September 2023 Update
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September 30
I was informed yesterday that I will be reassigned to a different training center somewhere in the east. The main issue there is the lack of a stable internet connection, which means I won't have access to my lecture notes and videos. So, today I spent nearly sixteen hours downloading and organizing my training materials. I still have no idea when I'll be leaving, but it's likely to be Monday night.
Alexander Smirnov
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After a series of local missions, it's especially pleasant to break away and head towards the rising sun!
Nature is still asleep, border guards are dozing on duty, and after a night shift, even the air defense is asleep. Only the elderly ladies hurry to the markets with freshly milked milk. At this time on Saturdays, even the insatiable traffic inspectors are asleep, and there's no one to friendly wave to me.
Only military convoys with heavy armored vehicles are awake, and I wave to them as I pass by.
We're all heading east.
Alexander Zharov
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September 28
Yesterday morning, I drove to Orange, MA (just 70 miles, but who is counting) for another medical supply pickup. Kind-hearted individuals were donating a couple of boxes of unused IV bags. And when I say boxes, I mean it. Fortunately, I had a "tank" (Suburban) instead of a sedan, and the trunk barely fit everything. Naturally, as always when I find myself in a new place, I decided to explore the local thrift shops. The closest thrift store was just three minutes away.
It was the Community Clothing Center. I walked in expecting to find clothes and antiques, but instead, I stumbled upon a shelf filled with medical supplies. Not expired, by the way; everything was in good condition with expiration dates for 2024-2025. I don't know how all this medical stuff ended up there, but it perfectly matched our usual list of needs. I got a shopping cart, clearing the shelf of oxygen tubes, bandages, cold packs, orthopedic supplies, and more.
I headed to the cashier with my cart full of items, trying to keep everything from spilling over the sides. The cashier asked, "Are you working in the medical field?" I replied, "Well, not exactly. I collect these supplies and send them to Ukraine." She said, "Then don't bother counting. Take them for free, grab some boxes, and repack as needed. We don't have such packages here."
I also filled the back seats of my car while I was at it. Thank you, kind people from Orange. It truly is a miracle. Now I'm sorting through everything. (Goes to the garage, humming: "Treasures, treasures...") I'm just finishing up gathering the boxes from New Hampshire doctors (courtesy of Dr. Bronfain), and this gift will go in the same shipment.
Julia Orlova
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Today, the kids are a bit older but very tired. In their town of Nikopol, the artillery shelling hardly ever stops. Well, the exhaustion accumulates from this kind of ordeal. The only thing worse than artillery shelling is mortar fire...
But don't worry, I got them there quickly, and now they can rest at Jay's place.
The photo with his shelter emblem in the background is where we took the picture. It's impossible to count how many people have passed through his shelter...
I think he doesn't count, and neither do I. We should count those who are yet to be evacuated.
Alexander Zharov
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I arrived in Kyiv late in the evening yesterday, managed to get some rest, and today marked my first day of work. I had the opportunity to familiarize myself with the training center and participated in shadowing and assisting during the blood transfusion class. This procedure is relatively new for most Ukrainian field medics, having been approved for them just three months ago.
I am still uncertain about whether I will remain in Kyiv or will be transferred to teach at a different location.
Alexander Smirnov
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September 27
I brought Alex Smirnov from Krakow and dropped him off at the train station. He's heading to Kyiv to work on his project.
And today, he came in very handy - he helped me load a sick boy, whom I quickly transported to a Polish shelter along with two other children, their mother, and grandmother, with the lights on. Everything went smoothly.
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September 25
Our friends from Odessa have sent us some pictures and videos to update us on recent developments. Shipments on the 24 of July and the 4th of August, consisting of 21 boxes with a total weight exceeding 800 lbs, have successfully reached their final recipients. These recipients include hospitals and frontline medics.
The shipments contained essential medical supplies such as syringes, gauzes, intubation equipment, surgical supplies, as well as specific items for children's and maternity hospitals.
Yulia Orlova
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September 24
I transported a mother and her son from the Zaporizhia region. They are from Zaporizhia region. Their father perished in the war. They have a couple of small bags as luggage, and they are tired. However, they still have the strength to smile.
Today is Sunday, and the border lines are particularly harsh, but Nika and I saved them about seven hours of this tiresome, exhausting wait. It's already a relief!
Like everyone else, I tell them that everything will be fine from now on...
Alexander Zharov
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September 23
They returned Nika to me "conditionally" repaired. Volunteer friends did everything they could to get her back on the road, but there's a specialized repair looming on the horizon.
As a test run, I took a mother and daughter from near Poltava and a woman from Kramatorsk to Poland. They will continue their journey to get away from all of this.
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September 19
I'm back, work awaits, but first, the cars.
Ambulance Nika is going in for repairs, and on Juno, after maintenance, I'll be doing some spot good things.
Alexander Zharov
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September 18
The monitor/defibrillators are en route. They were generously donated by NH Fire/EMS but were lacking some critical components, such as cables and batteries. To ensure they are fully prepared for service, we invested approximately $2,500.
The shipment cost - $516.20
Unfortunately, we couldn't send the batteries, so I'll be personally carrying them with me in my carry-on luggage. My departure is scheduled for September 24th.
Alexander Smirnov
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September 17
We received confirmation of the shipment's delivery on July 7th in Lviv. These supplies were destined for both the hospital and the new stabilization point, totaling 8 boxes and weighing 283 lbs. On August 18th, the shipment was successfully delivered to Lviv, and between August 20th and 25th, it was distributed to the hospital and frontline medics.
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September 16
Packing monitors (defibrillators) for shipping.
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September 13
We received a very generous donation of heart monitors/defibrillators from New Hampshire Fire/EMS. Before we ship them, I had to check their condition and add any missing parts. It turns out that some of them required minor repairs. So, for the last two days, I've had to recall my electronic skills to service them.
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September 12
Chronicles of the last shipment:
SO-YO: "Hi! Do you need Nutren 1.5 feeding tube liquid?"
YO-LD: "Hello! We're offered a feeding tube solution, 250 ml packets, a lot of them. There are 24 packets in a box, here's a photo. Please check with the doctors, do we need it? The expiration date is spring 2024."
LD-YO: "Yes, I'll tell you right now it's needed, we have constant requests."
YO-LD: "Got it, we'll take it 😉"
YO-SO: "It's needed, thank you! Who should we contact and where should we go?"
YO-AS: "Sasha, I'm at the camp, here's the <contact>, please pick it up. It's heavy, a couple of hundred pounds, but compact."
AS-YO: "They're also giving away dressings, a feeding pump, and related supplies. We just need to buy an adapter!"
September 5-6: Packaging, customs documentation.
September 7 morning: Delivered 8 boxes to Meest - food, pump, supplies, surgical dressings.
Weight: 297 lbs. Total cost: $893.50.
Хроники последней отправки
SO-YO: "Привет! Нужны Nutren 1.5 feeding tube liquid?"
YO-LD: “Привет! Нам предлагают раствор для кормления через зонд, пакеты по 250 мл, много. В коробке 24 шт, фото вот. Спросите врачей, нужно? Срок годности весна 2024”
LD-YO: Да, уже скажу что нужно, постоянньіе запросьі
YO-LD: Понял, забираем 😉"
YO-SO: “Нужно, спасибо! К кому и куда ехать?”
YO-AS: "Саша, я в лагере, свяжись с <contact> и забери, плиз. Там тяжелое, пара сотен паундов, но компактное."
AS-YO: “Там отдают еще перевязочное, помпу для кормления и сопутствующие расходники. Надо только переходник докупить!”
9/5-6. Упаковка, оформление таможенных документов.
09/7 утром отвезла в Meest 8 коробок: питание, помпа и расходники, хирургические повязки.
Вес 297 lbs. Сумма $893.05.
