Yesterday and today I am working at The Friends of the Children of Haiti assisting them triaging their massive medical clinic. Everyone was so wonderful yesterday and made me feel very welcomed and supported. The grounds are beautifully located right on the ocean and the guesthouse is beautiful. The clinic is well established and run very efficiently. I was very happy to spend the day there yesterday and happy to return today. I think we saw about 200 people yesterday so I expect the same today. We were able to do a bit of shopping yesterday and today is a beach day after work.
The team has felt more tired than in the past but we have only had one day off work which was spent travelling so we are all looking forward to the end of work on Friday so we can enjoy the weekend, some dancing and a few Rhum Sours.
Missing everyone at home.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Arrived in Jacmel
The past few days have been emotional. We were able to get in three days at Soeur Flora's orphanage but the winds from the North made getting to work challenging. We had to take a small boat to cross the sea each day with a tarp fully covering the boat in order to not get drenched. The last day, I was holding down the tarp with all my might and leaning into the tarp and the wind and force from the 4 foot waves were pushing me forward with such force that my neck stilll hurts 2 days later. We all had a good laugh about it and I think got a few photos for the photo album. We went up to the Citadel with the kids at the end of our stay and it was so much fun to see them sliding down this massive hill on palm tree leaves. We couldn't figure out why they were all fighting to get leaves before reaching the top and we all giggled when we saw them hop on and slide down. I promise to post amazing photos that the kids took on Facebook when I get home. It was a perfect ending to our time with the kids, to see them all laughing like kids and just having fun amongst a breathtaking background............ truely a moment in my life I will never forget. As always, I have a hard time saying goodbye and the tears come easily when the kids start to cry and know we are leaving. Somehow they always seem to know the day we leave even though we don't announce it. Many of the children were acting out and punching each other to get attention from the blancs, and we all knew that they knew it would be our last day together for another year.
After a very long day driving on Sunday through the mountains, we arrived in Jacmel. Jacmel is a beautiful part of Haiti but where I get mosquito bites the size of welts. We spent today at Pazapa, and I assisted an American Orthopedic Surgeon from Virginia to triage 39 patients that might be considered for surgery when he returns in Feb. We worked out a system that worked and managed to see everyone and set up rehab consults before 1pm. After that, we did 2 home visits which was great becuase it was one child that we had seen last year. Unfortunately, the family was not interested in ways to support her needs. The other family however, cared so well for their severely disabled 21 year old daughter. She was newly bathed and dressed in a beautiful sundress anticipating our arrival and we were able to praise the family for their hard work and set up a plan to arrange for her to receive an appropriate wheelchair in the coming months from a returning team.
We ended today swimming in the ocean and watching the sun set with a cold Prestige. Life is good in Haiti. This trip has taken a bit of a toll on me. I have found that I'm far more tired but loving being back. Despite the fatigue and minor stomach ailments, Haiti has once again got a hold of my heart.
After a very long day driving on Sunday through the mountains, we arrived in Jacmel. Jacmel is a beautiful part of Haiti but where I get mosquito bites the size of welts. We spent today at Pazapa, and I assisted an American Orthopedic Surgeon from Virginia to triage 39 patients that might be considered for surgery when he returns in Feb. We worked out a system that worked and managed to see everyone and set up rehab consults before 1pm. After that, we did 2 home visits which was great becuase it was one child that we had seen last year. Unfortunately, the family was not interested in ways to support her needs. The other family however, cared so well for their severely disabled 21 year old daughter. She was newly bathed and dressed in a beautiful sundress anticipating our arrival and we were able to praise the family for their hard work and set up a plan to arrange for her to receive an appropriate wheelchair in the coming months from a returning team.
We ended today swimming in the ocean and watching the sun set with a cold Prestige. Life is good in Haiti. This trip has taken a bit of a toll on me. I have found that I'm far more tired but loving being back. Despite the fatigue and minor stomach ailments, Haiti has once again got a hold of my heart.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Arrived Safe and Sound
I have a bit of catch up to get everyone up to speed. The 1st part of my travels from Vancouver to Montreal overall went smoothly. It was so great to meet up with the rest of the team in Montreal and finally meet everyone that we have been teleconferencing with. The flight was packed to Haiti as it normally is and the overhead bins filled up quickly. I learned from last year if you pass a bin and it has a space for your carry on, take it, even if it is nowhere close to your seat becuase you might not find another one later.
Arrivals at Haiti was generally uneventful, no chaos, quite orderly for Haitian standards and even at the baggage claim area, things went quite smoothly. We had a few minor challenges obtaining and counting all the bags and some were inspected by security but overall, no major issues. Hero, our driver who we have come to know well over the years, was there to greet us with his huge smile and giggled as he gave each of us a hug. We even heard him utter a few words in English which NEVER happens.
It took quite a long time to get to our hotel after leaving the airport as it was rush hour traffic, but once we arrived and got all the bags off the van and sorted we got our rooms. Karen and I are roomies, and our relationship on this trip has gone to a whole new level! Our bathroom was in the corner of the room with a semi half wall so you basically were using the toilet in front of each other. We giggled and had quite a laugh about it. We had a fantastic dinner at Montana and saw Gail, Andy and Damian again! So wonderful to see the faces of friends each time we return. The night ended around 10pm and my head was sleepy from a few Rhum Sours.
The next morning we were up bright and early and watched Hero pack all of our bags on top of the van only to find out that the security gate at the hotel was much shorter than the stack of bags on top of the van, so we could not fit through. He had to take them all down and repack the van in the street which took an extra 2 hours. We made it to the coast without running into the expected manifestations we were told might occur during our 4 hour drive. There has been many killings in the streets of police officers and manifestations over the cost of food so we were lucky that we didn't have any issue. Crossed the sea in record time and watched the men at Port Morgan carry our bags up the big hill. We were so greatful that they were here as it would have been a big job.
Yesterday was day 1 at the orphange and it was fantastic to see the kids. Some have grown so much since last year and there are a few new faces and a few faces that aren't there anymore. A new addition arrived not long ago, Nelson an infant who's mother died during childbirth. He was a twin and his brother didn't survive as he died shortly after birth from breathing difficulties. He was a sweetheart, and needs some work done on his lungs to clear them, so he's going to be a priortity for me. We spent the better part of the afternoon playing with the kids after school got out. Overall, it wasn't a super productive day for me, but helped me see which children need assessments tomorrow. I was able to diagnose a rash on a few of the kids that was confirmed to be Herpes, so our team is making efforts to be cognizant of good hand hygiene as much as possible so we come home healthy. Tomrrow, Rosy and \I are going to sit with the ladies that wash the kids clothes to see if we can establish some infection control practices.
We were all exhausted yesterday. After a swim in the ocean, a beer and dinner we were all ready for bed by 8pm. I have had a difficult time on this trip aclimating and yesterday I fought through a migrane all day. I think it was a combination of fatigue, dehydration and lack of caffiene. Today is the first day I feel myself and am ready to work. Hopefully, the sea will calm and we will be able to take the boat to the orphanage. It rained very hard last night after an excruciatingly hot day. The sun is trying to come out now but I am enjoying sitting with the breeze and not sweating.
I've feel very emotional on this trip. Things are continuing to get cleaned up, the streets are being well maintained and builing is starting again all over the city. I don't know why I feel this way, except to say that its hard to describe the absolute poverty Haitians live in each day and perhaps becuase I have friends here it makes it feel more like home.
I will keep in touch as much as I can, the internet has been unreliable the past few days. I won't be able to post pictures for a while as it takes far too long to load them, but I can't wait to share them all with you when I get home. Off I go to start writing reports on the kiddos I saw yesterday. The sky is blue, birds are chirping, roosters are letting us know they are nearby and the faint sound of Kompa music is playing nearby. Life is good.
Arrivals at Haiti was generally uneventful, no chaos, quite orderly for Haitian standards and even at the baggage claim area, things went quite smoothly. We had a few minor challenges obtaining and counting all the bags and some were inspected by security but overall, no major issues. Hero, our driver who we have come to know well over the years, was there to greet us with his huge smile and giggled as he gave each of us a hug. We even heard him utter a few words in English which NEVER happens.
It took quite a long time to get to our hotel after leaving the airport as it was rush hour traffic, but once we arrived and got all the bags off the van and sorted we got our rooms. Karen and I are roomies, and our relationship on this trip has gone to a whole new level! Our bathroom was in the corner of the room with a semi half wall so you basically were using the toilet in front of each other. We giggled and had quite a laugh about it. We had a fantastic dinner at Montana and saw Gail, Andy and Damian again! So wonderful to see the faces of friends each time we return. The night ended around 10pm and my head was sleepy from a few Rhum Sours.
The next morning we were up bright and early and watched Hero pack all of our bags on top of the van only to find out that the security gate at the hotel was much shorter than the stack of bags on top of the van, so we could not fit through. He had to take them all down and repack the van in the street which took an extra 2 hours. We made it to the coast without running into the expected manifestations we were told might occur during our 4 hour drive. There has been many killings in the streets of police officers and manifestations over the cost of food so we were lucky that we didn't have any issue. Crossed the sea in record time and watched the men at Port Morgan carry our bags up the big hill. We were so greatful that they were here as it would have been a big job.
Yesterday was day 1 at the orphange and it was fantastic to see the kids. Some have grown so much since last year and there are a few new faces and a few faces that aren't there anymore. A new addition arrived not long ago, Nelson an infant who's mother died during childbirth. He was a twin and his brother didn't survive as he died shortly after birth from breathing difficulties. He was a sweetheart, and needs some work done on his lungs to clear them, so he's going to be a priortity for me. We spent the better part of the afternoon playing with the kids after school got out. Overall, it wasn't a super productive day for me, but helped me see which children need assessments tomorrow. I was able to diagnose a rash on a few of the kids that was confirmed to be Herpes, so our team is making efforts to be cognizant of good hand hygiene as much as possible so we come home healthy. Tomrrow, Rosy and \I are going to sit with the ladies that wash the kids clothes to see if we can establish some infection control practices.
We were all exhausted yesterday. After a swim in the ocean, a beer and dinner we were all ready for bed by 8pm. I have had a difficult time on this trip aclimating and yesterday I fought through a migrane all day. I think it was a combination of fatigue, dehydration and lack of caffiene. Today is the first day I feel myself and am ready to work. Hopefully, the sea will calm and we will be able to take the boat to the orphanage. It rained very hard last night after an excruciatingly hot day. The sun is trying to come out now but I am enjoying sitting with the breeze and not sweating.
I've feel very emotional on this trip. Things are continuing to get cleaned up, the streets are being well maintained and builing is starting again all over the city. I don't know why I feel this way, except to say that its hard to describe the absolute poverty Haitians live in each day and perhaps becuase I have friends here it makes it feel more like home.
I will keep in touch as much as I can, the internet has been unreliable the past few days. I won't be able to post pictures for a while as it takes far too long to load them, but I can't wait to share them all with you when I get home. Off I go to start writing reports on the kiddos I saw yesterday. The sky is blue, birds are chirping, roosters are letting us know they are nearby and the faint sound of Kompa music is playing nearby. Life is good.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Three More Sleeps
Hello blog, I've missed you. Quite a long time has passed since I spent a considerable amount of time here and I look forward to providing daily updates while I'm in Haiti.
Only 3 more sleeps!! I'm getting excited and this year a bit anxious as the recent hurricane has again left Haiti with floods, increased risk of Cholera and 52 deaths. Last year, we witnessed considerable improvement in the roads being cleared of rubble and many less people living in tent cities.
I'm looking forward to seeing the kiddos at the orphanages and when we do outreach days but right now my mind is on preparing to get there. This week has been an act of balancing work and trip preparations. I was able to store all my Haiti gear in a large room at work that has been wonderful. I was able to pack in a well lit room that is indoors (I usually pack on the patio in my backyard). I can also store all my donations here until next year. My company was generous and agreed to allow me to take reusable cloth diapers that are no longer used company-wide. I was able to fit about 6 dozen of them in my bags and I am hopeful that this will improve the comfort of many of the children who are incontinent and are currently using a t-shirt wrapped around their torso as a diaper.
I managed to pack 2 weeks of clothes into a carry on bag. For those who know me well, they know that this is a big deal!! I could easily pack this much when I spend the weekend at my boyfriend's house for the weekend. I'm quite proud of myself, I only had to re-pack twice!!
Once again, the vast generosity of amazing people in my life have assisted me in raising more than required for this trip and got me close to my goal of raising enough for next year's trip as well.
I'll be leaving on Monday Nov 5th and arriving in Haiti Nov 6th. This trip will be very different as there are 11 team members and only 3 of us have been to Haiti before. I am looking forward to seeing this beautiful country through new people's eyes. I'll keep in touch!!
Only 3 more sleeps!! I'm getting excited and this year a bit anxious as the recent hurricane has again left Haiti with floods, increased risk of Cholera and 52 deaths. Last year, we witnessed considerable improvement in the roads being cleared of rubble and many less people living in tent cities.
I'm looking forward to seeing the kiddos at the orphanages and when we do outreach days but right now my mind is on preparing to get there. This week has been an act of balancing work and trip preparations. I was able to store all my Haiti gear in a large room at work that has been wonderful. I was able to pack in a well lit room that is indoors (I usually pack on the patio in my backyard). I can also store all my donations here until next year. My company was generous and agreed to allow me to take reusable cloth diapers that are no longer used company-wide. I was able to fit about 6 dozen of them in my bags and I am hopeful that this will improve the comfort of many of the children who are incontinent and are currently using a t-shirt wrapped around their torso as a diaper.
I managed to pack 2 weeks of clothes into a carry on bag. For those who know me well, they know that this is a big deal!! I could easily pack this much when I spend the weekend at my boyfriend's house for the weekend. I'm quite proud of myself, I only had to re-pack twice!!
Once again, the vast generosity of amazing people in my life have assisted me in raising more than required for this trip and got me close to my goal of raising enough for next year's trip as well.
I'll be leaving on Monday Nov 5th and arriving in Haiti Nov 6th. This trip will be very different as there are 11 team members and only 3 of us have been to Haiti before. I am looking forward to seeing this beautiful country through new people's eyes. I'll keep in touch!!
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