The Aroostook Medical Center nurse ‘keeps mushing on’ as she prepares for Saturday’s race

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Life is anything but boring these days for TAMC nurse Jessica Holmes of Portage. Aside from her full-time job caring for patients, she is working hard to prepare two sled dog teams to compete in Saturday’s Can-Am Crown Sled Dog Races in Fort Kent.
This will mark her fifth year running a team in one of the shorter legs of the race known as the “Iditarod of the East.” She will run her Alaskan huskies in the 30-mile challenge; the same race in which her good mushing friend John Kaleta will run her team of Alaskan hounds.
Over the years, Holmes has taken part in both the 30- and 60-mile races while a college student earning her bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Maine at Fort Kent, and working most of that time as a certified nurse assistant at TAMC. After graduating in December 2013 and passing her state board of nursing licensure exam last spring, Holmes had planned to challenge herself, and her four-legged extended family, with the 250-mile race in 2015.
“Our plans to run the Can Am Crown 250 were put on hold early in the year because of an injury I sustained during training,” said Holmes. “Thankfully none of the dogs were hurt in the accident.”
Undaunted and more determined than ever, Holmes and her sled dog teams are looking forward to “having fun” competing in Saturday’s shorter race. She does, however, still have her sights set on taking on the “big one” next year.
“Things are going fine now. My dreams are still in place. I didn’t realize how demanding the first year out of school is. With the help of the wonderful people at TAMC, I finally feel settled in my career, and we are back on track with my team,” said Holmes. “This year didn’t exactly meet up with my plans, but as my motto goes with the dogs, you ‘assess, adapt, and keep mushing on!’ Immediately after the races we will start preparing for next year’s Can-Am Crown 250 and many more.”
Fortunately, TAMC encourages their employees to have hobbies and lives outside of work, understanding that what their staff does in their spare time helps to make them more relaxed and comfortable with the patients when they do come to work.
“TAMC has been amazing with scheduling. When I ask for days off they make sure those days are available for me. Everyone I work with is very supportive and encouraging of me and the dogs,” said Holmes. “Everyone is wishing me luck.”