Desert Vets - 4. DV Ch 4 - Medical Emergency

“Leave her, take the children somewhere please, I will handle this, miss,” I said to the young women, who balked uncertain on what to do, before waving to the children to join her, and they left the kitchen. “RFDS, this is Mountain View Station, Jexon Kendrik speaking, over,” I said into the radio mic.

“Go ahead Dr Kendrik, how is Mrs Jamison, over,” came a response, “She is still unconscious, her heartbeat is good, bit a little fast at 122 per minute, respiration is 19 per minute, her skin is a little clammy, and she feels a little hot. No sign of any cuts or bleeding, but there is a contusion on the left side of her head, above the ear, over?” I reported.

“Good, glad to have someone there with some medical training of some kind, what is the airfield condition like? over,” the RFDS operator responded, “This is Robert, what on earth is going on at the homestead, someone talk to me damn it,” came a loud voice over the radio, which caught me totally by surprise.

“Mr Jamison, this is the RFDS, we have been called by the Flying Vet, who is at the homestead now, your wife has had a fall and is unconscious, we are sending a plane to attend to your wife, Mr Kendrik will let you know what is happening at the homestead, over,” the RFDS operator responded, which I was glad, giving me time to think.

“Mr Jamison, I am a Regional Veterinary Officer, come to inspect your cattle along with two DPI officers and a Vet from Katherine, we are here because a load of cattle that you trucked to WA has been confirmed as having Leptospirosis, and are currently in quarantine at the border. Now regarding your wife, I have given her a check over, and reported to the RFDS on her condition, she is unconscious, and has a bump on her head, the Jillaroo has returned and is currently looking after your two children, over,” I said to the station manager.

“Good to hear she is been looked after, look I am over an hour away from the homestead, but there should be a station hand close by to the sheds and yards, he can show you around until I get there, over,” Mr Jamison responded. “Very good, now just to let you know that if we do find any cases of Leptospirosis on your property, it will be put into immediate quarantine, so there will be no vehicles permitted to leave or enter the property, and there will be a three month ban on transporting any cattle off the property, over,” I said to the station manager.

We watched as the RFDS plane took off, and headed for Darwin, with the Jillaroo clutching onto the children as they too watched from the verandah, and the station hand was watching nearby standing along side one of the station vehicles, and moments after we saw the plane disappear out od sight, we heard a vehicle approaching at high speed, and come screeching to a stop, just before hitting the homestead boundary fence.

“Was that the RFDS leaving, how is my wife, where are the children?” the man asked as she approached the homestead, and the children ran towards their father, who bent down and wrapped them in a hug. “I am Jexon Kendrik, the Regional Veterinary Officer, and these are my colleagues from the DPI and the local vet…” I said making the introductions.

“Mr Jamison, I am sorry to say that we have done some preliminary tests and found traces of Leptospirosis in the cattle yards, we need to inspect your closest mobs of cattle,” the Katherine Vet said to the Station manager, “Hello Roger, it has been a while since I last seen you,” Mr Jamison said in response, “Yes it has Robert, I am sorry about all of this, but we have no choice with this matter,” the Local vet replied.

“We sat down in the office and discussed the options for the Jamison’s and the station, and what they are to expect if it is confirmed that Leptospirosis is current in the station herd, and we worked out a plan of action on what to do over the next two days for Mr Jamison and his staff, that consists of a head stockman, and two jackaroos, a general station hand and the jillaroo.

We were shown to the general staff quarters, where there are four vacant rooms available, all with just a basic setup of a bed, bedside cupboard and a wardrobe, with a portable air-conditioner in the corner, but I was happy with that, having been in the Army for a few years now, as well as growing up on a cattle station, but my colleagues, were not quite as pleased with the accommodations.

We had been invited to join Mr Jamison and head stockman for dinner in the formal dining room, while nearby the station staff ate separately, and it was a fairly good evening all around, considering what had happened earlier in the day with Mrs Jamison, and is turning up to report an outbreak of Leptospirosis on the station.

“Tell me, who owns that fancy aircraft on the edge of the runway, surely not the NT government?” Mr Jamison asked to all at the table, as we finished our desserts. “No sir, that is mine, a wedding gift from my family, which was waiting for me when we arrived home the other day,” I replied.

“Oh, I see. Are you the one who married a fella?” the senior stockman asked, “Yes, that is correct, my husband Marcus is also a Veterinarian, and we live on our family property near Marble Bar,” I replied, “You own a cattle station too?” Mr Jamison asked.

“Yes, our family actually owns a number of stations, my original home is now sold, but we still own the old WW 2 Defence base known as Corunna, which is where I live now, and my widowed mother, and my uncle own six stations in the NT close to the WA border. I am the oldest of five siblings, the next oldest Rhodes, works for me as the manager of the Border Quarantine station, the others are still attending school, along with my cousins,” I replied.

“Are you the one that owns a Bi Plane too?” the senior stockman asked me, “Yes that is correct, that was my first plane, and it is based at the airport in Kununurra, along with the other aircraft that my husband uses, as he has a pilots licence too. My practice base is at Kununurra, where we currently have five vets including myself, covering an area from Halls Creek, to Wyndham, Warmun plus Marble Bar and Nullagine, in WA and Timber Creek in the NT.

I also have three vet nurses, a vet pathologist, and five support staff scattered at three different locations in the Kimberly district, I informed my host. “Wow, that must keep you extra busy then,” Mr Jamison commented, “It does, especially with all of the District Vet work that I do, both at the Border Quarantine Station, but also the cattle stations that I need to visit in the Victoria River and East Kimberly Districts, which is an area of 140,000 sq kms and 121,000 sq kms in total.

I am lucky to have some very good friends, who are also my senior vets, that run the main practice and outer practices, while Marcus and I are flying all over the place,” I commented. “Wow, a quarter of a million square kilometres, that is a big area,” the senior stockman stated, and I nodded my head in agreement, as I tried to work that out in acreage, which I estimated to be about 62 million acres.

Over the next day and a half, we checked three large mobs of cattle and we found two mobs to be infected with the disease, which Robert Jamison was not too pleased to hear. As a result, quarantine signs were placed on the two outer boundary roads, with the gates closed and locked, and the signs gave contact details for the homestead as well as the Kathrine Department of Primary Industries.

The neighbouring cattle stations were also notified, and told to let us know if they find any cattle with signs of Leptospirosis, immediately. After a long two days, we landed back at Katherine in the late afternoon, and a DPI vehicle was at the airport to collect us, and I would stay overnight at a hotel before flying back home.

After nearly four days away, I landed at Kununurra airport, and the local aircraft mechanic opened the hanger doors for me, and I taxied straight in, and parked my plane in its usual place, before shutting down the engines, and shutting everything off.

Tired, I staggered out of the aircraft, with my luggage, “Hello Dr Kendrik, had a busy few days, have you?” the aircraft mechanic asked me, “Yes, I ended up helping with a medical emergency on a station east of Katherine until the RFDS could arrive, and two days of checking cattle on the same station for a disease outbreak.

Can you deal with the food supplies and anything else that needs doing please, I would appreciate it,” I replied as I exited the hanger, and walked around to the side of the practice and through the staff entry, where I went directly to my office, and lay down on the couch to rest.

“Wake up Husband of mine, its time to head home,” a voice aid to me, and I realised it was Marcus, “What… what is the time?” I asked as I realised that I had fallen asleep. “It is 1600 hours, time for us to head home, the staff decided to let you sleep when they found you in here,” Marcus replied smiling, as he heled me to get up.

“I think we will stay in town tonight, you are too tired to travel home, and I wouldn’t mind the extra flight too, so I have booked us into the resort for tonight, lets grab our luggage and head over there, and enjoy a nice hot jacuzzi bath together, shall we,” Marcus suggested and I smiled and nodded my head in agreement.

The next morning, after a relaxing night and a good dinner and breakfast, I was feeling much more energised, and ready for another day of work, as we drover over to the vet hospital arriving just as Auggie was unlocking the side staff door. “Good morning gentlemen, how are you today,” Auggie asked cheerily.

“Morning Auggie, feeling a bit better than late yesterday, that is for sure. Let’s have a senior staff meeting, before the day begins can we,” I replied as we headed for the staff room, and moments later Julia arrived and joined in with the meeting.

It was just as well that Marcus and I stayed in town overnight, as there was a full day of work just at the hospital, with three surgeries, and a full list of patients to see, so I would be spending some time upstairs in the operating theatre, with the assistance of our senior Vet nurse Amanda, while Marcus, Auggie and Chris would be busy with consults and treatments.

Rhodes was still down at Corunna looking after the horse, so I also had to make a visit to the quarantine station to check that everything is going good over there, which Auggie volunteered to do that for me, and that allowed me to spend some time in the office and to do some work in the clinic.

All appointments at Marble Bar were rescheduled for later in the day, when Marcus heads home mid-afternoon, and after a telephone meeting with Jessica, we learnt that everything was going good down her way in Warmun and Halls Creek.

By the time I arrived home at Corunna, Marcus had completed all of the clinic work at Marble Bar, and he was at home preparing dinner when I arrived, which was a very nice surprise to see. Rhodes arrived home about half an hour later, looking rather tired, and he reported that the horse was only very slowly recovering, and he expressed some concern about this.

I promised at look at the horse in the morning, before flying out to the quarantine station, and I suggested that Rhodes come with me, so as to return to his usual duties, and Rhodes said he was happy to do that. After dinner, we relaxed out on the patio, listening to the sounds of the outback, and watching the last strands of sunlight disappear behind the ranges, until the sound of a gunshot sounded, coming from north-west of us, somewhere in the ranges.

A few moments later, the house telephone rang, and Rhodes got up to answer it. “Yes, we also heard it, and we agree that it came from that direction, but there is nothing that way except… hang on a moment, I will pass you onto my brother,” we heard Rhodes say into the telephone, and he brought the portable phone out to me.

“Hello, is that you Jack?” I asked, just as Marcus’s mobile rang, and he stepped away to answer it. “Yes Jexon, we heard a high-powered rifle go off just a few moments ago, just wondered if you knew anything?” our neighbour asked, as I saw my brother reappear having gone somewhere, and he looked worried.

“Just a moment please Jack,” I said and I covered the mouthpiece of the phone, “The Hawkei is missing, it was there this morning,” Rhodes informed me, just as another shot could be heard. “That is our other neighbours at Bonney Downs, letting us know that some yahoo’s came through their station earlier this afternoon, with hunting gear, camping gear, and they looked like trouble.

I asked him to call the police to give them a description of the vehicle and the people in it, as we have just had shots fired in the area,” Marcus informed me, and I nodded my head in understanding, having removed my hand from the mouth piece so Mike Judson could hear the conversation. “Did I hear right, you had gun shots fired over there?” I heard Mike say, just as two more shots could be heard.

“Wow I heard that, they sound close, my wife is calling the police on the other line, what about the army are they on the base at the moment?” Mike added, “Not that I am aware of, and I believe that the caretakers have been removed offsite too. I got to make a few calls, I will keep in touch on what happens, bye for now Mike, and thanks,” I said before ending the call.

I dialled a familiar number and waited to be connected, “Hello, this is Corporal Jexon Kendrik at Corunna Base I need to speak to the CO immediately, we have a situation here,” I said, “One moment please,” came the response, as I was put on hold. “Sir, I need to know if there is anyone on the base up here at, he moment, as we have had a number of high-powered rounds been fired over the past fifteen minutes,” I asked when I was connected to the CO.

“Hello Jexon, so you are back living on the base full time, are you?” the CO responded, “Well when not away at work, yes sir, my husband and I have made this our home, and work base for now, but my main practice is up at Kununurra still,” I replied.

“Just a moment, I will be back to you in a minute,” the CO said, and I was placed on hold again, and I patiently listened to the recorded music, which was a little too loud. “Jexon, I have been informed that there are no Army personnel from any unit on that base at the moment, but there is still meant to be caretakers onsite, do you want me to contact the Army reserve unit at Port Hedland?” the CO asked me.

“Sir, with your permission, I would like to scout around the area first, and see what I can find out, and report back to you before dawn,” I replied.