More Questions & Answers (re. Medical Issues & Turtles)

Many thanks to all of our readers who have written wishing Lou Ann a speedy recovery. She is slowly adjusting to her limited mobility as the pain gradually decreases.

Readers have asked several questions lately that I am happy to answer:

• Are babies born on Ocracoke Island? It's been a number of years since a baby was born on the island. Women generally leave the island a week or so before their due date and stay near a hospital with family or friends. Sometimes they have to leave in a hurry (it's amazing how quickly the ferries can cross Hatteras Inlet when they're carrying a woman in labor!).
  
• Are emergency medical care needs being met on OI? Absolutely! We have a well trained and dedicated staff of EMTs. Of course, because we are not near a hospital there are certain procedures that must wait (for access to sophisticated equipment or trained medical experts).
  
• Can prescriptions be filled by mail order? Many can. Ocracoke Island has a dispensary (where they can dispense certain medicines prescribed at the clinic), but not a pharmacy. Several pharmacies on the northern Outer Banks will mail prescriptions to Ocracoke.
  
• What is meant by the term "false crawl"? A false crawl occurs when a sea turtle crawls up on the beach during the night looking for a suitable nesting site, but then turns back to the ocean without laying any eggs. She may do this more than once, especially if she is startled (by a human or other animal), or is distracted by noise or lights.
  

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.