Haiti Day Five and Day Six

Monday we went back to the Catholic, French run St. Louis compound with DMAT (the medical response team from Ohio) with the 82nd as our escort. It’s an all boys school that used to teach grades K-12, but now serves as one of the many tent cities in Port-au-Prince. There are probably 3-4 thousand people in a tent city on the grounds now since the school has been destroyed and the kids won't be returning any time soon.

We assessed the need, spoke with Doctors without Borders and the Father who is responsible for all that happens at St. Louis and determined that there was nothing for us to do since DWOB was handling everything.

The funny thing that I also found somewhat ironic was the reaction from the French Father to the presence of the Captain of the 82nd with us. He said, "I don't want guns here in my property anywhere! In fact there is no reason to have guns anywhere in this country. This isn't a war zone!" (This was said in Creole, so fortunately the Captain didn't have to hear the statement directly.) I'm sure the military is used to that kind of response, but it still bothered me. These guys risk their lives to save lives everyday and they come here to ONLY help, and rather than a thank you (mesi) they get a big no thank you. They are amazingly unselfish men and women.

When that didn't work out, we returned to University hospital downtown and helped out for the remainder of the afternoon. The stories of terror and courage from the Haitians will never get old. No matter how many times I hear the same story about someone being buried for 24 hours I will not get used to it.

The good news was that the Haitian hospital employees were back to work. The bad news is that they still have so far to grow and rebuild everything.

The on-site nursing school was completely flattened during the earthquake, and all 150 nursing students were buried under the rubble, there are so many stories like that. As we left the hospital last night, across the street a backhoe was digging up the rubble from a destroyed home and they stopped because they found dead bodies and were wrapping them.

Last night was the best dinner we've had yet. I ate diri kole ak pwa ak sos poul, banann peze ak pikliz (rice and beans with chicken sauce, a drumstick, vegetables, spicy coleslaw, and fried flattened plantain. Amazing! I could die and go to heaven a happy man now. :)

This morning I went and translated at the University of Miami's field hospital, which is located at the international airport. What a day. We left at 6:45 am and returned at 7:45 pm. One of the many things I have gained is a new appreciation for health care workers who are on their feet all day.

What a great day. I should have been a doctor. These people are amazing. My challenge was working in the pediatric ward. I lasted about 3 hours there and then had to leave. It’s the first break down I've had since arriving. I kept it to myself though so I didn't bother anyone else. Story after story of these amazing children surviving being buried alive, coupled with several surgeries and then topped of with looking at 5 infants with tubes stuffed in them while they were sleeping pushed me over the edge. I recovered well though and helped about 2 dozen people with physical therapy and only had to get stern with one stubborn lady who wouldn't do her exercise and kept complaining. When she complained about pain in her fractured femur I asked her if she'd prefer pain or no leg at all?

80% of the patients I helped had been through at least one operation and half were missing a limb. The two worst parts about the day were watching some poor 6 year old girl who had survived losing half of her ear and a skull fracture have to be stitched up while her anesthesia wore off and telling everyone I discharged that they had to leave the hospital and go back to the street since their homes had all been destroyed.The best part of the day was holding several children, seeing people who could barely walk start to walk and seeing the courage of children who are determined to fully recover, receive a prosthetic and walk again.

It was topped off by an incredible rice with black bean sauce, fried plantain, goat and pikliz.
Emotionally and physically exhausting day. Retiring to bed very satisfied.
Love you!