There but for a more exotic name goes American Samoa. Mention of this distant archipelago more often than not elicits a blank stare, but despite its mundane moniker and confusing status (it belongs to, but isn’t a part of, the US), American Samoa is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful pockets of Polynesia.
A photogenic feast of green jagged peaks, electric-blue depths and idyllic beaches, American Samoa’s islands are the stuff South Pacific daydreams are made of. Tutuila is home to Pago Pago, a blue-collar fishing town nestled beside one of the world’s most stunning natural harbours; outside city limits, flower-scented villages cling to deep-rooted traditions.
Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/american-samoa/introduction#ixzz4EGyEdnND
It's true. Everyday we walk out our front door and are immediately greeted with natural beauty. The mountains that anchor the center of the island are covered in lush greens of every type and shade, constantly changing with light and clouds. It is truly a tropical paradise. The road skirts around the mountains and then opens up to the wide, expanse of pacific ocean. It sparkles in the sun, somber and dramatic in the rain, and always breathtaking. I'm lucky the speed limit is only 25 mph around the island because it gives me time and grace to gawk at the water, the sky, the gorgeousness every. single. time. I'm not kidding. I drive this drive once and sometimes twice or three times a day and each time I'm floored by its beauty.
While the scene is certainly idyllic, island living is not always easy. The water, the bacteria, the health care are just a few of the challenges.The last week or so we've all had some varying degree of illness. At first I thought it was the water. My stomach was churning. I had little appetite. I had a low grade headache and kind of achy. Then a couple days later Levi had a fever and chills and vomiting. And as quick as it came, it left. Although he said his legs were sore for a day or so. All the while, Finn has been saying on and off his tummy hurts and his eyes hurt every once and awhile and he has a rash on his legs and truck (or a bunch of bites, i can't really tell). So we all have these different symptoms and they are not really all that bad most of the time. The kids are still playing, have energy, seem mostly fine. Last night I was looking up mosquito illnesses and it was like check, check, check. I don't know. Zika? Chikungunya? I don't think Dengue, but I guess it's a possibility. Or maybe just a mild flu? I'm leaning towards the flu because we all, even Grant, had a couple symptoms, so I'm guessing we just passed it to each other. Who knows. All I know is that we seem to be getting better and we're doing OK so far.
The radio gives daily Zika updates and I heard today that over 700 people in the territory are suspected to have contracted Zika. For most people it causes no symptoms and for some it is like a mild flu. Obviously the biggest concern is for pregnant women. The public health department has been good at getting information out regarding how to reduce risk and even giving out kits to pregnant women with mosquito nets and repellent. There are radio spots and even this notice in the paper.
I think I wrote about the hospital last time we were here. All I can speak to is what I've experienced and heard from friends who either work there or had there own experience as a patient. Five years ago we had to make a trip to the hospital in the middle of the night when Levi had a pneumonia. We had a toddler in our arms with a 105 fever and not making any sense and we had to wake up the person behind the front desk. The waiting room was dirty, chickens out front, it was interesting. We actually had a great experience with the doctor and got the care and medicine we needed for Levi. We were lucky. It is a hospital that is probably 50 years behind in technology. From what I've heard, they also have a very hard time holding on to good doctors. Doctors come for a bit and then move on. Now, apparently, the hospital is in worse condition than it was five years ago. I know there are lots of political issues and problems with payments and compensation. The pediatrician situation is especially dire. However since our kids are fairly healthy, we think it's a risk we can take. But it's still a risk and at times I do worry.
Here is snippets of a report that came out from Radio New Zealand earlier this year on the state of the hospital,
"Nurses at American Samoa's LBJ Hospital say the hospital's shortage of medical supplies is affecting the quality of patient care, with nurses forced to use bed sheets as dressings. Nurses say dressing supplies and other basic supplies such as gloves and gauzepads have run out, and LBJ Hospital is also reported to be out of some IV solutions. According to these nurses, they're using trash bags as underpads for the beds, to cover under the sheets. So that's a very worrying situation. I know that there's been a series of meetings between the governor and the people at the treasury. And the governor has basically told the treasurer that he should find money to pay the hospital."
We had an our own first hand experience with the hospital a couple weeks ago. Levi was outside with Grant and they were working on setting up a badminton net. Well, Grant was working on it and upbeknowst to him, Levi was trying to open a coconut with a pocket knife. The knife slipped and sliced good and deep into Levi's pinkie finger. They rushed in the house, blood dripping. Levi was a strange mixture of panic and calm. He kept saying, "look, it's not that bad. Really I don't need to go to the hospital." He said with thinly veiled panic in his voice. All the while Grant and I were frantically wrapping the finger in band aids that seemed as thin as reeds because as soon as we'd get one on the blood would seep right through. Finally, after it soaked through three band aids we wrapped a dish towel around it and it started to soak through that so we realized we needed to take a trip to the dreaded hospital. Dun Dun Duuuuun. The reason Levi was trying so hard to be calm is because he had overheard too many conversations Grant and I have had about the medical care here on island. I didn't realize how closely he was paying attention, but he was terrified about going to the hospital more than anything else. I felt really bad about that and Grant and I tried to reassure him that they would be able to handle a cut finger just fine. Everything would be OK.
So Grant, and a very nervous Levi took off for the hospital and I stayed home with Finn. They were lucky. It was Sunday morning and the ER was quiet, everyone was at church. They got right in and the Samoan doctor on call decided the cut did not need stitches. He cleaned the cut and put a new band aid on and away they went. They were home within 2 hours. It was a success. Levi with a huge smile on his face was like, "Mom! It's just as good as the hospital at home!" I'm not going to contradict him. I don't want him to be afraid. But no more playing with knives.
The radio gives daily Zika updates and I heard today that over 700 people in the territory are suspected to have contracted Zika. For most people it causes no symptoms and for some it is like a mild flu. Obviously the biggest concern is for pregnant women. The public health department has been good at getting information out regarding how to reduce risk and even giving out kits to pregnant women with mosquito nets and repellent. There are radio spots and even this notice in the paper.
I think I wrote about the hospital last time we were here. All I can speak to is what I've experienced and heard from friends who either work there or had there own experience as a patient. Five years ago we had to make a trip to the hospital in the middle of the night when Levi had a pneumonia. We had a toddler in our arms with a 105 fever and not making any sense and we had to wake up the person behind the front desk. The waiting room was dirty, chickens out front, it was interesting. We actually had a great experience with the doctor and got the care and medicine we needed for Levi. We were lucky. It is a hospital that is probably 50 years behind in technology. From what I've heard, they also have a very hard time holding on to good doctors. Doctors come for a bit and then move on. Now, apparently, the hospital is in worse condition than it was five years ago. I know there are lots of political issues and problems with payments and compensation. The pediatrician situation is especially dire. However since our kids are fairly healthy, we think it's a risk we can take. But it's still a risk and at times I do worry.
Here is snippets of a report that came out from Radio New Zealand earlier this year on the state of the hospital,
"Nurses at American Samoa's LBJ Hospital say the hospital's shortage of medical supplies is affecting the quality of patient care, with nurses forced to use bed sheets as dressings. Nurses say dressing supplies and other basic supplies such as gloves and gauzepads have run out, and LBJ Hospital is also reported to be out of some IV solutions. According to these nurses, they're using trash bags as underpads for the beds, to cover under the sheets. So that's a very worrying situation. I know that there's been a series of meetings between the governor and the people at the treasury. And the governor has basically told the treasurer that he should find money to pay the hospital."
We had an our own first hand experience with the hospital a couple weeks ago. Levi was outside with Grant and they were working on setting up a badminton net. Well, Grant was working on it and upbeknowst to him, Levi was trying to open a coconut with a pocket knife. The knife slipped and sliced good and deep into Levi's pinkie finger. They rushed in the house, blood dripping. Levi was a strange mixture of panic and calm. He kept saying, "look, it's not that bad. Really I don't need to go to the hospital." He said with thinly veiled panic in his voice. All the while Grant and I were frantically wrapping the finger in band aids that seemed as thin as reeds because as soon as we'd get one on the blood would seep right through. Finally, after it soaked through three band aids we wrapped a dish towel around it and it started to soak through that so we realized we needed to take a trip to the dreaded hospital. Dun Dun Duuuuun. The reason Levi was trying so hard to be calm is because he had overheard too many conversations Grant and I have had about the medical care here on island. I didn't realize how closely he was paying attention, but he was terrified about going to the hospital more than anything else. I felt really bad about that and Grant and I tried to reassure him that they would be able to handle a cut finger just fine. Everything would be OK.
So Grant, and a very nervous Levi took off for the hospital and I stayed home with Finn. They were lucky. It was Sunday morning and the ER was quiet, everyone was at church. They got right in and the Samoan doctor on call decided the cut did not need stitches. He cleaned the cut and put a new band aid on and away they went. They were home within 2 hours. It was a success. Levi with a huge smile on his face was like, "Mom! It's just as good as the hospital at home!" I'm not going to contradict him. I don't want him to be afraid. But no more playing with knives.
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