Caught Between Life And Death In The South Pole

Dr. Leonid Rogozov

Humans are capable of doing great deeds even when in hostile environments. This ability was demonstrated by a doctor who was caught in a life-threatening situation while on an expedition to one of the most unconducive places in the world.

In 1961, Leonid Rogozov, a Russian surgeon, was part of a team that went on an expedition in Antarctica to build a new station for the Russian government. Rogozov fell ill during the expedition and had severe pain on the right side of his abdomen. His health declined with each passing day. He carried out a diagnosis on himself and found out he had appendicitis. He needed an operation to remove his appendix. Unfortunately, there were no medical facilities where Rogozov could undergo an operation in Antarctica. A solution to this problem would have been to have a surgeon and a medical team within the region carry out the operation but none was available. Rogozov was the only doctor in the region during the expedition. The operation could not also be performed outside Antarctica because of inclement weather that prevented air travel and the long time it will take to get to Russia by ship. The expedition to Antarctica from Russia had taken thirty-six days by sea. Rogozov could not afford to embark on this journey back to Russia because of his deteriorating health.

The health of Rogozov continued to get worse as time elapsed and his chances of survival also depreciated. This situation left him with two options to determine his fate. He could either decide to do nothing about his deteriorating condition or try to perform the operation he needs by himself. Rogozov chose to operate on himself. This option gave him a chance to fight for his life! He informed the commander in charge of the expedition of his decision and got his approval to operate. He went on to make an elaborate plan for his operation and delegated tasks to his colleagues who will assist him during the operation. Rogozov's plan also entailed instructions for his colleagues on what to do if eventualities arises. An instance of such instruction is how to perform an adrenalin injection and artificial ventilation if Rogozov becomes unconscious during the operation.

Rogozov performing an appendectomy on himself

Rogozov went on to operate as planned with the assistance of his colleagues. The operation was challenging as he had anticipated but he found ways to negotiate past obstacles that were encountered during the operation. One such obstacle was the distorted image produced by the mirror he wanted to use as his 'eyes' during the operation. He overcome this obstacle by deciding to operate with his bare hands, using his sense of touch to identify the organs in his abdomen while he worked. Rogozov almost lost consciousness at the final stages of the operation but persisted by taking short breaks at five minutes intervals. Finally, the appendix was removed and the operation was completed after over two hours of painstaking work. PRogozov had won the battle for survival! The impossible task has been accomplished!

A year after the operation was performed, Rogozov and the rest of the expedition team returned to Russia. On his return to Russia, Rogozov was bestowed with a prestigious award by the Russian government for the feat he accomplished while in Antarctica. The government used the opportunity to promote the quality of youth produced by its system to its people and the rest of the world. A good development arose from Rogozov's experience in Antarctica. A policy was made by the government of some countries around the world that made appendectomy ( removal of the appendix) compulsory for its citizens who wants to visit Antarctica. This policy will likely prevent people from having the kind of experience Rogozov had while at the South Pole.

Leonid Rogozov is a symbol of courage and the tenacity of the human spirit. His extraordinary story inspires hope and faith in how to overcome difficult situations especially when the tides are against us.

Thanks for reading,
See you on the next one guys.

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