-Dr.Dianne McCallister, Chief Medical Officer at Porter Adventist Hospital

After joyful reunions with family, the miners are being taken on stretchers for medical evaluations.

They'll remain in the hospital for 48 hours.

The miners have been in total darkness for over two months, and are being raised up into a desert in Northern Chile where the days are very sunny and the air is quite dry. The hope is the sunglasses will protect the miners from any dust and debris on the way up. Once out of the ground, the concern is that the bright sun could do damage to the miners retina's - the back of the eyes where the nerve endings capture the image.

The rescue capsule is equipped with an oxygen mask and other equipment to monitor the miners on the way up.

The oxygen is for the miners to breathe as they travel through a very long, very narrow space with poor air exchange. The monitors will help the physicians watch for panic attacks and also to start assessing the condition of the miners on the 15-20 minute ride to the surface.

The Chief Medical Officer of the rescue knows that the miners have been living in 90 degree plus heat, in total darkness and a relatively confined space for two months. The concerns he has listed include fungal infections - made more likely by the high heat and humidity. This would be illnesses such as athlete's foot and yeast infections of the skin.

Another concern is that the miners may be dehydrated since they have had very little access to water and would have been perspiring in the heat and humidity.

They are also prepared for Vitamin D deficiency from lack of sun exposure.

Another concern is that in such a limited space they may be breathing more hallow, and this could lead to atelectasis, where the small air exchange areas in the lower lungs close. This increases the risk for infection which is another concern with all the dust exposure and living in close quarters and the very limited calorie intake.

The team is preparing to deal with a host of mental health issues:

Panic attacks from the very stressful ride in the 21-inch-wide capsule
A sense of being overwhelmed by the crowds/light and the rescue
Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome
The need for family counseling as the families try to return to a normal life

But there are possible good things as well. Those who have survived a situation that could have killed them often develop a new appreciation of life and have the experience of living more full lives as they appreciate small things such as baths, family and just having light, food and the freedom to move around.

The reports are that the miners have been given psychological support by NASA to help them deal with the claustrophobia. They were coached, basically, in group therapy to help them develop a community structure down there and to help them deal with being so close to one another for so long.

In addition, the miners have been given daily aerobic exercises to help them prevent blood clots, keep us their strength and muscle mass, and to help them lose weight so they would fit in the rescue capsule.

As I've watched, these men cope over the past two months showing such community and hope in such an amazingly difficult situation, it reminded me of what many patients taught me - that gratitude is one way that helps people deal with difficult situations - and even thrive in them.

In the medical profession, we often see that those who have been through things they thought would kill them develop an amazing strength that is directly related to being grateful for what they have.

Dr. McCallister is on 7NEWS at 11 a.m. every Wednesday. If you have a topic or question you would like her to discuss, email 11am@thedenverchannel.com.