Drouiller
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 10:50PM The last team with which I will be working has arrived. This is another big team like the first week. We have 15 docs/PA's/NP's this time. That means that we can see a lot more people at any time.
We had a short day (we left the compound at noon) because the truck with supplies from DR was delayed at the border this morning. They weren't sure if the Haitian boarder control is starting to crack down on incoming vehicles or if it had something to do with the second earthquake in two nights having occurred early this morning. The truckwith the new supplies finally arrived, was unloaded, reloaded and we were off.
This clinic was different because we were not in an enclosed space, but in a large open area beneath trees and between some buildings. This time the clinic was in view of the initial patients line & not behind a wall & gate of a school, church or private home.
At one point it got interesting when there was a lot of shoving and yelling in the line. Fortunately we have a great team of leaders who got it under control rapidly.
Even with the shortened day we were able to see 368 patients. Hopefully we'll be able to see about 500 a day over the next two days and then a shortened day again Friday before we head back to LaRomana, Dominican Republic, in the early afternoon.
I met a patient today who is my age... only nine days younger than myself. It ends up that she has been having pain in her lower right ribs for the past six months. Initially it sounded like she might have a nasty form of low grade pneumonia that just hadn't been treated, with difficulty breathing deeply, pain with breathing, occasional painful cough, etc, but she wasn't having fevers and her lungs were clear. When I touched her ribs she began explaining to Ephezian, my translator, that about six months ago she had been caught in a crowd that was running and was knocked down and fell on a sewing machine(street taylor), landing on her ribs. They have hurt since then.
Some simple seated OMT put her ribs back in place and she felt much better. I've rarely seen anyone so relieved to know that she didn't have a severe lung infection and feeling so much better after the OMT. She made my day knowing that her life had been so changed by such ashort encounter.
Great news! We now have a large batch of sulfa ointment again for all the fungal and bacterial skin infections... AND... We have been restocked with Piperzine, the worm medicine! What a simple blessing.
Coming home this afternoon we passed the tent village just on the other side of the wall from our US troops stationed at the end of the international airstrip. Traffic was backed up worse there than usual. Once we got closer we were able to see US armed troops for crowd control and three Samaritan's Purse semi trucks passing out food and tarps. Another blessing of the day.
The first blessing of today was actually for our personal safety. Just before 01h30 this morning I awoke to dead silence followed by a very deep rumbling noise and then about five seconds of another aftershock. Immediately dogs in the entire neighborhood started barking & there were lots of loud voices outside our compound.
Jeremy was at our doorway immediately telling everyone to vacate the building. The locals were outside immediately; very calm, but excited. Mattresses began to be pulled out of rooms all over the compound. Many of us gathered and sang and prayed for the peace and comfort of heart for those afraid and safety for all.
Lila and Fabiola were very concerned that any of us would consider going back inside to sleep. Miriam & I decided to sleep the rest of the night under the stars and mango trees. For the first time in mylife I slept on a mattress laid on two long school benched facing each other. Within an hour of the quake I was asleep.
Today, the quake this morning became a touch point in communication with my patients. They all laughed and indicated that I understoodthem better once they knew that I had chosen to sleep outside under mango trees this morning like the rest of them.
Several of our local team have really pushed for Miriam & me to sleep under the stars with them tonight. I hated to tell them no. It's so much cooler outside, but with the team being so large it would make things difficult.
Mom told me today that both today's aftershock (and the one yesterday morning that almost all of us slept through) were both 4.7's with the same epicenter as the original quake. The news reported minimal additional damage and no new injuries. This was a HUGE blessing. Thankyou for your continued prayers for our safety and the Haitan people.
Reader Comments (5)
Dr. Shay, I would like to talk to you about your time in Haiti for a story for United Methodist News Service. Is there a time I could call you on Thursday for a brief interview? I was in Haiti for two weeks in January and have done many stories which you can see on umns.umc.org. Please send me a time and number if you are available. Thanks so much, I hope to speak to you soon.
Hi Dr. Shay,
I am glad to hear that you and your team are ok after the latest quakes. I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences when you return.
Dr. Shay, I read about your generous relief effort in the Houlton Pioneer Times ! Bless you for obeying what the Lord has called each of us to do : help the poor & needy ! Psalm 113:7 reads "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap" . I have read your blogs, while wiping the tears. Thank-you for sharing your experiences! Having been to Haiti on a mission myself, your writings "hurled" off the pages, as tho I were back there ! Have prayed for healing from an apparent respiratory condition, so that I may return to Haiti ! If you are accepting new patients, would like to set up an apt. ! Perhaps the OMT you spoke of could be of help ! ~abundant blessings to you ~ BethAnne Carver
Hi Dr. Shay - What a moving experience to read your blogs. We are in Florida and today I spoke with Tabitha by phone and she gave me your website address. I have read most of them and they gave me goose bumps. What a blessing you are to the people in Haiti and how proud I am to know you! Please know I think of you daily and have you in my prayers.
Love, Joyce
Eva,
So happy to know you and your team were ok after the recient after shocks. Thank you for your blog, it is as close as some of us can get, it helps ease the feeling of not being able to help in person. But our prayers are with you all there. Stay safe and God Bless you and your team (s).
Love, Terri