Monday: Last Day at Hanger Klinik

My Last Day at the Clinic

Monday was my last day at the clinic and we were very busy with the car load from Catholic Medical Missions Board from Port Au Prince. Cennix arrived with about eight patients. We organized who was who and what their needs were. We had one new patient, Chery, the futbol (soccer) player on the Zaryen (Tarantula) soccer team in Port Au Prince that my friends Cedieu and Wilfrid started. Chery would be getting his leg fit. We had casted him last Wednesday. The other patients needed various adjustments so Vern was a busy prosthetist. We decided to start with a group class on the basics of wearing a prosthetic leg, wearing schedule, and other important things. We then worked with the patients to see how each adjustment would affect the patient’s gait. We had great fun!

Monday and Tuesday of this week are actually holidays here in Haiti so we had a skeleton staff with Vern being the only prosthetist. Miriam was on duty as security guard. Shar and I were the PTs on duty. In the afternoon each of the prosthetic technicians and Rosaline, our office coordinator, all stopped by to wish me safe travels on Tuesday. Miriam was too sad to stay and say, “Goodbye.” Instead she told Rosaline to tell me she not to forget her and that she will see me in April. The team all shared with me how wonderful it was to work together. Rosaline told me how I brought hope to many people here and showed them there is a light over Haiti. She, like my dear friend Cedieu at Medishare told me that those who come to Haiti to help people rebuild their lives are like a great light over Haiti. There were many hugs and I was told I am expected back in April!

Later Monday night, Rosaline stopped by with a gift of hand woven placemats that she had made and painted. She even included the pistachio shells from the bag I brought for everyone to share earlier in the week! Nothing is wasted here in Haiti. It was a very fun last day at work. I especially like Clair’s words from the South Africans of never saying goodbye. Instead, people say, “I see you just now!” May our paths cross again!