#8 - Friday 20th

history

one of the island's three shops

 - notice the petrol pumps? and bottled gas? - no piped gas here.

Blood clinic. Challenging consultations, lots of mental health. Lazy lunchtime, caught up with Corinne and then spent my afternoon exploring, wandered the bay collecting shells. Felt like a little girl again, washing shells, lining them up and choosing a few favourites. Noltland Castle, although didn't appear much from the outside, was quite spectacular, very pretty stone 'paving?' Pierowall Church also worth a visit, I should probably have taken in more of the history of the place... From the graveyard I spotted at least thirteen seals, they all had their heads and tails in the air - looking very silly! Quick run ending with a lovely cool down, paddling knee deep in the bay - aren't cold showers/baths supposed to be good after sport? Evening surgery was alright and then finally home again after a brilliant, difficult week!
 
Due to popular demand (Phil Wickens) I've added some extra photos from today. Westray life:

Noltland Castle

The bank, open twice a week

The surgery is next-but-one to the crab processing factory, the white building

Pierowall church

Pierowall bay

Westray - unfortunately the map is upside down!

 

#7 - Thursday 19th

cycling

meet Buttercup, Dolly and friends

Just morning clinic on Thursdays, two patients, cake break at 9:30 and a visit to the local sheltered housing (very nice). Afternoon off, returned 'home' - people trying to fix the shower! Decided to be brave and take the bike out for a spin (whilst the sun was shining no less). Set off for the westside road, followed a sign for 'Fitty Hill Viewpoint", after climbing over some barbed wire I got back on track between two cow fields.  Surprisingly had phone signal and decided to ring Gran, during this call the cows, starting with 'Buttercup' came over to investigate me.... looked up to over twenty cows interested, bit scary and a little smelly - said bye to Gran... progressively more cows (and a terrifying bull) lined up along the fence to see what I was.... reached the end of the field where the next field full of cows were ready... very welcoming and I felt very loved to have almost forty cows lining up and clambering over each other to 'wish me well'... Anyway made it to the top of 'Fitty'  - lovely views, obviously very windy! Began some more cycling back towards the main road and down to the southern most tip - 'Ness'. I scared a number of animals, they scared me too. Odd 'teashop' at Rapness - but in desperate need of a cuppa.... beautiful bays and views over to the other islands from the south end. Cycling back the wind was no longer with me and I dreamed about 'David Miller's' shop for most of the return journey:an apple/nectarine/fudge/fruit&nut bar and some water were fantastic, I'm not sure I've ever enjoyed a snack as much.... I'd offered to cook the GP tea as he keeps feeding me, suddenly ran out of time and had to cycle again - picking rhubarb from the surgery garden and nipping to the shop (struggled to locate custard) - managed to speedily knock up pasta and a guesstimated rhubarb crumble. GP worried I might leave this placement skinnier (?how?) so he brought me some malteasers and chocolate croissants... along with the ample lemon drizzle cake and crumble left I'm more worried I might be over the plane's weight limit... never mind my suitcase! Evening cleared as we explored 'Noup Cliffs' with the lighthouse, lots of Gannets, Guillemots and a few puffins too. I'm going to miss the cows when I leave!

#6 - Wednesday 18th

salmon fishing in the Orkneys

Golden Mariana to Papay

Set sail from Westray just after 9am for the once weekly clinic on Papay. Between the isles are lots of big, round, metal things, salmon farming. Coincidentally the clinic coincides with the island's coffee morning, thankfully few patients attended the clinic and I spent some time sampling the coffee and delicious homemade cakes, with a few of the elderly population. Had a lovely chat to an elderly man about how the island's changed over time and his past trade as a shellfisherman, very interesting. Apparently Papay has just 24 days of sun a year. Arrived back on Westray, think we did some medicine, did a little of my new 'pharmacist' role, dispensed some medication - lunch (enjoyed the view, how many of my future jobs will involve lunch overlooking over a bay as pretty...?) - few consultations, realized quite obviously I don't remember/never learned anatomy...couple of home visits, one of which was particularly challenging and sad. Squeezed in a trip to the local 'Jack's Chippy' - open two evenings a week, plenty of salt and vinegar! Then bit of a squeeze in the car and back to evening surgery - I had the hot seat, great fun & finally mastering the computer system 'vision'. While I remember, obviously the surgery has some unusual 'equipment' and things, being so remote - including two coffins in the shed... On a brighter note cycled home in the sun - finally the fog lifted for a peedie bit.Spent the evening on the clifftops watching the puffins fly to their clifftop burrows after a day at sea, very adorable.

#5 - Tuesday 17th

foggy

north Westray, the air strip

Today started with a blood clinic (these only happen twice a week). Top tips: 1. wishful thinking can coax the blood out 2. if you happen to spill blood on the sole practice's pillow - there are two sides to it, subtly turn this over before inviting another patient in... Chatted to some patients for a 'peedie' while, lunch (not soup). Followed a sign for free range eggs, couldn't find anyone but found the hens..The fog seems quite normal now, it can come and go within the shortest time. Unfortunately today it meant the planes were cancelled and the bloods needed to be taken to Rapness and sent aboard the ferry to mainland, Rapness wasn't quite so attractive. Still not sure when/if the helicopter made it off Papay... Diabetic video conference this afternoon, all a little bit technical. Realized I know very little about farming, and its not a topic you can pretend to understand... same can be applied to Scottish and Orcadian accents... Jonathan and I ran again tonight, he wasn't as hard to keep up with today! After tea I cycled up to the air strip (the bike is permanently in its lowest gear - so it remains at a nice, gentle 'tension' whilst cycling, nice slow pace, only problem is that when this gear might be useful, ascending hills - it decides to try and change gear...  ) Learned a lesson from yesterday and only "mooo-ed" to cows when no one was walking near me... I hope the guy yesterday thought I sneezed or something... The small 'house' in the picture above is the 'airport', behind is the landing strip, to the left is the helipad, how exciting! Home again and have a lemon drizzle cake in the oven...

#4 - Monday 16th

commute

Pierowall bay, 9am

Woke up through the night and somehow, possibly sleepwalking, took a photograph of the sunrise over the bay. Waking a few hours later the sky was still clear and the sun shining which seemed miraculous after the forecast of heavy cloud. Won the battle with the cold shower then walked to work, barefoot across the sand which was simply idyllic. Feeling a little rusty with medicine, saw some patients, checked some medicines in the dispensary and had yet more soup for lunch (unfortunately just Heinz today). Spent the afternoon sat in the surgery garden checking the doctor's bag for expired medicines, with a cup of tea - wearing my stylish high-vis doctor jacket (very cosy). The sun hadn't lasted and things were a little more hectic on Papay, we called a helicopter that morning which then 'went technical' and broke down on Papay (one of the most remote islands), the patient wasn't then able to fly out on a scheduled flight either due to the descending fog, bit complicated but very little we could do from Westray. After a bit more medicine stuff I managed to do some shopping, getting some Scottish money out from the post office and then visiting both of the local shops, which are very cute, they do seem to stock absolutely everything. One has the sole petrol/diesel pumps on the island. Was just relaxing at 'home' when I realized I had the wrong evening surgery times and had to dash off, thrown into the consulting seat and finally cycled back through clouds and fog on the bike which frequently likes to change gear spontaneously, definitely ready for tea!

#3 -Sunday 15th

medicine

west-side cliff tops

Rainy, quiet morning. The afternoon however was non-stop, organizing a helicopter from Scotland to collect a patient, investigating problems on Papay, managing to squeeze in a quick lunch (more delicious soup at the Haff Yok Cafe) and then setting sail over to Papay to see a patient. Papay was stunning, absolutely beautiful - but I am told that on a bad day it's not so good! Stranded in Papay, Tommy thankfully collected us on his own boat, the boats were amazing, very unusual way to make a home visit. It was such a clear day I could see six of the Orkney Isles simultaneously, lovely views over the sea. Arriving back on Westray we had another patient, unfortunately after seeing him the shops were shut and takeaway was the only option for tea! The GP drove up to the west side and we ate our chips overlooking the sea, managed a little walk down to the cliffs and watched the birds flying around - even saw a couple of little puffins. Battled with the cold shower again but gave up and spent the remainder of the evening on the beach watching the fiery orange sunset. 

 

#2 - Saturday 14th

 introductions

 

pierowall bay, 8pm

 Day two started with surgery induction, I realized it might have been a good to idea to pay attention to some acute medicine - especially when Jonathan the GP put an extra 'DOCTOR" hi-vis jacket in the car... Westray are the last island to have their own dispensary in the surgery and they file their medical records by address...Quick home visit, little car tour and lunch at the most adorable 'cafe'; pea soup and chocolate cake. I felt more at home knowing I now have a 'local caf'. Foggy day but Jonathan and I timed a run perfectly, beautiful over the grassy tracks, onto the beach and through the sea as the sun came out. Thankful to the cow herd, blocking our way and allowing me to catch my breath. Low tide in the evening so I walked on the bay (covered in shells), inland past Noltland Castle and back down onto the beach. Beautiful exploring the coast and clambering over the rocks. I saw my first seal, he seemed very curious about this girl in bright red, watching me then swimming closer to watch again... two more seals in the bay when I returned. Bedtime at midnight, Teenie was right, I really could read a book outside - its that light here.