Tess Belomo

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

Start your testing today for one euro per month on shopify.de slash radio.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

And it was one of the most profound lectures I've ever been a part of because I just never really thought of it before. And to know that it wasn't until the late 60s that women were permitted there. by the US. Australia, for example, came later as well because obviously different countries operate under different laws and regulations and things down on the continent.

But I just, I couldn't believe that for most of history, yeah, women were allowed, but on the ships. They could take one of the most dangerous treks across some of the most dangerous oceans to get to Antarctica and But once they were in the waters within reach of the continent, they had to stay on the ship while their husbands or the men of the crew could get off and do what they needed to do.

But they had to stay put. Right.

for convenience and how, you know, like everything is becoming automated from, you driverless cars to self-checkout to just kind of removing people from everyday interactions and how that's starting to affect people and how a lot of doctors are now starting to prescribe group activities as a form of just making you feel better for your mental health and being around people.

I also think it's a little strange how they repeatedly would point to their mental and physiological conditions or barriers and assigning reason to that. It's like, well, this is the reason because they are not physically capable of something like that. Women arguably undergo one of, if not the most physically demanding things in life, and that's childbirth.

All the time.

Every day. Multiple, like over and over and over. Millions of women have done it.

So to say that women can't handle something because it might be tough is kind of an insult.

However, as she got settled, things took a terrifying turn. Jerry found a lump under her right breast. At first, she thought it might be benign. This was something she had experienced before and therefore she chose to keep it to herself. But the lump grew to five and a half centimeters and she started having back and breast pain.

Eventually, Jerry confided in the station manager, who suggested that she email the doctor in charge of Antarctic Medical Stations, Dr. Gerald Katz. Jerry laid it on the line for him, saying, quote, Wow. Wow. Instead, he advised her to perform a fine-needle aspiration of the mass to determine whether there was fluid inside. If there was clear fluid, it would indicate a benign cyst.

Cloudy or no fluid would suggest a cancerous tumor.

To execute this, they required more medical supplies. So, in July of 1999, the National Science Foundation decided to send out a transport plane. This was a risky operation, and because of the extreme cold temperatures, it was too dangerous for an aircraft to attempt a landing.

Jerry questioned if it was worth the risk for everyone involved, worried that even if she did get the supplies, her chance of survival would be low if she wasn't able to remove the lump in its entirety.

Wall assisted again with a second biopsy alongside Bill Johnson, a carpentry foreman. They practiced the operation by puncturing a needle into fruit and a raw chicken breast.

I mean, they're not.

I don't know. Have you seen the things that like when, so Cassie and I were vet techs for a really long time and we worked with a lot of different veterinarians. And I remember that, you know, that like squishy material, I'm sure there's a very fancy term for it, but it's essentially skin. Skin. that they can practice different suture ties with.

It's creepily real. Looked and felt like that. Okay.

Okay. Well, they're in Antarctica. What are they going to do? That's true. The anesthesia would be minimal, including lidocaine, a topical numbing ointment, and ice as a backup.

Lisa Beal, a computer technician, and Choo-Choo Charlie Kaminsky, a telescope expert, were able to set up a microscope and video recorder to magnify the stain and produce images clear enough that they could be sent off to labs in Denver and Washington.

The tumor shrank in size before growing again. When reflecting on her role as a doctor, she recalled an Irish tradition. At funerals, someone called a sin eater would consume food left on the body of the deceased to absorb their sins and help their soul reach heaven. Jerry realized that she was always absorbing the pain of others, and she needed them to now do the same for her.

And she was talking a lot about how AI is starting to take the place of therapy, like going for therapy. And you're talking to artificial intelligence and just the red flags that that is raising and how we're losing our human connection and our

She describes thinking back on how the community rallied around her in support, saying, quote, It was a freeing experience. I didn't think I would like it. But realizing how much people need each other, it frees you to need people, as amazing as that is.

Yeah. And everyone from them to the telescope operator and the computer specialist, like anyone with any sort of skill that could be integrated into this effort, they're willing to help. And it just reminds me, you know, when she was reflecting back on oh, it's nice to have support.

I remember reading a book, it was a really long time ago, but it was called, I believe it was called Help for the Helper. And it was all about how important it is, especially for somebody who finds themselves

in a role that you're primarily taking care of others like doctors or if you're in a caretaking position for maybe an ill family member or you're always the point of contact that you're just the helper whatever that means and how important it is to to ask for help that you so freely give to others because hyper independence and doing everything yourself is great in some aspects but

You need people and you need support. And that really started to show itself for Jerry in this situation where there was no other option. Like she could only do so much.

You know, for since we've been around, just relying on people for things is just so important and how we're starting to lose that and how detrimental that's starting to become. So this that introduction was just really timely for me.

Yeah. It's a nice exchange, you know? And it also makes me think a little bit of just rally, like the community rallying behind you and feeling relieved by support that maybe you're not accustomed to.

For me, that kind of took place in 2022 when my partner passed away, Ian, and I am super independent and I love doing things for myself and I usually have everything under control and I don't really ask for help much. And when that happened and I was living away from home, like on the opposite end of the country, I had just kind of moved there with him.

So we had some sort of community, but it was kind of like my work friends that I had met. But we didn't have any like super solid family or friends there. And so when that happened, I felt really alone because not only had I just lost the only person that I – really loved and cared about there. But I didn't really have that net of support that I would have had back here at home.

And I kept to myself for a while. I was like, I can do this. I can just keep going. And very quickly, I realized I couldn't. And as soon as I allowed people to say, let me come help you, it was just this relief. I mean, you flew in for a week. My mom flew in for a week. My best friend, Atea, flew in for a week.

There was just this rotation of support, even if that meant just sitting on the couch and staring at the wall for five hours. Of course. Or walking my dogs for me when I didn't have the energy to do that. Like all these little things of realizing how vital support of community and friends and family are when you're going through something tough.

It's really eye-opening, especially for somebody who feels like they just do everything themselves all the time and quote unquote don't need support. Like you do. You're a person and you're human and humans thrive on human connection.

Yeah, let people help you and let people celebrate you. Yes. Just let people be there for you.

And she was like, great, well, I need everybody. So this is perfect.

Not ideal conditions to be battling any sort of illness, I would say.

I mean, 30% memory loss is a big chunk. Huge.

Definitely. You wouldn't know about them, though, because you wouldn't remember.

Yeah. I mean, because on the onset, it's like, okay, so it's going to be dark a lot and they're freezing. But actually, they're suffering from this foggy mental state. They can't remember anything. They have to write things down all the time. They're hypoxic. And they're at altitude. You know, we know... Altitude's hard.

You and I are very familiar, at least, with the dangers of being at altitude just from the stories we share on National Park After Dark and how that can really mess with people's decision-making skills. And they're being put in scenarios where they're making decisions that they wouldn't typically make. And a lot of that has to do with...

Yeah, the situation that they might be in, whether it be a survival situation or whatever. But also it's the altitude. It really messes with you and it changes your line of thinking and how you process information and what you remember. So that all thrown into the mix is just – it's like what else can they deal with here? Right. Right.

As Jerry was also going through chemotherapy, she was experiencing debilitating side effects. Dizzy spells, shortness of breath requiring additional oxygen, back pain, and eventually phlebitis, which causes inflammation in the veins, which made it increasingly more difficult for her to find hers during treatment. She attempted to stay positive and maintain a sense of normalcy.

And today we're going to be talking about a woman who was quite independent and did a lot of things for herself, but at a point in time in her life, she really needed her community and her community showed up for her. Today, we are talking about Dr. Geri Nielsen.

They even organized morale-boosting events like the Make Jerry Totally Bald party when her hair started to fall out.

Yeah, that's actually a really good point. Her story continued to garner international attention, and a plan was put in place to rescue Jerry by the U.S. National Guard. As only certain aircraft could fly in these treacherous conditions, they had to rely on a C-141 transport plane, a large aircraft capable of landing on ice and snow.

Even though the C-141 could handle the landing, they also had to coordinate a fuel drop at the south pole for the plane, which required in-flight refueling by another aircraft. This refueling mission came from the Hawaii National Guard's air refueling squadron. The logistics alone make this rescue operation truly remarkable. They needed everything to be perfect.

The weather, the equipment, the in-flight refueling, and the exact timing. And even then, it was no guarantee. But eventually, after everything lined up, on October 16th, Geri was flown from the South Pole to McMurdo Station, the larger U.S. research hub on Antarctica. From there, she was flown to New Zealand for emergency medical treatment.

The mission marked one of the earliest landings at the South Pole ever recorded.

She was a doctor, a mother, and a woman searching for something more when she accepted a job that would change both her life and captivate the world. In 1998, she became the sole physician stationed at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, one of the most remote and unforgiving environments on Earth.

Her story is an incredible symbol of human effort, teamwork, and the lengths people will go to save a life.

I'm sure she did a lot of reflecting, especially on the people that helped her get there. And I mean, she did have concerns for a while of, you know, as we mentioned, is this worth it?

Is this worth the danger that I'm potentially putting other people in to get me various drops and transports and asking a lot of people that aren't necessarily well-versed in this profession and everything came together for her. in that moment. And she was finally, you know, it's a big moment to be cancer-free regardless of the journey up until that point.

But hers was especially, I'm sure, worth celebrating.

Geri remarried and wrote her memoir, Icebound, a doctor's incredible story of survival at the South Pole. She traveled the globe, speaking at events and meeting with people facing their own battles with cancer. Through it all, she remained positive and hopeful. In an interview, she said, quote, many people, when they have cancer, do change.

And many have asked, would I have gotten cancer at the South Pole if I had a choice? Yes, because it is a profound experience that can change you and send you on a new pathway in life. And we often need obstructions so that we can make our life richer.

She passed away on June 23, 2009 in Southwick, Massachusetts at age 57. But her legacy remains. Jerry Nielsen's story is more than one of survival. It's about resilience, selflessness, and the extraordinary strength of the human spirit. While enduring unthinkable challenges, she inspired the world by meeting them with her heart and purpose.

What began as a bold personal journey quickly turned into a gripping medical emergency, and she was forced to begin treatment while completely isolated from the outside world. Her courage, optimism, and resilience became a global symbol for human determination in the face of impossible odds.

Yeah, kind of a callback to the beginning when I was talking about one of my favorite authors, Nora McInerney. I love the quote that she says, you are under no obligation to make lemonade out of lemons. Same type of thing. You don't have to do good things or make something good out of something terrible that happens to you. It's allowed to just be bad.

But she took it a step further and like you said, really used her experience to help others. And I think for me, one of the most, one of the biggest takeaways of her story was is kind of just what she said at the end about when people ask her, would you have gone through this experience if you had a choice? And she says yes, because of what it did for her and how it changed her outlook on life.

And even though it was what she described it as an obstacle, yes, I would say that was an obstacle for sure. It pivoted her outlook on life. And Sometimes we need those obstacles in whatever form they come to make your life richer and give you a different perspective.

And I love that because while some people at the outset, you know, from the outside looking in for someone to say, yeah, I would go through that. Like, I accept that. I would do it again. You're kind of like, what?

But personally, again, going through, I would have preferred Ian not pass away, of course, but his death really changed my life and really changed my perspective on life and how I live my life. So I can understand the root of what she's saying here. And I think that is really admirable to take something so devastating and find any little pieces of good out of it and take that and run with it.

It's all about perspective. And we kind of glazed over a little bit her before she got to Antarctica. She went through a lot with her husband. Yes.

No.

Yeah, just in different ways.

Sitting on your shelf. And I saw it at the bookstore the other day. It's a sign. Jerry is amongst us right now.

If you're looking to dive a little bit deeper into Dr. Jerry Nielsen's story, we've dropped some sources for you in the description. Let us know what incredible women's stories you'd like to hear next.

Jerry and Jay's marriage, by her account, was tumultuous and abusive. Though he never physically hurt her, Jerry described her husband as manipulative and terrifying, someone who shattered her confidence, psychologically tormented her, and instilled fear in their children. In one harrowing incident, she recalls how he strangled and shot the family dog in front of her and their daughter.

Yeah, that's the peak of abuse. That's certainly a form of torture. Not only for that, obviously. the animal, but for witnesses. And it was clearly intentional, intentionally done to inflict harm. But Jerry stayed saying, quote, if someone with my profile walked into the ER, I would have spotted her immediately, but I could not see her in the mirror.

It wasn't until she witnessed her husband physically hurting their sons that she fled with the children.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

In 1998, Jerry stumbled across an ad by the National Science Foundation. They were looking for a physician to join a research team in the South Pole at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a research facility that supports scientific studies in astronomy, climate, glaciology, biology, and ecology.

Its unique, untouched conditions and location made it ideal for collecting data on climate change and cosmic patterns. Jerry described the feeling of reading the ad, saying, quote, I felt a prickling sensation up and down my skin, like the kind of physical excitement a child feels at the sight of a bicycle under the Christmas tree. I believe in geographic cures.

They allow you to throw all your cards into the air and see where they land, then pick them back up and deal them again. It was decided this job was meant to be.

Yeah, you and Antarctica are like... We're tight. You're tight. But I've never heard it put as, I believe in geographic cures. Because I, too, believe in geographic cures. I just never heard it put that way. And I think a lot of people can relate to that. And it just gives you an opportunity for a fresh start, to start anew, to open a new chapter, and maybe close a previous one.

And it can be a remedy for a lot of heartache.

to see this presented at this point in her life, especially. I mean, I can totally understand that prickling sensation of like, okay, this is exciting.

So for a lot of people, that would have been a no.

Not for me.

I don't know. I don't know. I think that would mess with me for such a long-term position. Like, yeah, if you're going to visit for a week, you can deal with it. But I feel like 24 hours of sunlight would be hard for me to adjust to. And not only the sunlight and darkness, that aside, what did you just say? Negative energy?

What was it? A hundred and something.

Well, for Jerry, this was perfect. As the only physician at the station, Jerry would be required to do everything from brain surgery to cleaning to filling in as a dentist if needed based on a five-week crash course.

What can't she do?

She accepted the job offer and arrived at the station in November of 1998, shortly before the start of the dark and frigid winter season. A cluster of orange buildings, called Dome Sweet Dome, as the Pulleys would say. The last drop-off for supplies took place in February, and the team braced themselves for a long winter ahead.

The U.S. Navy, which was instrumental in the logistics and operations of polar research, were particularly influential in enforcing this gender exclusion. In the 1940s, the Navy implemented a ban, a policy, not a law, on women participating in Antarctic expeditions.

Military and scientific leaders, including Rear Admiral George J. Dufek, who commanded the Navy's Antarctic operations during Operation Deep Freeze, argued that women would be a quote-unquote distraction and lacked the physical or emotional endurance needed to handle the continent's harsh conditions.

He reduced the need for women, saying, quote, This deeply misogynistic viewpoint was widespread among military and scientific authorities at the time.

I don't understand that.

I think it might be alluding to they need a chaperone. Like every woman needs a man to accompany them to make sure they're okay.

I loved your introduction today because it's super timely. I just got a, I subscribed to a sub stack for one of my favorite authors, Nora McInerney. And every week she puts out just a small sub stack piece of writing about various topics. And this one, she was writing about how we are losing our sense of human connection and

What about him? Right. That's the question.

We'd love to speak to you really quickly.

In 1947, Jenny Darlington and Jackie Ronnie became the first two women to spend a year on the continent. While groundbreaking, this was still an exception. The U.S. Navy maintained a ban on women in Antarctica until 1969.

This same year, a team of American female scientists, led by geochemist Dr. Lois Jones, conducted research in Antarctica and became the first all-female scientific team to reach the South Pole. Their success marked a turning point in the history of polar exploration for women.

Since then, women have steadily increased their presence in Antarctica, playing important roles as scientists, expedition leaders, and engineers.

I had no idea about any of this history before our trip to Antarctica. And we have talked about this before with some of our listeners on National Park After Dark. But during our trip, we were obviously on a boat for a very long time. And for some of that time, we were

in different presentations that expedition leaders would present on the glaciology of the continent to the climate and mammals to early exploration. And there was one presentation in particular given by an expedition leader named Ellie about this, about women in Antarctica and the history of their participation or lack thereof. since the beginning of people coming down to the continent.

Start your testing today for one euro per month on shopify.de slash radio.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

Well, that's why we created Right Answers Mostly, for what you didn't learn in history class, but you really wanted to. I'm your host, Claire Donald. And I'm Tess Belomo. Join us every Monday as we dive into the most iconic people and events and get ready to laugh along the way.

Follow us at Right Answers Mostly for more.

Are you looking for a podcast where you can learn about the juiciest historical events and people, but it really feels like you're just gossiping with your girlfriends over a glass of wine or two?

We cover it all, from Titanic to Kris Jenner, Studio 54, Marie Antoinette, even cults and crimes such as Charles Manson and Jonestown, every Monday, wherever you listen to your podcast. Because history is just gossip.

Oh, God.