November and December 2018 – “…we are knocked down, but not destroyed.” – St. Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:9

Along with our community, NAPM took a big beating on 30 Nov 2018. Our commercial landlord tells us that of the 35 properties they manage, the “Jack White Building” in Eagle River sustained the most damage, and our suite got hit the hardest.

Clinic destruction from Earthquake in Eagle River Alaska

 

Many of the pipes in the building broke and several sprinkler heads came off – the water was ankle deep on Friday!

 

 

Normally Fridays are our busiest day, but by God’s grace we weren’t seeing patients that day and so no patients nor staff were in the clinic.

We spent the first few days in a blur and haze of debris and confusion – it’s pitch black in a building without power for most of the day in December as most of you know – trying not to trip, slip, crush, smack our heads, etc.

Our community and friends have rallied around us. Community Covenant Church (which many of us attend) has opened their doors to let us hold clinic there, and our friend and former employee Sandy Spencer, ANP (Frontier Family Medicine, Wasilla) let us borrow her clinic to see Valley patients.

Our friend and colleague Dr. Luke Liu (Neuroversion) is graciously allowing us to use one of his procedure suites in Alaska Regional to do our interventional procedures.

 

We thank and praise God that we’re not holding any funerals, and all of our team have homes and heat. This disaster has shaken us up (literally!) but brought us even closer together – to eachother and to God. And to many of our patients and community as well. Thank you to those who have lent support verbally, emotionally, and even bringing us pizza while we were sorting through the rubble! We’re told we may be able to resume operations in a nice new suite in February – right now we’re taking it one day at a time, remembering what’s truly important in life and giving thanks.

As a team we’ve been meditating a lot on Psalm 46 the past year – well before this event. Here’s the first part:

 

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
He utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

 

Merry Christmas from Team NAPM; we hope and pray your holiday season is blessed with love, joy and peace.