Second Day of Clinic in Haiti

It's hard to believe we've only been in Haiti 2 days. We arrived uneventfully on Thursday, but spent about 1 1/2 hrs at the airport getting all the supplies and bags. There were 3 other mission teams on the plane so enjoyed talking to them...Ohio, TN, California. I enjoyed every second of AC I felt at the airport....which was faint in the corridor...but I knew it would be the last for a while. The fan in the luggage area would occasionally blow some air my way, but I already had sweat dripping down my legs and back. It's going to be toasty!

Haitians crowded around the entrance to the airport and we had to make sure all our supplies-28 lg duffle bags- and baggage was secure on a truck - our transportation to the National Police Headquarters in Port-Au-Prince. Most of us loaded into the back of the truck covered w/ a blue tarp...you see lots of blue tarps here, but more on that later.

Maybe it was a good thing not to be able to see much on the ride from the airport to the clinic. It was a blur of speed and horns blowing, but we did see crowded streets, vendors, and rubble/destroyed buildings.,,and lots of blue tarps covering partial buildings or used as shelters. Other shelters were tents, but some were only sheets and blankets. They were a patchwork quilt built almost on top of one another.

We entered the guarded compound of the National Police Headquarters which survived the earthquake with minimal damage compared to most structures. The "Cimo" are an elite unit and are stationed here. We are surrounded by fencing and armed guards so I'm probably in the safest place in Haiti. We are right across from the National Palace which WAS a beautiful structure and destroyed in the quake. We are also on the major boulevard of the city so there is always traffic, noise, and people. The Haitian IRS building with all their records...and nothing on computers...was completely destroyed next door and multiple people killed. There are mounds of paper mixed in w/ the rubble. Many buildings have a # and "D" or "M" or them which means the # of people killed in that building.

We unpacked and set up "home" for the next 12 days...the concrete flat rooftop. We are all sharing tents and my roomies are Kim, a nurse from NN, and Fifie, a native Haitian but living in the US...and now Williamsburg for yrs. The first challenge was organizing everything....Kim's air mattress wouldn't inflate so she slept the 1st nt on the hard concrete...rather she didn't sleep! Fifie's carry-on bag was checked and didn't arrive so she had nothing, but a Haitian friend brought her a cot, and Kim and I loaned her items needed....her bag came the next day.

We had a thunderstorm w/ phenomenal hard rain...or maybe when you are in a tent it is just louder. We prayed that night and had some scripture, and even w/ these difficulties, everyone was in a great mood.

None of slept great the 1st night...it was hot and where were the tropical breezes I was expecting and I couldn't find my earplugs in the dark! I was awake by 5 trying to figure out how to devise a private area for a shower and a system catching rainwater to wash clothes. The scouts would be proud! At least we have a toilet...even if you have to prime it w/ water to make sure it flushes. It does flush and that is wonderful! We also have a shower but very limited H2O so it's suds up and dry off quickly.

We've had lots of rice and beans since arriving....and I had my first MRE last PM...and will probably finish it tonight. Tonight's dinner provided was crackers, peanut butter and jelly so the MRE is looking really good now. We did have potato salad at lunch today that was delicious...with rice and beans.

We meet at 8 AM each morning for assignments, any discussion, and prayer. Omni is in charge of the clinic since the earthquake so she directs us. People line up down the street waiting hrs patiently to be seen in triage and then sent to either General Medicinie, OB/GYN, or Peds. Everyone has to fall within these categories or we improvise. Saint Lee, a cardiologist, pulled 2 teeth yesterday. Roy Thomas, a PT, was giving advice to a client w/ knee pain but only during sex so that was an interesting discussion! The best case is Allan's involving a cockroach but that will have to wait for a blog by itself!

I have been assigned to Peds with Sally, a NP from Richmond, and her asst, Aqua. We are blessed to also have a pediatrician here from Norway who speaks French and a Haitian nurse who speaks Creole, French, and English. I have confirmed that I am incompetent to practice medicine so I try to triage the peds patients, take temps, and some minor hxs before passing them along to one of the 3. We are also blessed to have wonderful Haitian translators since we would be unable to function without them. There are communication problems, but w/ the translators and sign-language, we are managing. Smiles work well as does the occasional French word...good morning, good afternoon (I don't know how to spell the French equivalent), Merci for thank-you, and good-bye (again in French). People also come to the clinic for food and water which they receive when they leave as well as when waiting in line.

The Haitian children are beautiful! The girls have braids and ribbons in their hair. All of the children are obviously well-loved as you watch the interaction between parents and children. I don't have time to ask, but I would love to know their hx and how the earthquake has affected them. There was a 14 yo boy in triage who had lost his entire family in the quake and was now living on the street.

We are not seeing many acute injuries...that was right after the quake. However, we are seeing LOTS of respiratory problems from all the dust and concrete in the air, fevers, "flu"-colds, and allergic skin conditions. Of course, we also have plenty of other complaints including LOTS of scabies, head lice, diarrhea w/ blood, etc. I'm sure I'm forgetting significant other ones. Friday was a slow day w/ a steady rain so we only saw 200 people...today we saw over double that.

The clinic also has 1 or more ministers present who pray for the patients. I have tried to learn "God Bless You" in French, and I am hopeless so I told the minister I would let him pray, There are many Christian people here working and they will praise God and love to discuss their faith. It is inspiring in the midst of tragedy that people are so hopeful.

This morning, Allan, took me into the streets w/ him before the clinic opened to hand out Dum-Dum lollipops to the children in line and down through the tents in the street. We were like a Piped Piper! The poverty is overwhelming....people were cooking outside their tents, washing dishes, sitting, in the midst of tarps and blankets. The street gutters are filled w/ debris, trash, and mud. I don't want to think about any sanitation here since I doubt there is any.

Tomorrow is Sunday and an exciting adventure we just learned about tonight. Ommi has arranged for a bus to carry us to a distant town that is not receiving any medical care or help. We will set up a make-shift clinic and Ommi will distribute food and water. We will also have the opportunity to see Haiti and the effects of the earthquake. The other news is that Bush and Clinton arrive tomorrow to see the destroyed palace and other sights...but we may be on our field trip.

I hope this posts and that I have a chance to record more later. Please continue to pray for our mission and the health and safety of our team and the chance to show God's love and grace. Love you!