A review by pickishpiper
Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole by Jerri Nielsen

5.0

A stellar read about a remarkable woman. As if attending medical school in the '70s in the U.S. as a woman or the fact she perservered as a wife and a mother in an abusive relationship weren't enough, Dr. Nielsen signs up as the lone medical personnel at the US Antarctic base to "winterover". Only a few months in to her assignment, Dr. Nielsen locates a lump on her breast. When the lump does not dissipate after her menstrual cycle and continues to grow in size and pain triggering, Dr. Nielsen and the base's team of mechanics, cooks, construction crew, and IT wizards begin the long journey of self-biopsies, BCB (blood count tests), and pre-turn of the century teleconferencing with a specialist in Indiana, USA with left over equipment from the US Navy that had not been refreshed since the 1970s from the bottom of the globe. While "Duffy's" immediate family and Polie family rally behind her in personnel and through email, her ex-husband and three kids abandon and disparage her fight for survival. An exciting, angering, and heartening read. Dear The U.S. Government - maybe spend the money to have two medically trained personal in the frozen hellscape that is the Antarctic when winterover commences due to the minus 100F temps and inability for planes to land more than half of the year? Just a thought.