Jerri Nielsen: Icebound

 By Bruce Shawkey

Just bought a copy of Icebound, by Dr. Jerri Nielsen. This true story takes place in 1998. She is the resident doctor at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. The station is physically cut off from the rest of the world. During her stay there,  she develops breast cancer. Nielsen teleconferenced with medical personnel in the United States and had to operate on herself in order to extract tissue samples for analysis. A military plane was later dispatched to the pole to airdrop equipment and medications. Her condition remained life-threatening, and the first plane to land at the station in the spring was sent several weeks earlier than planned, despite adverse weather conditions, to take her to the U.S. as soon as possible. Her ordeal attracted a great amount of attention from the media, and Nielsen later wrote this book recounting her story.

Things at the station are all fine at first, and it's fun to read about Nielsen's every-day life. She treats her various patients for everything from frostbite (temperatures drop as low as 128 degrees below zero) to cuts and bruises.

There are several amusing episodes as Nielsen adjusts to life at the South Pole. One is where she takes a "Hollywood Shower" before she is admonished to limit showers to three minutes because of time it takes to heat hot water. Another involves the air drop of "freshies" which are fresh fruits and vegetables. These are welcome treats, as the crew often has to settle for canned goods.

By the time the rescue plane arrives, Nielsen is too weak to walk, and is carried to the plane by one of the scientists. The book ends when Nielsen is re-united with her family and begins chemotherapy treatment with her oncologist.

Sadly, Nielsen died in 2009, succumbing to her breast cancer. Her story has been made into several movies, one starring Susan Serandon.