The Grand Prix Experience: Fourth Night Shift

The fourth night shift at the tent field hospital went out quiet also. We had a fewpatients who came from the concerts, but the rest were not really complicated cases, nothing major. I was not sure about the name of the band who performed last night, but I heard they were an Arabic band.

I met some more new nurses who joined our team for the first time. Apparently, they were pulled out from the hospitals where they were working, and were made to come here in the island. The authorities here are really expecting the worst case scenario, so they were adding up more staff, to make up with the additional beds that were set up.

At this time of writing, the qualifying race of Formula 1 is being held and I could hear the buzzing sounds of the cars from my hotel window. I am not planning to watch the race live now, coz I really need to catch up on my sleep. Anyways, I opened the tv and the race is being shown live at Abu Dhabi Sports Channel. Now,  I could here the cars live from the tv, and live from my window. Isn’t that cool?!

Performing at the concert arena tonight will be no less than AEROSMITH! Of course, I will not be able watch again, and I will be left treating concert casualties at the tent hospital tonight. Are Aerosmith fans the war freak-types? Head-bangers and stuff? Hmmm… we’ll see tonight.

Got to crash on my bed now!

The Grand Prix Experience: Watching the Practice Race

I woke up 330pm to get myself ready to watch real Formula 1 racing cars. I met with my friends at the hotel lobby at 4pm, then we proceeded to the Yas Marina Circuit, just across my hotel. We chose the nearest gate, Gate 13, to enter.

Security people at the circuit gates were very strict. It’s just good that our group was wearing an ID that says “OFFICIAL”  so we are able to move around with ease. We chose seats near the circuit so we could take good pictures and videos. I found out from other guests that their tickets had seat numbers on it. So we had to move from one seat to another coz we didn’t have official seats. Anyhow, when the race started, everybody went near the railings to get a closer view of the cars.

I learned that guests who are coming in with tickets paid so much for the seats – about 1500 dirhams for the lowest ones – or about 18k in pesos. The highest priced tickets i heard was about 250k pesos! OMG! And I’m sitting here, getting one of the best views of the track – for FREE! And I’m even paid to be here! Gosh, I’m so lucky…

By the way, I was trying to upload the videos I recorded from my camera, to youtube but, for some reasons, the site doesn’t upload it. I’ll keep trying, but for now, let me share some still shots I got. Remember that the cars were running on high speed when I took the pics.

 

 

The Grand Prix Experience: Third Night Shift

BEYONCE CONCERT

My third night shift is over! Hooray!Only seven night shifts are remaining for me here at Yas Island where the first ever Formula One race in Abu Dhabi is being held.

Last night’s shift was busier than the previous two shifts. That was because last night was the concert night for BEYONCE KNOWLES. Thousands of people flocked to the concert venue. I was not able to watch her sing but I got to see the crowd as our service shuttle passed by the main entrance gate on our way to our tent hospital.

The day staff were able to watch part of the concert, as they went straight to the venue right after their shift. Shame, we missed that part of our stay here.

But hey, I came here for work! The action at the field hospital was something I shouldn’t miss. Our patients last night were basically coming from the audience at the concert venue. Apparently, the stores inside the venue ran out of water and soft drinks, and only beers and alcoholic beverages were left on the shelves. So some basically got dehydrated, especially those who were at the venue early in the afternoon. We received patients who collapsed, who had abdominal pains, and even neck pains!

I heard that a famous Arabic band is performing tonight after the Formula One race. I wonder when Aerosmith is performing? Tomorrow, I suppose. I haven’t checked the schedules. But it does not interest me now, coz I can’t watch concerts on these bloody night shifts.

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Night staff early morning snap: Me in brown scrubs

BIGGEST TENT HOSPITAL?

The initial plan for our tent field hospital was a 50-bedded facility, which could treat emergency cases and could do emergency surgery (we have one operating room). This was the picture during my first night shift.

On my second night shift, the bed capacity increased by 40 – so that made the tent hospital a 90-bedded facility. It seemed we are really preparing for the worst case scenario.

Last night when I came in, the field hospital has become a 219-bedded unit! Wow! It’s even bigger than some of our hospitals in Bulacan! two more operating room tables were added. I heard the sheikh wanted to put up five operating rooms and to reach a 250-bed target. Gosh, we are really expecting for a major disaster here! I hope that does not happen. But anyhow, to be part of might-be one of the biggest tent hospital in the world is already an exciting idea.

I’ll see how many beds will be added on my fourth night tonight.

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GOOD MORNING, YAS ISLAND!

Daylight started to scatter to wake up Yas Island! Here’s a play of the morning sun, as it rises on the east outside the sleepy camp of the field tent hospital.

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CARS CARS CARS!

Returning to my hotel, I found this Ferraris parked in front of the hotel. I misplaced one of my Ferraris last week… could this be mine? Hmmm…

While writing this, I’m sitting by my hotel window. Even if the windows are closed, I can still hear from here some buzzing sound coming from the Formula One circuit. It’s like a housefly flying near your ears. The circuit drivers could be practicing at this time coz the race starts this afternoon.

My friends here are planning to wake up early in the afternoon to watch the race. I’ll probably wake up around 3:30pm to beat the crowd. We have to return to the hotel by 6pm to get ready for our fourth night shift. We expect a busy night tonight because there’s half-a-million people on the island at the moment all eager to be expectors of the race along the side.

So that means I have to sleep now. Bye!

The Grand Prix Experience: Military Nurse in the Field

The Grand Prix Experience: Second Night Shift

Night number 2 is finished! 8 more nights to go!

Last night was another benign night. Only one patient came in and the rest of the night was basically completing set-ups and inventories.

I started to get colds though. The prvious night was really cold inside the tent. My running nose gave a headache. Good thing, I was given a chance to doze a bit for two hours just to be able to rest. I regained my energy after that. I checked with the doctor also, and I was given an antihistamine and a nasal drop.

I feel tonight’s gonna be a busy night shift. There will be thousands of people in the Island, with no less than BEYONCE performing at the concert arena tonight. Poor me, I will not be able to watch her sing and dance because I’m working in the night. I heard the day staff will be going to the concert after their shift tonight. Their IDs would allow them to pass by the entrance for free! Whaaa! I wish I could watch!

Time to sleep now.

Check out my previous nights pics galore:

Patient X is bleeding! We need to transfuse fluids fast!… This machine helps us do that…

 

 

Last night is Orange area for Rudy and me. Rudy also works with me in Male Surgery unit in Tawam Hospital.

The men of the dusk.

 

 

The  Red area for triaging.