Rev. 08/18/01
Alaska & beyond - continued 8/13 - 8/17
Anchorage
The last week was sort of a bummer. About six years ago my doctor noticed I had a small hernia in my stomach wall, a Epigastric Hernia he called it, just below the ribs. At that time he didn't think it was a problem. Couple of weeks ago it seemed to me to be getting larger.
So Monday, 8/6, I went to see a doctor at the hospital in Valdez. He agreed it was pretty good size and recommended I get it repaired right away, up here in Alaska, in Anchorage -- said there's an excellent surgeon there that does it. Told me it will be a overnight thing there at the hospital. So scheduled to see the doctor in Anchorage on Friday, 8/10.
The Valdez doctor said I should be able to drive in a day or so, and fish in a couple more days -- the silvers should be running good by then. And in six week, good as new -- no effect on my steelhead trip the later part of September in British Columbia..
The doctor in Anchorage is Dr. O'Malley. He and his
colleague Dr. Galloway basically confirmed what the Valdez doctor said.
One of my brothers asked if I thought it was OK to have a couple of Irishmen
operate on an old Scotsman -- figured I'd trust 'em. O'Mally got the
operation scheduled for early Monday morning, 8/13, -- interesting (not the
right word) way to start a week out.
He used a local anesthesia, plus something. After it was pau
and got through with post-op I wandered out to my RT, in the parking lot,
and slept it off. Then called the kids, told them I was OK, and drove back
to the RV park where I've been staying.
The humorous part of this whole thing is, apparently they have a rule that a patient must be turned over to a person, other than himself, in order to leave the hospital. Boy, the twisting and turning Dr. O'Mally and his nurse Christine had to go through to allow me to go out to my RT, right in the hospital's own parking lot, and go to sleep. He finally wrote an order to that effect before they'd let me loose.
The
kid that wheeled me to the door was from American Samoa. We had a good laugh
about the whole thing.
Like I said, not good news, but not real bad either -- just a bummer, hate to waste good fishing time. But I'm doing fine, just got a sore tummy.
The week wasn't a complete waste. My colleague Don had a lot of work for me, so used the time to get it all done.
Friday,
I saw Dr. O'Mally again. Told me everything was fine, and I could get
out of town and go fishing..
Hit the road to Valdez, about a 300 mile drive.
Couldn't resist taking another picture of the Matanuska Glacier. That long river of ice, 25 or 30 miles long, slowly moving down the valley from the ice fields above, recarving the valley as it goes -- fascinating
Valdez is alive with boats. All along the side of the
roads near the docks, boat trailers are parked. The Sea Otter RV camp
is full of boats. The silvers are in the bay and the boats are getting
them. Just not close to the bank yet.for my kind of fishing -- couple
of days maybe.
Didn't catch any silvers, but did catch a half a dozen pinks -- fun.