Our goal at the moment isn't to escape poverty. It's to escape misery so we can get back to poverty.
Haiti Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive
Thousands of starfish washed ashore. A little girl began throwing them in the water so they wouldn't die. "Don't bother, dear," her mother said, "it won't make a difference, there's too many." The girl stopped for a minute and looked down at the starfish in her hand and said, "It will make a difference to this one." - Loren Eisley
December 2, 2010
September 28, 2010
Night shift= Kankles, mosquitos and Ambien.
I havn't had the chance to write since Saturday since I switched to night shift on Sunday night. We attended church at Port au Prince fellowship on Sunday which was great. It took us nearly 1.5 hours each way due to bad roads and traffic when it was only about 15-20 miles away. The church was a mixture of Haitians and Blan (whites) and the director of Heartline Ministries is the pastor. It brought me back to youth group days when we sang and danced to worship songs and the pastor would preach for what seemed like hours. Just a tad different from my Catholic upbringing! Over all it was a nice service and I got to hold one of the girls babies the whole time, Jobens. He's such a great baby and is always laughing and giggling! A funny thing about Haitian church is that many people fall asleep while the pastor is preaching. No one takes offense to it and I'm not even sure if anyone pays attention to those who do snooze during Sunday service. One of the little girls that sat next to me was no exception. Not only did Lillian fall asleep she eneded up spralled out in the floor and was in such a deep sleep she rolled around in the floor and ended up a row ahead of where she started.
Since I've switched to night shift things have been pretty rough! I've barely gotten any sleep as we have patients meds due at 10pm, midnight, 2 am and 6 am. I've been able to snooze a little during the 2-6 am break, but sleeping on a cot outside with hundreds of mosquitos makes it nearly impossible! The Haitians sleep with a blaket over their entire body to ward of the "moustiks", but it's wayyyy to hot for me to do that! Aside from the moustiks, there's a lovely rooster that lives at the house next door, and 5 babies who enjoy playing musical babies during the night. I have never seen my feet swollen and man are they swollen! I look like I have preggers feet. I lost my ankles somewhere and can't find them!
Last night, I and the other nurse had to wake up the charge nurse to straight cath a post hysterectomy patient. She's been having terrible post-op pain, and has been having trouble urinating. She can urinate but it's been very little, so we decided that we needed to cath her to increase her comfort so she could sleep, and so we could check her urine for infection or blood. One of the gals returning from the hospital today post tubal ligation, had her bladder nicked during the operation, so that should be interesting to see the course of treatment here for that.
Yesterday afternoon while was hanging out with the patients at Heartline, I had a patient's son ask if I loved babies because he always sees me holding one of the babies. I told him I did love babies, so he then asked if I would like him to give me a baby. I politely declined. I think my momma would be proud:)
Off to shower again! Mwen santi mal anpil!
Since I've switched to night shift things have been pretty rough! I've barely gotten any sleep as we have patients meds due at 10pm, midnight, 2 am and 6 am. I've been able to snooze a little during the 2-6 am break, but sleeping on a cot outside with hundreds of mosquitos makes it nearly impossible! The Haitians sleep with a blaket over their entire body to ward of the "moustiks", but it's wayyyy to hot for me to do that! Aside from the moustiks, there's a lovely rooster that lives at the house next door, and 5 babies who enjoy playing musical babies during the night. I have never seen my feet swollen and man are they swollen! I look like I have preggers feet. I lost my ankles somewhere and can't find them!
Last night, I and the other nurse had to wake up the charge nurse to straight cath a post hysterectomy patient. She's been having terrible post-op pain, and has been having trouble urinating. She can urinate but it's been very little, so we decided that we needed to cath her to increase her comfort so she could sleep, and so we could check her urine for infection or blood. One of the gals returning from the hospital today post tubal ligation, had her bladder nicked during the operation, so that should be interesting to see the course of treatment here for that.
Yesterday afternoon while was hanging out with the patients at Heartline, I had a patient's son ask if I loved babies because he always sees me holding one of the babies. I told him I did love babies, so he then asked if I would like him to give me a baby. I politely declined. I think my momma would be proud:)
Off to shower again! Mwen santi mal anpil!
September 25, 2010
Ayitians genyen gwo force.
We had another wonderful day at the Heartline Ministries field hospital. The post-op patients are doing fantastic, and all of the medical staff has been marveling at the spirit of the Haitians. All of the women who have gone under serious abdominal surgeries were up and walking, bathing themselves day two post-op. They are all scheduled for 48 hours of around the clock IV antibiotics, and around the clock Toradol (pain medication). They also have as needed orders for anti-nausea meds and pain meds if needed. So far, none of them have been complaining of much pain.
In the US, these patients would be begging for more pain medication, and complianing of the inability to care for themselves. Here, you get over the inconveniences of life fast. I think everyone could learn from their attitude.
On Monday, a baby was born through Heartline's women's ministry, and was an almost near disaster. The staff all thought the baby wasn't due until December, and was prepared to resuscitate the infant if needed. Luckily, the baby is a preemie, but not as premature as they thought. He weighed 4lbs 1 oz when born, and today weighed in at 4lbs 5 oz. The mother of this little guy is very young, and needs lots of guidance with the baby. You can see it in here eyes that she loves the baby, but she just needs some positive reinforcement and encouragement with the baby. She's needed quite a bit of help with breast-feeding and I've really enjoyed spending time with her and her tiny baby. You can read more about the story here. Small baby, Big Challenges.
For dinner this evening we ate Akra which is one of my favorite Haitians foods. It's not the same as the Okra we have in the south. It's actually a root! They batter and fry it up just the same though! I can't get enough of the food here. It's really yummy!
I'm off to take a cold, actually very cold, cold shower and then bed time! Bon Nwi!
In the US, these patients would be begging for more pain medication, and complianing of the inability to care for themselves. Here, you get over the inconveniences of life fast. I think everyone could learn from their attitude.
On Monday, a baby was born through Heartline's women's ministry, and was an almost near disaster. The staff all thought the baby wasn't due until December, and was prepared to resuscitate the infant if needed. Luckily, the baby is a preemie, but not as premature as they thought. He weighed 4lbs 1 oz when born, and today weighed in at 4lbs 5 oz. The mother of this little guy is very young, and needs lots of guidance with the baby. You can see it in here eyes that she loves the baby, but she just needs some positive reinforcement and encouragement with the baby. She's needed quite a bit of help with breast-feeding and I've really enjoyed spending time with her and her tiny baby. You can read more about the story here. Small baby, Big Challenges.
For dinner this evening we ate Akra which is one of my favorite Haitians foods. It's not the same as the Okra we have in the south. It's actually a root! They batter and fry it up just the same though! I can't get enough of the food here. It's really yummy!
I'm off to take a cold, actually very cold, cold shower and then bed time! Bon Nwi!
September 24, 2010
I'm here!
So I've made it safely! My trip went smoothly and I had no lost luggage which is amazing in the US and amazing in Haiti. Port au Prince airport was intense and much different from the one in Cap-Haitian. I got my "I've been to Haiti before" attitude out and surprised many Haitians who thought they could push me out of the way to make it throught the line first. Here, it's every man or himself, so you have to learn how to push, shove, demand your way everywhere. I really dont' think any of them mean it rudely, I think it's just their way of life.
I've had a great few days so far. All of the other nurses here are WONDERFUL! I will work three day shifts from 7am-7pm, and then switch to nights on Sunday night. Over the past 2 days, we've recieved 7 post-op patients ranging in ages 17months to 60 years old. The kids have recieved surgury on septic knees, cyst removals, ankle fusions etc. The older post-ops are hysterectomy's, fusions, and several internal hardware has been placed on fractured limbs that havn't healed well since the earthquake.
I'm really extatic that we have several babies floating around as well. One of the mother's had internal hardware replaced on her shoulder so she's needed IV antibiotcs and around the clock IV pain meds. She's as sweet as can be and I've been able to play with her little baby boy a lot! I can't wait to post a photo of him! He laughs all the time, and is so stinkin' fat! I love him to pieces. I will write about all the babies and their mothers at a later time because there's a ton I could say about them!
Other than that I'm in heaven. I love being with the patients and thier families and they call me by name which is nice. I think they all appreciate that I atleast attempt to speak to them in creole instead of using a translater and I can tell in the short time that I've spent here that my creole has improved. It's so hard to understand them because they talk so fast! I keep having to remind everyone to slow down when they talk to me!
A cold shower is calling my name now!
Pita!
I've had a great few days so far. All of the other nurses here are WONDERFUL! I will work three day shifts from 7am-7pm, and then switch to nights on Sunday night. Over the past 2 days, we've recieved 7 post-op patients ranging in ages 17months to 60 years old. The kids have recieved surgury on septic knees, cyst removals, ankle fusions etc. The older post-ops are hysterectomy's, fusions, and several internal hardware has been placed on fractured limbs that havn't healed well since the earthquake.
I'm really extatic that we have several babies floating around as well. One of the mother's had internal hardware replaced on her shoulder so she's needed IV antibiotcs and around the clock IV pain meds. She's as sweet as can be and I've been able to play with her little baby boy a lot! I can't wait to post a photo of him! He laughs all the time, and is so stinkin' fat! I love him to pieces. I will write about all the babies and their mothers at a later time because there's a ton I could say about them!
Other than that I'm in heaven. I love being with the patients and thier families and they call me by name which is nice. I think they all appreciate that I atleast attempt to speak to them in creole instead of using a translater and I can tell in the short time that I've spent here that my creole has improved. It's so hard to understand them because they talk so fast! I keep having to remind everyone to slow down when they talk to me!
A cold shower is calling my name now!
Pita!
September 13, 2010
Ayiti! M'ap Vini!
I leave next Wednesday (yay!) for my third trip to Haiti in two years. While this trip will be the shortest of all my trips (just one week :'( ) I feel this trip will be equally as rewarding, and actually quite different from my previous trips. This time I will be traveling to Heartline Ministries near Port au Prince, Haiti which also happens to be the epicenter of the earthquake that took place on January 12, 2010. Before the earthquake, HM was a jack of all trades. They ran an orphanage that facilitated adoptions, a women's development program helping women start small businesses, schools, and a prental center that took care of women from the time they found out they were expecting, through delivery, and postpartum care. They have been functioning in Haiti for over 20 years and is run by some pretty amazing people. Check them out here.
What will I be doing?
They are welcoming several surgeons over the next couple of weeks and are planning on carrying out over 30 operations, so I will be involved in preop/post op care, as well as assisting in transfering the patient's to and from the hospital. I am also told that they may need help with their women's unit, so maybe I will be helping delivery some precious pumpkins too!
What can you do to help?
I will be taking several supplies with me, as they have supplied me with a needs list. If anyone is interested in donating to Heartline Ministries, the easiest way is to donate through the "donations" box on this page. I will use the donated money to buy more items off of their "needs" list, and any money left over will be donated to Heartline. Another way you can help is by donating directly to Heartline Ministries itself. Post earthquake, the staff has decided a more permanent hospital is needed. You can find more information here. Scroll down to the blog from Sept. 7th.
I plan on using this blog as a way to keep up with my family and friends during that week, as well as a way to update everyone on my adventures while I'm gone. I really enjoy telling everyone about stories from Haiti, so now they will be centralized. Plus, I plan on returning to Haiti long-term eventually, so I'm looking at this like a blogging crash course!
Well, I hope everything I have written make sense- I'm finding it difficult to concentrate while my 17 year old brother and his freinds are franctically beating on the drums and playing guitar.
Pita
What will I be doing?
They are welcoming several surgeons over the next couple of weeks and are planning on carrying out over 30 operations, so I will be involved in preop/post op care, as well as assisting in transfering the patient's to and from the hospital. I am also told that they may need help with their women's unit, so maybe I will be helping delivery some precious pumpkins too!
What can you do to help?
I will be taking several supplies with me, as they have supplied me with a needs list. If anyone is interested in donating to Heartline Ministries, the easiest way is to donate through the "donations" box on this page. I will use the donated money to buy more items off of their "needs" list, and any money left over will be donated to Heartline. Another way you can help is by donating directly to Heartline Ministries itself. Post earthquake, the staff has decided a more permanent hospital is needed. You can find more information here. Scroll down to the blog from Sept. 7th.
I plan on using this blog as a way to keep up with my family and friends during that week, as well as a way to update everyone on my adventures while I'm gone. I really enjoy telling everyone about stories from Haiti, so now they will be centralized. Plus, I plan on returning to Haiti long-term eventually, so I'm looking at this like a blogging crash course!
Well, I hope everything I have written make sense- I'm finding it difficult to concentrate while my 17 year old brother and his freinds are franctically beating on the drums and playing guitar.
Pita
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