Rachel almost volunteered us for two night shifts over at the hospital, and thankfully she came to her senses before it was too late. Instead, we built a team to go provide health care to people in tent cities. Our team today was comprised of Rachel, myself, Jessica (an MD finishing her OB/GYN residency this summer), Cortney (a 4th year medical student), Sue (an ICU nurse), and Carson (not medical, but one heckuvan amazing organizer and pharmacy creator.)
First we went to Delmas 75, where we ran a clinic from a woman's house. The tent city's occupants were waiting in the shade, and we were 2 hours late because our ride, who said he was going to show up at 8, didn't come until almost 10am. We were only supposed to stay there for an hour, but after awhile we realized that with five people seeing patients, we could crack it out fast. We stayed until 2pm and saw all the people. Then we had lunch, came back to Quisqueya to restock our supplies, and left again at 3:30 to go to Delmas 31.
Delmas 31 is a small tent city with no clinic. We showed up with our stuff, set it up under a shelter, and saw 50 patients in an hour and a half. We were hot and there were flies everywhere. People were so solemn at Delmas 31. Even the children seem unable to be happy. We'll go back tomorrow and finish what we started today.
Everyone today had the same thing. Headache, stomachache, dizziness, vaginal infections. They are all dehydrated. They are suffering from post traumatic stress, and they largely have nothing major wrong with them that some nutrition and water wouldn't fix. The women douche with water, soap, bleach -- they cause a lot of the vaginal problems they have.
Today I saw two children with pica -- eating things that are non-food (dirt, paint, etc.) That is a sign of anemia. Every patient received vitamins, and extra iron sometimes. Jessica saw a toddler boy with genital warts. I saw many kids with scabies and worms.
It would be so easy to get lost in the vastness of the problem that is Haiti. It takes a special kind of person to do this day after day, week after week, and focus on the sliver of hope that they are helping one person at a time, one day at a time. I'm not sure that I am that kind of person, or that Rachel or Danielle is either. Kimberly is awfully perky, though! (She got that lady a wheelchair and is truly saving the world.) :)
Tomorrow is our last day of work. I'm really looking forward to going home. I miss my family. But I am sure that relief work is something I'd like to do again. There is a lot of joy and a sense of accomplishment mixed in with the pain and hopelessness.
Megan
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