Start Of The Colonization Of Mars example essay topic

Crisis on Mars The most notable day in history, with out any question, was August 27th, 2003. Mars was the closet to Earth then it had been for 73,000 years and appeared to be as large as Jupiter. To the surprise of all the citizens and governments around the world the United States launch 34 R-17 X space shuttles. These shuttles had never been seen before although that some rumors of a shuttle fast enough to reach Mars in one to three months had circulated for years. This was the start of the colonization of Mars. I was just starting my college career to become a nurse when the news erupted at 9: 30 a.m.

August 27th, 2003. President Bush was to speak to the nation at one o' clock from Bouvet Island. This island is located 1500 miles southwest of the Cape of Good Hope. It had been thought to be uninhabited but we now know it was the site of a joint NASA and U.S. Military Top Secret Space Program. I remember the moment the President spoke the words "Today we send brave Americans to the outer brink to establish a new world for the citizens of our country... Tomorrow you could be among those brave Americans".

From that day forward I knew that destiny would take me to Mars. It was only 59 days after the spectacular launch of the 34 R-17 X shuttle that they landed with a 200-person crew, on Mars. Mission One was to establish electric power through wind power. Twenty times the electricity needed for the same size community on earth was used every day. This electricity was used to separate carbon dioxide molecules into oxygen and carbon.

The oxygen created was stored in the emptied space shuttle bays and used to supply the temporary biodome. The carbon molecules were combined with mercury in to carbon composites, which create a stronger then steel building material. The mercury, which had to be mined from the surface to create fertile soil, was also combined with silicone and to create glass panes, which allowed light and heat to enter but not escape. In the fertile soil, genetically modified trees and crops were planted. The colony was soon self-generating or self-sufficient. It was eight years ago, just two months after my 35th birthday that I first landed on Mars at Biodome Charlie.

This was the newest of the three permanent biodome. All of Mars is under control of the United States Government. Biodome Alpha is where the military and scientific, and medical facilities were located. Bravo was the site that all citizens' homes were located while all military personal live in Alpha. As a regular citizen I lived at Bravo but as Director of Hospital Operations I worked at Alpha. I received a nurse practitioner and paramedic license in the U.S. to obtain this position.

On Nov. 23rd, 2012 I received a call at home. On the other line was General Hoppe l, Commander of the Martian Frontier, who spoke with great urgency, "Hurry to Grace" he emphatically shouted. Grace Science and Health Center were I worked and it consisted of all medical and scientific facilities. I hurriedly picked up my gear and rushed over to Grace. I couldn't believe my eyes, of the now 3054 colonists, 17 of them were now laying on the ground in need of medical attention. "Where's the Chief Medical Officer?" I shouted as I hurried towards the crowd.

"Over here Brent" screamed Tom a RN staff member. I saw Tom's hand waving in the air and started towards him. I quickly noticed when Tom kneeled down that their laid Ryan McNeil, the man I was shouting for. "Chief what happened?" I said in total disbelief as I noticed blood all around him.

"Brent there was an explosion in Grace, from a leaking oxygen tank", his shaky voice seemed to whisper "it has taken out Lilly (our Surgical Doctor) and James (our M.D. )."I'm not going to survive either" proclaimed Ryan. "Sure you will" I softly reassured him with tears starting to flow down my cheek. I knew that the next time I looked out in the back yard to watch his daughter Tambi and my youngest Had lee playing, Tambi would not have a father. I knew this day would forever change me, change everyone.

"Tom gather all the staff", I ordered "we will meet by the Center's fountain". I needed to gather my thoughts and pull myself together quickly. I had already noticed laying lifeless nearby a seven-year-old boy everyone called Doe boy. I was completely beside my self.

Here laid motionless the first baby I helped to deliver here on Mars. Emotions ran rampant through my body but I had a job to do. As close nit as our colony was, I knew almost every individual by name. I needed to quickly gather together a strategy for treating the injured in this developing outside infirmary.

As I walked towards the fountain I saw Tamala; a local youngster who just started as a CNA at the hospital. Her body language told me she was in a hysteric state. As I approached Tamala, I saw her boyfriend Benny, a maintenance worker, placed on a coat. "Tamala" I bellowed "go get four laptops and a cart of emergency supplies for Tom and meet him by the fountain, I'll take care of Benny". Hesitantly she left to get the supplies. Benny was starting to turn blue; he must not be receiving oxygen I thought to myself.

I pressed his jaw down opening his oral cavity and noticed a chunk of Benny's tongue gone. He had bit the piece off and was chocking on it. I acquired a scalpel and a piece of hollow tubing from my bag. I needed to give an emergency trachanometry.

Cutting just below the Adams Apple, I made an incision just large enough to fit in the tubing. I immediately saw his chest start to rise and fall. There was scrap metal in his leg but it would have to wait to be removed. I applied anesthetic to the wound, placed gauze over it, and wrapped it with bandage to keep it clean and help stop any bleeding. I finally made it to the fountain where Tom had already taken charge of the staff. He explained that Tamala and June (a LPN) had just brought out as many supplies as they could.

He had sent two people to the operating rooms but could not find Lilly. "She's dead". I muddled beneath my breath. Spying her intern Colby, I approach him.

"Today is the day you become a doctor", I reassuringly said "People's lives are now in your hands, do what you must". With out a word, in a full out jog, he headed to the operating rooms that were spared in the explosion. "Tom I need full vitals on all the injured every hour". I exclaimed. Temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure abnormalities can tip you off to infections, cardiac or respiratory failures, shock and a host of other problems that could develop though not visibly noticeable.

"I want the other three nurses to each take an aid; Let's get everyone stabilized as soon as possible". I demanded. As I started walking back amongst the injured I noticed my daughters art teacher who had been in the hospital to get her tonsils out. There was blood coming from the right side of her head.

This could be serious so I decided to check this injury right away. I clean up the side of her head and noticed the bleeding was coming from her ear. Grabbing my auto scope I examined the ear and was relieved to discover that it was a broken eardrum, the situation could have been much worse. I quickly drained the ear of fluids and place a cotton ball into the ear to absorb any secretions and taped gauze over the top of it. "She is going to be just fine". I thought to myself.

I heard someone calling my name and as I turned around saw it was Tom. "We just found another victim" he shouted. Tom explained that as the fire and safety workers were clearing the building they found a man that had got caught under a piece of burning ceiling as it fell. Every one was stabilized and he gave me a list of the injured and their prognoses.

I arranged them into the most critical to the least and what treatments to start them on. I hurried to the area were they had brought the burned man. There was third degree burns all over his body. Oh, what a gut wrenching smell emanated from his body. This was a very serious injury because of the risk of infection.

I gathered five large rolls each of gauze and breathable bandage wrap. Burns of this nature are a pain staking and time consuming situation. First I started with his legs applying anesthetic and a skin conditioner to help the skin absorb and conserve moister making the skin much more pliable. The skin looked like a pile of leaves drying and curling up as if it lay on his body unattached from any other tissue. Smoothing out each piece of skin and reapplying more moisturizers I manipulated, to the best of my abilities, each piece of skin into place. I then place gently rolled the gauze around his legs followed by a roll of breathable bandage Slowly, I worked all the way up to cover his entire body.

This procedure took 4 hours to complete. While I was treating Robert, the burned man, I kept in periodic contact with Tom who continued to update me with the progress of the other individuals. Reviewing each patient's charts I determined the care they were to receive. I was exhausted and with the situation under control I returned home to rest and to put that day behind me though still today, on some nights, the nightmares of this day awaken me.