Each night we arrive at "The Plaza" an oasis in Tent city with palm trees around a pool and 12$ bottles of wine. Outside tonight I can here gun shots and yelling as we sit around and chat. Demonstrations have started. It has rained for four days and the people of Haiti are upset that they are living in tents. All this Aid money and no aid. God I wish I could just stay and help and help. It is sad here.
The people here are so appreciative. They wave at me when I come in and my translator pulled me aside today and said quietly and sincerely "everybody loves you here" (I don't know why). My patient told the media rep that I saved his life and we got our picture taken together to send to the sponser of IMC. Things like that feel so good. I'm so far far away from patients who complain about their dinner tray, from being so damn sweet to crazy mean crack addicts, from all the bullshit that comes with my job at home. All day long people say "thank you" to me... and I'm just doing my job.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Je Fait Mal
I'm lazing by the pool today... seriously. But I have been working my hard-exhausted by the end of the day. At this point I could stay here for a long time and be happy. I like it here. The people, the voodoo, the weather... and it's beautiful. They need help. By 8am even my knees are sweating and I prefer this to Boston weather. Who'da thought. I move bed to bed all day long hanging meds, placing IVs, saying "c'est bon", and pantamiming just about everything. This is what I've learned in Creol. The whole ward watches me work. It no longer makes me nervous. We do have 2 vents- powered by a generator when the power goes out, and one big oxygen tank in the center of the room with tubing running out to the different beds. Two days ago we finished making charts for everyone- it's as organized as can be ;) Eyeballing a versed drip..- god part of me really likes being far away from nursing that's based around preventing lawsuits. I feel like we are helpful here and it feels good. I joke with the translators. I document what is important. I take care of people. It is simple.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Haiti- Day 4
Working Triage on nights:
My translator is 19 yo- he never sits up and translates half of what I say. There is constant banging on the door and yelling outside. In order to get into this ER, you must look the most dead. So I go outside from time-t0-time to determine who is faking it, and who is critically ill- then I point and say "this one, then this one, then that one". Last night I had a man who was stabbed, a woman whose face was bitten by another woman, a 8 yo girl that was raped, a 4 yo who had been hit in the head with a rock, .... and on and on. People carrying lifeless bodies to have them then sit up and say "my stomach hurts".. "where?" ... and then they sweep their hand over their whole body.
My translator is 19 yo- he never sits up and translates half of what I say. There is constant banging on the door and yelling outside. In order to get into this ER, you must look the most dead. So I go outside from time-t0-time to determine who is faking it, and who is critically ill- then I point and say "this one, then this one, then that one". Last night I had a man who was stabbed, a woman whose face was bitten by another woman, a 8 yo girl that was raped, a 4 yo who had been hit in the head with a rock, .... and on and on. People carrying lifeless bodies to have them then sit up and say "my stomach hurts".. "where?" ... and then they sweep their hand over their whole body.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Bienvenue Haiti
I went in without expectation and was once again surprised..haha.
Haiti
The roads are paved but rubble and tent cities line the "streets". This will be short because I am exhausted...but we see the same things here as Africa. God I wish I could elaborate more but I've been working hard on no sleep. It's hot- dripping sweat hot- just the way I like it :). And the people are kind and look after their family members in a way that warms your heart. The medical care they receive is awful- in a way that will break your heart. And the culture is fun and happy... but there isn't a whole lot of smiling here unless you are the one to smile first. Such a polite culture- they'd never leave you hanging. So anyway... the conditions report: I live in the ballroom of a hotel on a mattress beneath a web of strings holding up mosquito nets. I eat soooo well- seriously. Fresh vegetables... yeah MREs for lunch but who cares... dinner is amazing. And per ususal- jerks don't do forgien aid- the people are awesome. At the end of the day I jump in the pool. To summarize: I work hard, I sleep hard, I rest hard- life is good.
Haiti
The roads are paved but rubble and tent cities line the "streets". This will be short because I am exhausted...but we see the same things here as Africa. God I wish I could elaborate more but I've been working hard on no sleep. It's hot- dripping sweat hot- just the way I like it :). And the people are kind and look after their family members in a way that warms your heart. The medical care they receive is awful- in a way that will break your heart. And the culture is fun and happy... but there isn't a whole lot of smiling here unless you are the one to smile first. Such a polite culture- they'd never leave you hanging. So anyway... the conditions report: I live in the ballroom of a hotel on a mattress beneath a web of strings holding up mosquito nets. I eat soooo well- seriously. Fresh vegetables... yeah MREs for lunch but who cares... dinner is amazing. And per ususal- jerks don't do forgien aid- the people are awesome. At the end of the day I jump in the pool. To summarize: I work hard, I sleep hard, I rest hard- life is good.
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