One of the greatest fears of cruisers is getting injured or ill far away from any medical help.

And that is what happened during our visit to the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia.

What do you do when someone aboard gets very sick when you are 1000nm from any medical help?  Here is our story.

First, who got sick?
Me, Quinn the sailor dog

What happened?
No one really knows the cause, even now.

What was wrong with you?
Pneumothorax.  Definition at the end.

Can you die  from that?
Yes.  You sufficate to death.  Not a pleasant way to go!

With no medical help, what did you do?
Well that is a story.  But do not worry, as I am able to write about it so obviously I pulled through OK.

Short version of the story

The closest vet was back in Tahiti.  So the humans flew me back for treatment there.  I survived the flight and the vets in Tahiti saved my life.

The long version

You might want to get your self comfortable with a cup of tea. I will try not to babble on too much, but it was a life and death situation for me.

We were anchored up off the island of Taravai in the most southeastern group of islands in French Polynesia called the Gambiers.  We were waiting out some unsettled weather in the uninhabited little bay of Onemea.  I woke the humans up in the wee hours clearly in distress.  Panting, in pain and unable to sit or lie down with out distress.  The humans did what little they could, thinking I initially had some sort of stomach or abdominal upset.
As the day wore on it became clear I was not getting better.  The humans emailed and called Vets in Tahiti and abroad.  No one could make a clear diagnosis with out tests.  All the boats around us volunteered to help with emails, Sat phones, medications and healing energy.  But, it became clear that we needed a weather break to get to the main village of Rikitea on the island of Mangareva for help.

There was no vet in Rikitea, but there was an internal flight to Tahiti and medical help there. There was a seat available on the flight the next day, they would make room for the dog as it was a medical emergency, but we needed to find a pet carrier.  Birgit, from the s/v Pitufa, did all the language translations and knew who might be able to help.  My useless humans still have not mastered French!

With everyone’s help we found a pet carrier and I was on the ferry to the airport island the very next day to catch a small inter-island plane for the 4 hour flight to Tahiti.  The volcanic islands here are too mountainous for an airport, so they built the airport out on the barrier reef motus.

The Vet nurse met us at the airport cargo section and drove us straight to the clinique in Faripetti for a diagnosis.  Chest xrays clearly showed I was suffering from a pneumothorax (defn at end).  The first step in treatment was to try and extract some of that extra air out so I could breath easier.

Over the next few days I kept ‘leaking’ air and I had to remain under strict surveillance.  A few more ‘extractions’ before the leak finally healed.  I got to leave, but had to wait a further week before I got the all clear to fly.

We all got to spend some wonderful time with with Edd and Judi from s/v Clair de Lune in Tahiti.  They were stars for putting us up when we needed it…..and for so long.

So it all ended well in the end.

I like to keep these humans on their toes and their life always eventfull.  I am returning to the Gambier just in time for the Cultural Dance Festival in Rikitea.   I do have to take it easy for a little while.  Think I will leave those humans to climb mountains on their own for a few more weeks.

I will just siesta  on he boat and dream about the Miller’s who have already booked their flights to join us for Christmas.  Something great to look forward to.

https://www.pitufa.at

Additional Information

Reiki (霊気, /ˈreɪkiː/) is a form of alternative medicine called energy healing. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which a “universal energy” is said to be transferred through the palms of the practitioner to the patient in order to encourage emotional or physical healing.