[BL5 FEATURES] From the ER to the desert: BL5 Through the Eyes of Dr. Jimmy
This is the second article of this 3-part series featuring interviews with three of our BL5 participants. In this article, we are featuring Jimmy, an AnE doctor working in Changi General Hospital, and specialising in disaster medicine. Do read Wei Ling and Roderick’s article feature too if you’ll like to understand the experience of BL5 from the perspective of three remarkably unique individuals.
Before we begin, I’ll be direct; this article is for you only if you are introspective, and enjoy connecting with the experiences of others. This article is also especially enjoyable for the ones who appreciate personal transformation that happens from within.
So if you resonate with these qualities, you’re in for a good read.
In July 2023, the remarkable Beyond Limits 5 (BL5) unfolded over a thrilling 11-day adventure, with a 6-day trek across the Gobi Desert. What sets BL expeditions apart from Beyond Expeditions’ other trips is its noble purpose. These charity expeditions are meticulously crafted to not only push the boundaries of participants but also to raise awareness and funds for a meaningful cause.
In this fifth edition of Beyond Limits, brave individuals are tasked with traversing the challenging terrain of the Gobi Desert while facing an additional challenge: each person must carry a 6.5 kg tyre throughout the journey. It is a journey that will test both physical endurance and mental fortitude, empowering participants to surpass their limits for a cause greater than themselves.
Here’s the team who took on the challenge of Beyond Limits 5!
From L to R: Jaslyn, Wei Ling, Vivien, Rodrick, Jimmy, Man Zhi, Scott
I reached out to three participants (Wei Ling, Jimmy and Roderick) about a week after their return, and we sat down for an interview. We delved deep into their experiences during the expedition, uncovering the hurdles they encountered, the unforgettable moments that left a mark, the unexpected challenges that caught them off guard, and the profound transformations they underwent on this journey. They also shed light on the aspects of the expedition that only those who have lived it can truly comprehend. We explored the unique ways their personal backgrounds influenced the lens through which they viewed and experienced the trip, adding a layer of richness to their narratives.
It was a captivating exploration of their inner worlds, and how this extraordinary adventure left an indelible impact on their lives.
In this article, you’ll get to experience BL5 through the hearts and minds of these three special individuals, each with a very unique background and personality. To truly absorb the essence of their experiences, find a space where you can devote the next 10 minutes to undisturbed reading. Open your heart and mind to fully immerse yourself in their stories, for in doing so, you may uncover profound insights about yourself as well.
Could you briefly introduce yourself, and why you decided to join BL5?
Meet Jimmy; an introspective and curious doctor working at the emergency department in Changi General Hospital, ever eager to explore new territories and create cherished memories. This individual is generally introverted, and infinitely intrigued by the wonders of the world. From the icy fjords of Norway to the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand, the rugged terrains of Slovenia, and the vast deserts of Namibia, Jimmy has left no stone unturned in his pursuit of wilderness medicine. Armed with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and experience, he holds a prestigious Master's degree in Extreme Medicine (MSc Extreme Medicine) that complements his daring spirit and expertise in the field.
Jimmy often steps towards opportunities to discover new realms and savor unique experiences, and that greatly contributed to his decision to join our fifth charity expedition. “So, I am someone who loves the great outdoors, and just getting out there to explore the wilderness. I joined BL5 because I wanted to push the boundaries of my personal limits and figure out what my boundaries are. Also, I wanted to contribute to a good cause.”
Curious, I probed a bit more. “Have you gone on any trips or expeditions that pushed your boundaries before? Or is this your first official attempt?”
Jimmy replied that there have been other environments where he pushed the boundaries but in different ways, and different environmental conditions from what BL5 had to offer.
“I do disaster medicine. In disaster relief, we are equipped with very limited resources, situated in extreme environments with little time for preparation. So I guess yes, I have been in environments that pushed my limits. BL5 challenges me in a different way. So I see BL5 as another way to explore how I can push boundaries.”
Here’s a shot of Jimmy during an earthquake relief mission he attended to in Nepal!
*** Before you read on, here’s a surprise:
At the end of this article, get an exclusive look into the life-saving trauma kit he meticulously prepared for this adventure. From essential medical equipment to innovative gadgets tailored to the expedition's demands, Jimmy's readiness and resourcefulness are simply unmatched. Stay tuned for an exciting glimpse into the world of extreme medicine!
2. If you could describe this trip in three words, what would it be?
“Hmm… Maybe three words to sum up the experience would be ‘meaningful’. ‘Eye-opening’. And… ‘memorable’.”
Meaningful – Jimmy appreciated that the objective of the trip was to raise funds for SPD. “I mean, I’ve been on other treks where we basically go to different places to look at the environment, explore, be in the wilderness... These experiences of wilderness are very beautiful, of course. But when you combine the experience of being in the wilderness with the intention of raising funds for charity, when you use the wilderness experience as a platform to raise funds… I find it very meaningful to have the funds used to support people in need.”
Eye-opening – Though Jimmy has been to quite a range of different environments because of his job as a disaster medicine specialist and his personal interest in the wilderness, he still found BL5 “eye-opening. There are simply many aspects of the experience that were new, fresh, and overall very refreshing.”
I prompted him to share about the specific things that felt “eye-opening”, and he laughed. “These will come for the questions later.”
I laughed in response; looks like Jimmy did read through the list of questions I had sent several days in advance.
Did you ever imagine yourself sitting under raw meats while having your meal? Neither did Jimmy.
Memorable – Jimmy concluded his response for this question by blatantly stating his fondness for the expedition. “I think I will remember this experience for quite some time. And the friendships that have been formed? I believe those will last. BL5 is definitely an experience I will still remember even 20, 30 years from now.”
“Top few experiences in your life so far?”
“For sure.”
3. What was the highlight of your trip?
When it came to the highlights of Jimmy’s BL5 experience, it definitely seemed like there were many in his inventory. Jimmy eventually chose one.
“Building friendships within the team, in an endless ocean of green grass and blue sky.”
He continued to share that Mongolia’s physical environment is very unique. From prior research, Jimmy was already expecting that the Gobi desert would not just be arid, dry sand. But he was surprised to find that sand dunes made up less than 20% of what he saw, and Gobi Desert was in fact mostly made of grass fields.
A shot of the BL5 team during the trek, that could help you better visualise what he experienced.
“Even though I read about it beforehand, going there and seeing these grass fields… they’re like, endless. You see grass in all directions for as far as you can see. You just feel so small, standing in this ocean of green grass. And just above is a vast, blue sky and clouds in all directions. Then you get hills, a bit of rocky terrain that are not exactly mountains… You're just walking in this kind of environment and it feels so timeless.”
There is an unspoken beauty in being part of such a shared experience, where everyone is in such a beautiful physical environment, going through physical hardship and building a special kind of team spirit. And for Jimmy, this was a moment he found extremely precious.
Like what Jimmy says, the grassland is endless.
4. What did you find most challenging during this expedition?
Jimmy’s struggle here was the same as what he encountered in the previous question; there were many challenges he faced!
“But if I just pick one, it’ll be the unexpected changes in the local climate. Most of the team, myself included, were expecting a hot and dry environment for most of the time we were in the Gobi Desert. I mean, it is summer in the Gobi Desert after all.”
The kind of weather Jimmy and the BL5 team faced during most of their trek.
That explained why the team was caught off-guard when they found themselves in cold and rainy weather for the first two days of the trip. Jimmy shared grimly that the winds were very strong, which resulted in wet and soggy boots. “So even though we had rain jackets, raincoats… we couldn't really keep out the rain. It was really unexpected. Throughout the trip, the weather mixed in hot and dry days as well, like what you’ll expect from a typical desert.”
Jimmy continued to explain that some BL5 members were not prepared for the extreme variations in weather climate, when it comes to gear. “Being cold and wet adds a lot of misery to the experience.”
Curious about his experience, I probed him to share about the specific gear he himself did not bring.
“It's not that I didn't bring it. I chose to bring an old pair of boots that had a GORE-TEX layer that is quite run down and no longer ‘waterproof’ inside.” Jimmy didn’t want his feet to become sweaty and wet on the inside, which would be the case if the weather conditions were as hot and dry as he was expecting. But, as you can guess, that theory got thrown out the window the moment it began raining.
I winced when I listened to Jimmy recount this part of his experience. It truly did not sound pleasant at all.
5. What surprised you most during this trip?
“The observation of the human resilience, and the ability to adapt to external environmental changes. I observed this in my team members, I observed this in the Mongolian support crew, I observed this in life around me in the desert. This resilience of life in general and the human ability to adapt is very evident.”
In BL5, the team’s chemistry was off the charts.
Another big surprise for Jimmy was the opportunity to explore building team spirit and a strong team camaraderie with a group of fellow Singaporeans in what he named “a rather informal setup”.
“The last time I got to experience anything like this was… you know, probably many years ago in SAF during reservist. Or when I’m at work, managing emergency department patients together with my colleagues. I’ve never experienced anything like what we did in the Gobi desert; where there is a common objective, where the team members need to come together to build up that team spirit. I was surprised to have this opportunity to experience it, and live it in person.”
Jimmy, Eigii (left, from the Mongolian support team) and Man Zhi (right, BL5 member) posing for the camera, while being deep in a cave (Jargalantiin Agui)
6. Was there anything you experienced during this trip that particularly stood out to you?
Now, before we read Jimmy’s answer, I need you to know that he really was very serious when he said what he had to say.
We do not have a relevant photo for his point about answering nature’s call, due to obvious reasons… so here’s a shot of Jimmy and some other BL5 members trekking through the terrain.
“It’s actually answering nature's call in the open bushes and in the rocks.” I was stunned when I heard his words. Jimmy continued to share: “I don't mean to be rude, but it was awkward to adapt to at first. But subsequently, it became something that felt liberating, with the cool evening breeze, while watching this beautiful sunset with birds tweeting in the sky, wild horses grazing the grasses behind you… it’s like ‘surround sound’. So yes, this is one particular experience that stood out for me.”
Intrigued, I took a moment to gather my thoughts before speaking again. “I have interviewed quite a few participants of BE’s expeditions, and most of them do mention the kind of toilet experiences you had. But I must say… I’m very fascinated to hear your perspective and how you experienced it differently.”
Jimmy laughed. “I don't think I can think of any hotel that can provide a toileting experience like that. This is something money cannot buy.”
7. What are two things about this trip that you feel will be hard for people to understand about this trip unless they’re there themselves?
For Jimmy, it’s about the opportunity to see your true capacity to care for others, when you yourself are struggling to cope with changes.
“When you're in the city, living amidst creature comforts, you may think that caring for others isn’t a problem at all. But when you're struggling and barely coping, that’s when your capacity to care is put to the test. Will you be somebody who just shuts your mind and your eyes to other people, and take care of your own needs first? Or will you still summon up that extra capacity to look out for your teammates and friends, to help them out and care for them?
A shot of Jimmy leaping across a stream during the trek.
This is something I feel you have to personally experience to know what kind of person you are, whether you will have the capacity to still care in times of struggle.”
The second thing Jimmy felt would be hard for people to understand had to do with the views. “There was this one particular night. I think it was… very momentous for me. It was the night before the last day of the trek; the sky was clear. It was the one and only night where there were no clouds in the night sky.”
At this point, I knew Jimmy was already back in that very moment in the Gobi Desert. He continued speaking slowly and clearly, as if he were describing a dream.
“We had the good fortune of seeing the Milky Way. It's this cluster of beautiful stars, stretching across the sky in one big band. To me, it's really, really beautiful to see this in person. I didn't bother trying to take photos; I just wanted to record that moment with my eyes, into my memory.
I’m hoping that it will become a part of my long-term memory.”
8. What is one thing about this trip you wish people around you would be able to experience at least once in their lives too?
When sharing his answer for this question, it felt as though Jimmy lit up from within. And when I listened to him, I could understand why.
“There was this one morning, when I had this interesting experience of sitting in the midst of this big cloud of fog. To be able to just sit in the middle of this fog, without feeling fearful or lost… It's a little hard to describe.”
A shot of Jimmy taking time to journal and be in his own space during the expedition.
Turns out, Jimmy actually woke up earlier hoping to catch the sunrise, but failed to do so because of how cloudy it was. Instead, this misty fog rolled in, “… it's like seeing a cloud drifting towards you slowly. I was just sitting there on this big piece of rock and decided that since there's no sunrise, I might as well just lie down and sleep and I was basically surrounded by this misty fog.”
It was a very unusual experience for Jimmy, who initially felt anxious because he could see only as far as his hand. But when he calmed himself down, Jimmy found it rather enjoyable to be in the fog as it rolled around him.
“I wish other people can experience this too.”
9. Do share about all the ways being an emergency medicine doctor from Changi General Hospital, and the fact that you're into wilderness expedition medicine, has influenced the way you experienced this trip?
Jimmy shared. “Expedition medicine is a blend of my work in emergency medicine, and my personal interest in the wilderness. Having knowledge and a developing skill set in expedition medicine allowed me to be better prepared and better equipped to care for my teammates before and during the trip.
So, for example, before the trip, we made plans for how we can prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke. We discussed the importance of hydration, the importance of having salt tablet replacement, and what to look out for to know if anybody is developing heat exhaustion or heatstroke. I also prepared an intravenous fluids kit, as well as a trauma kit in case someone gets injured during the expedition trek.”
Jimmy revealed that along the way, he did have to activate his medical prowess. Some members developed ankle sprains, and one of his teammates developed a food allergic reaction. Being well-prepared with the necessary medical kits gave Jimmy a lot more confidence in managing these conditions during the trek.
Jimmy also expressed his personal belief in upholding physical safety in any expedition we embark on. “Personally I support this kind of treks and expeditions, but I also support doing it safely. So I would encourage more people to prepare well for all possible medical situations.”
Throughout the trek, there were numerous times where Jimmy attended to injuries within the team.
He stressed that if the team leader is better prepared to handle this kind of emergency, it would build a greater level of confidence in the team. “You're better able to enjoy the trek without worrying about these medical eventualities, because you have done the necessary preparations beforehand, and you know how to handle things. When the situation goes sideways, you are better prepared to rise to the challenge of ensuring everyone’s safety. It's also quite important to know what not to do, so that you don't make the situation worse or respond in the wrong way.”
And this was how we ended the interview. With an important reminder that you don't need a medical degree to keep everyone safe—being prepared is the real superhero power. Just a little planning and packing the right supplies can turn any adventure into a worry-free escapade. So, whether you're trekking through the wilderness or embarking on a city exploration, remember that the power to keep everyone safe lies in our hands.
Now, as promised at the start of this article, we will be revealing to you the trauma kit Jimmy had meticulously prepared for BL5!
Here’s a close-up of the trauma kit bag Jimmy had prepared for medical support during BL5!
A shot of Jimmy deploying the trauma kit bag.
Preparing the intravenous hydrocortisone injection.
I asked Jimmy about the items he had meticulously prepared for this expedition, and here’s what I learnt.
The trauma kit bag contains essential equipment for acute management of:
Airway & breathing (e.g. oropharyngeal airway, Bag-Valve-Mask, Laryngeal Mask airway, needle thoracostomy for tension pneumothorax)
Circulation (e.g. arterial tourniquet, bandage, hemostatic dressing, IV cannulation kit, IV normal saline, reflective blanket)
Temporary immobilisation of fractures (e.g. SAM splints, arm slings)
This kit also contains parenteral medications for emergency usage and pain management in the field (e.g. IV / IM adrenaline, IV hydrocortisone, IV maxolon, IV ketorolac, Penthrox inhaler). And all the above mentioned don’t make a comprehensive list of the items packed in the kit!
As we wrap up this article, now I’m curious; what stood out for you most? And what does it tell you about what you care most about when selecting a trip to go on?
Would it be about how breathtaking the views are?
How delicious the food will be?
Or the greater cause that the trip champions?
Your answer to the above question may just direct you to your next big adventure.
And if you find yourself interested in joining our next Beyond Limits expedition, you’re in luck! Because we have another one coming right for you at the end of 2023; this time, you’re in for a frozen edition.
Read (and sign up for) BL6 here!
Ah, and also; if you're keen to get a more visual glimpse into BL6, I've also prepared an article that captures the vivid journey this team undertook. Check it out here.
Article written by: Valerie
Valerie, a freelance writer with a quirky infatuation with steamed buns and slightly bizarre food combinations.
(“Try soft-boiled eggs and hot milo!”)
She wishes to keep writing stories that bypass typical food reviews and appreciation of scenery, stories that inspire readers to pursue curious conversations about the unique cultures and lifestyles of every country.
