Haiti and Home

I've been home from Haiti for almost 3 weeks and I, kid you not, believe this is the first time I actually had time to sit down and blog.  Leah is napping, Sarah is content in her chair and Max is helping Rob in the basement.   I should be cleaning up the kitchen and folding laundry but I think I will take just a few minutes to blog.  I know I won't get this post done today but at least I can get it started.

Day 1.  We arrived in Port Au Prince in the early afternoon tired but ready to see what was awaiting us.  We didn't do much that day except organize our supplies and enjoy dinner at The Methodist Guest House.  We met some folks there that had just finished a trip to Jeremie and they gave us insight... especially on how NOT to get stuck there.  Apparently, the airline company that flies from PAP to Jeremie will overbook the plane, which is not hard to do since it only holds something like 18 people, or it's not entirely unususal for someone's name to be on the flight list one day and not the next.  Fortunately, we had connections and they made sure we got there and back as we were supposed to.   We turned in early on Day 1.

It was total chaos trying to get our gear from the airport to the car.  Everyone wants to help because everyone wants to get paid!  Jim and Jim had to ride on top of the luggage all the way to Sassier to make sure nothing got ripped off.

Day 2.  We woke early to enjoy a quick breakfast before heading to the airport.  This is where we learned about "Haiti Time."  In PAP their are clocks and people do wear watches but that doesn't mean anything.  Our plane was going to leave when the pilots were ready for it to leave, and not a minute sooner.  Eventually we arrived in Jeremie.  We had no clue what to expect but when were landing and the view from the plane window was lush, green foilage, we knew it couldn't be all bad!

Pre take off photo

Here is our fearless leader under the "Salsa" sign  The rest of us our learning about "Haiti Time."

The airport in Jeremie

                            
Our plane that got us to Jeremie







After arriving and loading our gear (again) we made a quick pit stop in Jeremie for an ice cold drink.  This was very welcomed since all we had been drinking was water and it was about 90 degrees with humidity and we were packed like sardines in our truck.

                                    A little girl begging for money or food.  Not uncommon.

And a quick stop of gas.

The trip form Jeremie to Sassier made the roads in West Virginia look straight and the pot holes in Michigan seem like insignificant little cracks.  No asphalt.  Just dirt and rocks.  The 10 mile drive took about 45 minutes.  A horn is an absolute must and vehicles ALWAYS have the right away.  The trip was worth it.  Here is the view from Sassier.  Beautiful.  That is the ocean in the horizon.

                                

So after we got the clinic set up and every one settled in we started seeing patients.  It was an amazing experience.  The Haitians are so grateful for whatever help we could provide.  Most of the complaints were primary care in nature- skin/fungal infections, scabies, heartburn, anemia, malnutrition, and yes, we even saw some well babies.  Here are some of my favorite pictures.

This was one of my first patients. This little baby was about 3 months old... do you see how tiny? Her mom could only feed her 3oz three

times a day because formula is so expensive. She was breastfeeding

but was in PAP when the earthquake happened and her milk dried up as a result of post traumatic stress. Hungry kids were so hard for me to

see... especially since I had Sarah at home and she was eating three 

times the amount.

This guy here on the right had a tree fall on his foot and he amputated the tip of his big toe.  He had waited a couple of days before coming for treatment and he had quite a bit of necrotic tissue (which makes it ripe for infection.)  His toe was debrided and bandaged.  This man waitied almost a week before being able to go to Jeremie for surgery.  This NEVER would be the case in the USA but we also never have to worry about transportation, paying or not paying for medical care or whether or not the hospital has a physician to do the surgery!  There were so many logistical things to think of and this poor man did not complain once and just believed that we would be able to help him.  

This young lady was in her 90's.  I believe her triage form said she was 99 but they really don't keep accurate records.  There really isn't a sense of time.  The day starts when the rooster crows and ends at dark.  I believe the intepreter said she had walked for 2 hours to come to the clinic... in her bare feet.

This little boy pictured on the right was very dehydrated and needed IV Fluids.  He was not my patient but I believed he suffered from vomiting and diarrhea.

This man below told me and he was a farmer and that he was blind and couldn't find his farm.  I told him he needed to retire!

      

This mom had just given birth 2 days before coming to see us.  We are not sure how far she walked but we were told "a long way."  It was so hot that day.  Can you see the sweat on her face?  She said that her baby hadn't urinated since birth.  We did a well baby check and made sure they baby was nursing well.  It wasn't long before the baby peed and pooped.  And she made up for not doing it for 2 days.  I couldn't believe how much came  our of this little thing!  The woman there are so strong.  She is just 2 days post partum!

This little cutie patootie had a smile to melt anyones heart!  Her mom brought her in for us to check out her rash.  These little spots are called musculosum contagiosum and will eventually just go away.  Isn't she sweet?

And this little girl I just loved!  She had the sweetest smile and beautiful brown eyes!

Did you notice how nicely dressed and how clean they presented themeselves?  They would bathe and wear their best clothes, their "church clothes" to come see us.  They felt it was an honor to been seen by a medical professional.

After clinic one day, we decided to go the the hospital in Jeremie for a visit.  The conditions are deplorable.  In Haiti, one must bring their own linens, food and medications when they are admitted.  This picture belows show uncapped needles laying in the "courtyard" of the hospital.  

I'm not sure if this is where they "sanitize" their equipment.  That's that nasty mop doing there?

Does it get any sadder than this.  This poor woman is lying on a mattres on the floor.  They flies were swarming her.  Notice the blood on the mattress?  I'm guessing it isn't hers.  This is an infection control nightmare!

It wasn't all work, though.  After clinic some of us would kick back, reflect and enjoy a Prestige.  Or two.

or three.

and I FINALLY learned to play euchre.  Nice hand, huh?

We spent a day the the "beach."  In this picture we're contemplating how to lay out on the rocks.

But we made the best of it.  This is Jim teaching his little friend how to do handstands! See the little speck to the right of Jim?  Once we got in the water is was all sand!

An ariel view of the beach we were SUPPOSED to go to.

Our last day in Jeremie was Palm Sunday.  We participated in the walk to the church and attended a catholic mass that was in Creole.   It's amazing how much they don't have but how thankful they are for what they do have.

We flew back in to PAP and spent the afternoon sightseeing.  Our first stop was Mother Theresa's Orphanage.  We were not allowed to take pictures.  I didn't need to.  The images are burned into my soul.  All the precious, helpless little babies.  We held them, rocked them, fed them, and cried.  I wanted to take them home.  Seeing all the sick, starving, malnourished children... that was the hardest for me.

We then toured PAP and check out the devastation.  It was unreal.  Houses just pancaked.  This is a picture of the cathedral.  At the time of the earthquake a funeral was occurring.  The bishop was killed along with about 20 other people.  The team that went before us said they were still excavating bodies when they were there.

And the Presidential Palace.  This would be the equivalent of our White House.

The devastation was immeasurable.

The line of people waiting for clean water.  Will you ever take water for granted; the fact that it's at our fingertips?

This was an amazing trip.  These pictures just give you a glimpse of Haiti.  It's an amazing experience and really hope to go back.  Probably not this year... hopefully next year.  One of the reasons this trip was so great were the people.  Both the one's I met and the one's I travelled with. 

  Me, Dr. Page, Jan      Baba (one of our best interpreters) and me.Jim and me on our last day in Sassier.

Julien was another interpreter. He was a great teacher and thought me some basic Creole.  He is trying to come to the states for a visit.

The Gang.  

I have tons of pictures.  To see my entire album click here.