A Trip to the ER … from a remote island

Day 117 … Tues, Aug 15, 2017 … 18.4 miles … 2.5 hours for Rip; less than 1 hour for me.

Benjamin Islands back to Little Current, Manitoulin Island

During the night, I woke up with pain in my back. I assumed it was a muscle spasm; went back to sleep. Later, probably around 3am, with more intense pain had wrapped around my entire left side. By 4 or 5 am, I was in severe pain; no one on the boat was asleep any more. Pain just kept getting worse. By 6:30, Rip couldn’t stand watching me in such pain and not being able to help; but, knowing I needed help and soon … woke up Laurie & Mike on Firestorm, our buddy boat for quite some time, to come to my aid. They are both trained paramedics & firefighters. I cried the pain was so excruciating; never had done that before. Their analysis was a kidney stone and knew there wasn’t anything they could do; but, I needed immediate care. They also knew not to give me anything for the pain so as not to mask anything when I did reach help.

Mike tried 911, but we were in the Benjamin Islands, the North Channel, Ontario, Canada … quite remote to say the least. They said, call back when you are on land. We hailed to Canadian Coast Guard, but had to call them on mobile, as the VHF transmission was too far out to hear us well enough. Luckily there was cell service, many of the anchorages thus far have had no signal. Finally, Coast Guard said they had “no assets” in the area to help me. Not sure what happened to the Coast Guard ship we passed coming into the Benjamin Islands.

Mike jumped in his dinghy and raced over to Gypsie’s Palace & One Eye Dog. 2 Looper boat buddies, who happen to be anchored in the same anchorage. We had just finished rocktails with them, and others, a few hours ago. Anyway, both have much faster boats than either Firestorm or Lab Partners. Larry & April on One Eye Dog were the fastest and immediately, jumped to my aid. I was moved from our boat to Gypsie’s Palace with Laurie by my side (the whole time), then to One Eye Dog. Gyspie’s was easier to get on from the dinghy and One Eye Dog was rafted to them.

One Eye Dog only had to untie lines, as they didn’t even have an anchor down (Gypsie’s Palace was the anchor for both when rafted) and we were off.

Captain Larry roared the boat to life and off we went as fast as he could go; From the Benjamin Islands back to Little Current in 50 minutes (where we just left 2 nights ago) - Little Current was the closest hospital over 20 miles away.

That left Rip to take Cally to shore and then move our boat back to Little Current by himself. Mike on Firestorm, with Laurie not on board, had to take his 2 dogs to shore and move his boat back to Little Current, also. Which also meant both docking single handed at Little Current … which OBTW has ALOT of current at the docks. Both Mike & Rip had a much harder day than I, but, pulled it off perfectly.

The Coast Guard kept in contact with One Eye Dog; they cleared the small channel coming into Little Current, so Larry could drive straight thru at full speed. Upon arrival at the docks, an ambulance was backed up & waiting with a stretcher out for me. I think Larry enjoyed the mission to go FAST (not wanting anyone ill, but it had been a while since he got to really go fast). What a great, easy ride and in under an hour!

By this point, things had subsided a lot. The pain came in waves; I was between the waves. Another wave hit once I was at the ER being evaluated.

One Eye Dog, refueled and left to go catch up with Gypsies Palace and head off to their intended next anchorage.

After being thoroughly checked out, including an Ultra Sound … diagnosis was exactly as Laurie predicted … a kidney stone, but no blockages and no stone in sight, so at least it was small. I was released, given meds to take if and when the pain came back … but, “don’t leave the dock for 24 hours of no pain”. Then, the doc told us all the other places between here and Drummond Island (USA) that had hospitals, should the pain arise again after we left.

Back at the boat … we think the stone passed. Hallelujah! So, no pain 24 hours later … we (Lab Partners & Firestorm) left the dock and headed east again.

Fingers crossed … so far, three days later, no more pain and we hope all has passed. I have meds should it flair up again. Rip is also double checking I drink more water and that I stay hydrated!

I must say, it was so nice to completely trust all these people & let go of any decision making … Laurie & Mike to know what to do medically, Larry & April to get me to help fast and safe and Rip to analyze the overall picture and tell me what to do.

To say I am overwhelmed by the generosity of all the people who helped me is an understatement. However, it is what I know to be true of Boaters and of Loopers! We are all in this together. I cannot begin to repay Larry & April on One Eye Dog, nor Laurie & Mike on Firestorm … but, I can pay it forward!

Benjamin Islands

Day 116 … Monday, Aug 14, 2017 … 6.8 miles; 1:14 hours
Amendroz Island to Benjamin Islands, North Channel

One of the most beautiful anchorages we have been to, thus far in our travels. A beautiful day & a short cruise to a popular bay. We arrived by 11:30am with our pick of spots to anchor.
2 Loopers, Gypsie’s Palace & One Eye Dog were already there, having arrived yesterday. Folks were our in their kayaks exploring the bay; but, too cold of water for me to take the SUP out. Steve, from GP, showed us a beach where we could swim Cally. 2 Paws up from Cally every time there is a beach!
All afternoon, more and more boats pulled in to anchor. We got there at the prefect time! However, on sailboat really dropped his hook too close to us, especially if the predicted rain & wind came up. After some discussion between Captains … the sailboat finally moved a bit.
By 4:30, Rocktails had commenced with 15+ boats represented on the large rock face with drinks and munchies in hand.
 
This place is so beautiful, we had decided to stay for 2 nights … but, that wasn’t gone to happen.

Amendroz Island

Day 115 … Sunday, Aug 13, 2017 …16.7 miles; 2 hours

Little Current to Amendroz Island, North Channel

The plan was to go to Croaker Island or the Benjamin Islands where fellow Loopers were already. The winds picked up more than predicted and from a direction making the Benjamin Islands a tougher place to anchor. We spotted an Active Captain short of anchorage with good protection from the wind.

Not as dramatic a scene as prior anchorages, but pretty and only 3 boats (Lab Partners, buddy boat Firestorm & a third little tug from Canada). Bonus, there was a beach to swim Cally.

Scenery under way today …

A quiet night was quite enjoyable. Little did we know we need the rest.

Cally Goes Pee on the Boat AND Steve, the Pee Daddy

SO ... with all of the planning Rip has done regard to anchorages, lock walls & marinas ... we really haven't had to worry with Cally learning to go potty on the boat. He researches each spot for where we can land Cally. Lock walls were easy; always grass to for her to wander around or a town to walk through. Marinas can be challenging because of her ramps and whether or not they fit on the finger piers, dock, etc. Parks Canada parks were easy with a dinghy dock to land and park area to explore; though rocky and limited.
We have had to use a short ramp on top of a step stool once to get her to the dock. Some walls are high and her ramp goes off the top of the master berth cabin instead of the side of the boat. But, Rip gets it figured out each time. Up until Bone Island (Georgian Bay), we had beach or Park dock to take Cally to shore. Bone Island was the first time we had to use a rock shore for her potty needs. She did adapt quickly going on moss in the rock crevices.
There will be times coming up that it will be easier and we can run longer days ... if she will go potty on the boat. We can run longer each day if she can go pee on the boat. When on some of the inland rivers where there is only sticky mud that sucks your feet and legs … that will NOT be good for Cally’s bad ankles. There are other places we know she will need to go on the boat – like when we cross the Gulf of Mexico and we are in open waters overnight for 26+ hours. Now, she can hold it that long and vets swear it is not a problem for them to do that. Vets say dogs can go upwards of 72 hours before you need to worry about them. I would rather NOT have to put her through that if we can avoid it by training now.
During docktails this last Tuesday in Little Current on
Gypsie's Palace, a visiting dog went to the bow and pee'ed on their dogs grass mat. That got me to thinking ... wonder if we brought Cally over would she go on their big grass mat??
After everyone else left, we took Cally over and SHE WENT PEE ON THEIR MAT on their boat!!
This morning we brought their mat over to our boat and

SHE WENT PEE ON OUR BOAT on THEIR MAT!!
We rubbed our mat all over their mat to transfer scent and now have just our mat in the same place theirs was on our boat. Later tonight or tomorrow am, we need her to go on her mat on our boat.
Fingers crossed, but I think she will do it!! Hope she doesn’t mind how much smaller her mat is than the one from Gypsie’s Palace.
The next trick will be going #2 on the mat. Didn't have any luck with that today.
Many thanks to Steve, Debbie, Jazzy and Mozzie!!
UPDATE: 2 nights later as folks migrated to Gypsie’s Palace again … Bette & Vic Peirce from Felix were bemoaning all they had done to get their dog to go on their boat on their mat with no success. I suggested they bring over their dog to try out the mat on the bow that now had lots of dog scents. They did … and in no time flat their dog went pee on the bow, too!!
Steve, Captain of Gypsie’s Palace is now known PEE DADDY and ready to start a dog potty training business aboard!!
Cally has not gone on her mat, yet. We’ve tried twice … she just sits on it and stares out. That’s her signal she wants to do something else/go somewhere else.