A Good Day in Haiti

Saturday and Sunday: What is a Good Day in Haiti?

The weekend was a mixture of relaxation and hard work. It was a time to do laundry, to nurse Clair back to health, and to assist in the hospital. There was no prosthetics clinic on Saturday as we sent patients back to Port Au Prince. We have one patient returning on Monday that we know of for sure. Many people continue to arrive each day at the hospital being carried in by family members. Although there is a steady stream, it seems more manageable now. Perhaps we are just getting used to the many needs. Nevertheless, we continue to see patients get better. I even manage to use my Spanish skills from time to time. One patient today was a pregnant woman who complained of terrible toe and leg cramps and a headache. We chatted in Spanish. I taught her some stretches and low trunk rotations to relieve her pain, explaining the pain was like a crying and hungry baby. Using small rotations of her bent knees, she could diminish the pain. She must also drink the rehydration solution which will prevent any muscle cramps and headaches. She said she is due to deliver her baby any day. She then let me feel her baby move. An amazing gift.

My Creole is continuing to improve as well. I do get a certain bye being a Blanc. We make sure IVs are running properly, that patients understand that drinking is important even if they tend to vomit at first. Vomiting does not mean the water is bad – just that their systems have been infected by the bugs from the river water. The patients fear the leg and foot cramps and headaches of dehydration. It is when we help them understand the connection between dehydration and those symptoms; they then begin to buy into the importance of drinking. It is truly amazing to see so many souls on the brink of death eventually sitting upright the next day beginning to return to their reality of life.

One patient from the other day could not be found. Debbie and I did not know where he was. We wondered if he had passed. Preparing ourselves for the idea that death is a part of a cholera epidemic, we were pleasantly surprised to find the man had been moved to the recovery wing of the hospital. He was sitting up chatting and smiling. Now this is a good day in Haiti!