Postcards from the Edge Episode XI Part I

OK, so now this is in line with my Pembroke series of PFTEs, as I'm still in the province, but over the next few months, as I'm going to be seeing different regions of our (well, most of the mailing list is in Ontario) beautiful province, I figured I'd share some stuff, though I also know some people on this list have much more experience in the north than I (you know who you are :) )...
So I'm up (at my very first real life grown-up job!!!! It's about time! :P ) in the Sioux Lookout region, which, basically, if you look at a map of Ontario, is almost the entire "thigh" region of the chicken thigh/leg shape that is Ontario. If you look at a map, Sioux Lookout is just north west of Thunder Bay, near Kenora, and is actually halfway between Winnipeg and Thunder
Bay. It's the main hospital for the native reserves that are scattered north of there, serving, I think, about 150,000 people who are mainly of Cree-Ojibway heritage. (or maybe that's 15,000... I'd have to look it up; Steve, do you know the answer to this?). I'm actually sharing a time zone with Manitoba, so that's kind of interesting....
Due to an influenza outbreak that's currently affecting the north, my hospital in Sioux Lookout's been closed down except for essential services. So instead of standing around and twiddling my thumbs, this week they sent me even further north (I think... to be completely honest, I don't know where I am right now... I just got on the plane and four hours later, I got off). I in fact may actually be west, I'm not sure. At any rate, this week, I've been the local country doc in a small reserve of about 300 people. That's right; three hundred people. And, strangely enough, it's been OK. I know I've expressed worry about how well I'd function 'on my own', but it's been OK, so far.
Admittedly, it's hard to get a lot of 'emergencies' when there's only 300 people to take care of, but that's besides the point... It's actually been a nice introduction to work, so that's been excellent.
This week, the town had a 'drum social', where the elders tell stories and the townspeople bring their drums and instruments to play, but, due to workload and such, I was INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED that I couldn't go. Darn it all...
Incidentally, I've been watching Breakfast Television in the mornings, and guess what? It's actually MUCH warmer here than it is down south... I can actually get around without my coat (which is saying a lot)... bwa ha ha ha haaaaaa to all those people who say that it's much colder up here than in Toronto...
Love,
julia