PAULA:  And there was some funny things, too, that happened, you know.  Like one time I was taking care of -- somebody's -- somebody's got stab wound.  I went there, another health aide was there, but she was just sitting there, not knowing what to do.

And I look at the wound and it was bubbling with blood when the person inhale, then I know that the lung was involved.  So I just cover it with -- I think I used tin foil on her and taped three sides and keep one side open.  And she had been drunk so she was sleeping.  And I escorted him here -- her here. 

And it was Easter, so it was going to be Easter Sunday tomorrow.  And my sister and her family from Stebbins were in our house, and my husband's sister and her family from Hooper Bay had come. 

I wanted to go back, and this charter was from Emmonak, so I -- I asked that pilot, could I go home?  Could I go back home with you when -- when you are going back? 

And he said, aren't you supposed to make statement for the troopers, how this happened?  And I never answer for a long time.  I had just come out from -- it was on my day off, I had just taken steam bath, and my hair was still in towel, you know. 

And -- and I was thinking for a long time and I said, oh, the other health aide was there already when I went to see this lady.  She can -- she can make statement.  And he never answer me for a long time and finally he said, yeah, I guess you could go back with me. 

And I was so happy that when we got there, the medics came and stopped there and I give them the patient, still passed out, I give them the patient, and I forgot to give them the paper.  And it was in my parka's pocket. 
And oh, that was awful, you know, because they didn't know who that person was, where she came from, and what was wrong with that person. 

KAREN:  Oh, no. 

PAULA:  Oh, that was so embarrassing.  And that person happened to be from Emmonak, and the health aides in Emmonak called me the next day, on Monday, and they told me they got scolding from the doctor. 

And I said, which doctor was that, so I could call him and talk to him and see.  They told me So-and-So. 

So I called and asked for that doctor, and I told him that it was me that did it, not the health aides in Emmonak.  I was so embarrassed but I had to tell him everything, you know. 

KAREN:  Yeah. 

PAULA:  So yeah.  So... 

KAREN:  Were there other funny things that you could think of? 

PAULA:  Oh, yeah.  You know.  Some -- there's lots of funny things that -- they are not funny at the time at all. 

KAREN:  No. 

PAULA:  But later on, they are really funny. 

Like one time I was called to a house and somebody had miscarried.  And everybody was under the influence.  And that person who was miscarried, you know, she was laying on the floor in just about the middle of the house.  And her legs were propped up on the -- higher than the head. 

And that was really funny later on because every -- just about everybody was under the influence and I didn't know what to do, and everybody was acting as if nothing's wrong.  And even the person who miscarried on the floor was under the influence.  And it was just like going into a fairy tale story, you know, in person. 

So I let some of the people go out and I moved the -- moved the person to a bed and checked, you know, checked everything.  And take care of it from there.  And then the next day she had to -- she had to go to Bethel. 
So I stayed -- I must have stayed there for two or three hours because being under the influence, everybody was slow on getting whatever I need, you know.  And then I have to go to the clinic and talk to the doctor and come back and do this and that. 

So that was kind of silly.  I mean, like I said, you know, just -- just like going into fairy tale and, you know, people not functioning the way they should do, you know.  So later on I laugh about it.