Lieutenant Commander Thomas Pryor’s Tsunami Relief Journal

February 4, 2005 — Hello all. As you know, I'm on board the USNS (United States Naval Ship) Mercy. The Mercy is one of two ships that the United States has that is essentially a floating hospital (the other is the USNS-Comfort). For practical reasons, the Mercy is housed on the West coast of the United States, and the Comfort is housed on the East coast. [Full Entry]

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February 5, 2005 — Things continue to evolve as we become more and more anxious to begin our work providing disaster relief to tsunami victims. Because of the political, social, military and diplomatic issues that need to be resolved, we are having to sit off the shoreline of Banda Aceh and wait... [Full Entry]

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February 7, 2005 — Since my last entry two days ago, things have really taken off. The Mercy began to receive patients yesterday. Two children were admitted to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Also, a Navy sailor from another ship needed an emergency appendectomy. Everyone on board is excited and looking forward to helping more and more people. [Full Entry]

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February 11, 2005 — The past few days have passed in a blur as I have been working 14-hour shifts in the Intensive Care Unit. While we have had various patients come and go I have spent my time and attention with the 12-year-old boy I wrote about before. For confidentiality reasons, I have chosen not to reveal his name or his uncle's name in these entries. But for personal reasons I have given him a name by which you may know him; "Harapan" which in Indonesian means hope… [Full Entry]

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February 12, 2005 — Over the past 24 hours, Harapan, our 12-year-old patient who survived the tsunami and days lost at sea, has reached a significant milestone in the progress of his medical care. [Full Entry]

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February 13, 2005 — What was an uneventful night has turned out to be a monumental day; for all the right reasons. With adjustments in the medicines that Harapan takes he no longer has the high fevers of 104 degrees and his white blood count (a sign of infection) continues to return toward normal. [Full Entry]

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February 14, 2005 — For the next three days I am scheduled to work the night shift, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.. This has allowed me to sleep in until 9 a.m. for the first time in two weeks. When I woke up, I realized my body really needed that sleep after the intensive week of taking care of Harapan. After I arrived to work at 7 p.m., I was told that I had earned the night off and would only be staying to 10 p.m., which I thought sounded good to me. [Full Entry]

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February 16, 2005 — No rest for the weary.

Today I was chosen to go ashore and assist in a recently created infectious disease pediatric ward at the University Hospital in Banda Aceh. While en route by helicopter I had a "bird's eye view" of the significant damage caused by the tsunami. Houses were partially dismantled while others were literally removed from their foundations. Debris of all types was widespread to include a barge that was lifted up on a wave and taken a half-mile inland. [Full Entry]

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February 17, 2005 — After working consecutive 12-hour shifts since February 5, I had my first "day off" today. It provided me a chance to sleep in, do some laundry and otherwise do nothing. [Full Entry]

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February 19, 2005 — The past few days have been bittersweet.

Harapan continues to improve each day. No longer is he limited to his bed, and we have been taking strolls around the deck - walking when he can - and using the wheelchair when he tires. He continues to make new friends wherever we go and is greeted with great enthusiasm anytime we go out to the flight deck to view the ocean, ships, and land masses that surround us. [Full Entry]

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February 21, 2005 — Despite the need for more treatment, the father of the 7 year-old has decided to take his daughter back to the Banda Ache hospital and go find his two boys. This decision has been difficult for many of the staff onboard to accept, especially since it may ultimately affect the girl's health. It is a decision I would never want to make as a father, but a decision I believe we must support professionally and with cultural sensitivity no matter how we may feel personally. [Full Entry]

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February 23, 2005 — Today is the big day.

Harapan is leaving the ship to be reunited with his uncle, aunt and their son. They are his only surviving relatives. No longer does the uncle consider him a nephew. "He is my son," he said. Heartfelt words from a man and father I have watched over the past several weeks and have learned so much from about how to be a true parent. [Full Entry]

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February 26, 2005 — On the 24th of this month the first wave of Project Hope personnel were transitioned back to Singapore, and a second wave of volunteers replaced them. The night before they left a "surf and turf" party was held on the flight deck -or what is known as "the steel beach." A barbeque was held to recognize their hard work. It provided an opportunity for closure, and for many of us to say good-bye to newfound friends. [Full Entry]

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March 2, 2005 — During the journey home - eight hours into a 24-hour flight - I find myself watching the in-flight monitor depicting a small plane against a backdrop of the world and a red line intersecting the plane, identifying a point of departure and one of arrival. This image provides an apt metaphor for my thoughts as I reflect on where I have come from (my experience in Indonesia), where I am going (life in Arizona as I have known it), and where I am in this moment of self-realization… [Full Entry]

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