world, we will miss you and your ability to make us laugh, sing, or be absorbed in the drama on the screen before us. Patrick Swayze Henry Gibson Mary Travers This summer could come to be known as the summer when baby boomers began to turn to the obituary...

It’s been a long couple of weeks with the hospital and work. It snowed here today with about 6” to 8” falling during the day but it has slowed some tonight with just a light dusting since about eight pm. I’m not into writing tonight so I thought I would just post something that soothes the soul . . . enjoy. Good night and God Bless. Ice

It was another long day here as splitting our time between work, the hospital, and a small bit of time home grabbing a quick shower, let Gus outside and a few hours of sleep has made us burn the candle at both ends. The weekend seemed to bring with it some welcome news to possibly getting a handle on my daughter’s illness and a course of action to bring her onto the road back to being healthy. The early part of this week she looked like she was feeling better and looked like a major positive change in her color, her outlook and just seemed to be feeling better but things took another turn yesterday and it now feels like we are doing some sick dance with two steps forward and five steps back. Its tiring trying to keep all of the balls in the air right now but it must be done so we move forward. The thing everyone now seems to admit (reluctantly) is they are now real sure what is wrong with her and they are looking to possibly farm her out (Medivac) to the Mayo Clini...