Braids

8/6 JP/HRO
Spent one day at the hospital with Tuwanda and Ellen. I worked in the hospital...Ellen stayed in the clinic with a nurse from JP/HRO. The hospital is a big tent, they have xray and an autoclave (sterilizes instruments)-in Haiti it is big to have those two things. One of the first things that happened was a patient came in to deliver a baby...I think it was her 5th and so she was a pro. Later on in the morning the midwife came to help deliver the baby...I stood by the patient's side and as she was pushing one of the last times the nurses were telling everyone to move aside because her "water bag" hadn't broken yet and you could see it (yes do not eat dinner while reading this)...so she kept on pushing and the baby was born inside the "water bag" which I later learned from tuwanda is good luck! So as the babys head was out, still inside the bag the midwife and I were pinching the baby's head to break the sac. Eventually one of the other nurses grabbed some scissors and cut it. It was pretty funny everyone trying to pinch with gloves on while other people were hiding so they wouldn't get squirted with the water. The baby was named after Tuwanda! I was really happy for her because she has wanted a baby to be named after her for awhile!
Another patient came in with his finger smashed...he said that he was hammering and hit his finger. An ED doctor from the stats was there and gave him a digital block (took lidocaine, injected it into his finger near the first knuckle closest to the palm-into the nerves around there and so his whole finger was numb). When that happened I cleaned off his finger, pulled some dead skin off of him, and then the doc sewed him up. He got an xray and the finger was broken so they gave him a finger splint and sent him on his way.
Next patient was a young child, maybe 3-4 years old…she came in throwing up since the night before. She had a fever of 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit, stomach ache, and couldn’t keep pedialyte down while at the hospital. I first took the patient but was unable to do much because I am not the best at kids now. I learned a lot from this patient-she ended up having a UTI. I learned/remembered children present different than adults.
A young woman came in with an abscess the size of half a golf ball in her armpit. Tuwanda took this patient and we eventually decided to go ahead and drain the pus since she lives in the JP/HRO camp and they can follow her closely to make sure the incision doesn’t get infected. Tuwanda asked if I wanted to and I told her I will watch this one (since I have never drained one before). She put some lidocaine in before and then drained the pus-it was a decent amount! (once again do not read while eating) Then Tuwanda packed the wound with a long sterile strip (basically looks like a long shoe string but is sterile and is packed inside the wound). We gave the patient pain meds (as this thing was extremely painful) and some antibiotics. Tuwanda told me that anywhere else (places where the patients are not near a hospital) you would treat the abscess with antibiotics-opening a wound just puts them at risk for infection, especially in a place where clean water, good soap, antibiotic cream, and bandages are hard to find for some.
Later that day we got to have a little tour around the camp…we walked down there with a volunteer and it is amazing-he said about 52,000 people live there now (on the old 9 hole golf course- ). The country club where the camp is located has one of the best views of port au prince. It was incredible to see…the picture is on my blog, it’s a panoramic shot.
After JP/HRO we went to the Plaza Hotel for some Mango daiquiris!
Not sure when this happened but the crazy marine took a taser to himself…well two tasers. There are pictures of him in a diaper on the blog as well-we thought there was a possibility that if the taser was strong enough it would cause him to cop out and yes, possibly wet himself. The tasers were really weak as he tased himself multiple times. It was crazy, and good entertainment.
8/7
Party at a friend’s house in the afternoon/evening
8/8
Beach trip with Tuwanda, Ellen, Riaan, Ralph, Foreset and some people from Grass Roots United (check them out http://www.grassrootsunited.org/). We went to the UN beach…instead of sand it was a rocky beach, pretty big rocks-not pebbles in other words. The water was really really salty which was strange. Tuwanda and I wandered off to find some food and when we were waiting for the food a UN from Pakistan took a picture of us with his cell phone. He was really glad to see us and take pictures with us…my thought was (which is straight out of a movie) what if taking a picture with this guy holding hands (yes weird I know) is some sort of weird marriage ritual, haha yeah it’s a weird thought, but it was a strange situation. We had chicken fights with Riaan and Tuwanda vs. me and a guy from grass roots. She won (yes Tuwanda I know you are smiling and flexing your muscles…Tia Tuwanda is tough). We rented a taptap to take to the beach…so we fit 12 people in the truck…3 up front and then 9 of us in the back…the way they design the taptap is they put benches in the back of a pick up truck and then put a roof over top. LUCKILY WE HAD A ROOF because it poured on our way home…Tuwanda and I used our towels to block the rain from coming into the taptap as we were pretty squeezed tight.
8/9
Chicago (a moto taxi driver) came to pick me up in the morning to take me to pick up some cell phones from Petion-Ville. Tuwanda left in the morning, and so Ellen, Riaan, Junior and I went to a tent camp in Cite Soleil to help with assessing some of the pregnant women there…as well as look at a child with possible cerebral palsy. We ended up assessing about 10-15 women and the basic need is for them to seek care at a hospital when in labor-problem…they don’t have transportation or money to get to the hospital, let alone pay for the visit to the hospital. So if a woman had a possible infection we would recommend that they go to see a doctor because if they have an infection it could be harmful to mom and to the baby. Once again, they don’t have the money or transportation to get there, let alone pay for the visit. They birth their children in the tents and do the best they can…in general these people do not eat well…if at all during one day. It was extremely difficult to hear that and while leaving it was the first time I cried in Haiti. Sitting in the back of the truck leaving the tent camp I cried and was surprised it was the first time.

8/10
Walked to the bank today-ATM instead of meeting a certain bank worker…I just kind of walked up and said I need to speak to Mrs. ___ (a lady that BP knows) and they eventually let me in front of a bunch of people. Ellen and Riaan were with me and we just walked in and used the ATM. I then got internet on my phone…was really excited and happy to talk to the girls from home via blackberry messenger (now I still talk to them and its great!) Ellen and I talked to BP about moving in with Mike, Jonathan, and Nick. We unloaded a bunch of Pedialyte with the North Carolina Baptist Men! It was great to talk about home with these men. They are incredible and worked hard with us. I was wearing my pink NCSTATE shirt with the breast cancer ribbon on it and they immediately started conversation. A couple of them went to NCSU…of course I had to tell them that I was born and raised, still am, an avid NCSU fan even though I went to UNC (yes sad I know…I am slightly leaning toward being excited about UNC, but its only at like 25%...im getting there-well maybe) ANYWAY these guys are great and do all kinds of things-build, distribute materials, etc. They are based out of Cary, NC! I loved hearing their accents and felt at home for a little while. We made a big dinner that night because some people from RU4Children came to hang out during the day.
The plan for the next day was to draw labs from almost all 55 tb patients. There was a rumor that President Bush Jr would be in the hospital…but as usual they tell people one thing and end up doing another for security reasons. On the way home from the hospital with Nick and Ellen we saw some nice chevy tahoes and I jokingly poked my head out the window and said “hey!!!” I figured if it was Bush, or anyone important they would see me because I am after all an American in Haiti (we stick out like sore thumbs sometimes).
8/13 (entry almost straight from what I wrote in my notebook)
Went to Medishare (University of Miami hospital’s program here in Haiti at a hospital named Bernarn Mevs). Ellen and I ended up hanging out in the ER after getting a tour of their hospital. They have a great program and they bring in volunteers each week. This was the first night we ate an American fast food dinner-a place called Epi d’Or…we got bacon cheese burgers, French fries, coca cola, and some ice cream…this place is right near the new house (dangerous). It is a wendys, subway, creperie (yes I made that word up but they make crepes), baskin robbins, oh and a bakery.
We heard about some demonstrations happening in the streets…which occurs about once a week here. On the way to Medishare we didn’t see anything, but while there we saw some dark smoke in the air=burning tires. As long as you stay away from demonstrations, or turn around if you encounter one, things usually are okay and no one gets in too much trouble (this is what I have heard, have not experienced it so don’t hold me to it).
Side note-Doctor Megan Coffee did a paracentesis (take fluid out of an outpatient’s belly because their liver, or something else has failed them). I told her I would sit there and hold the catheter (so it didn’t get squished, or move, or lose its place) for up to an hour or two…this patient’s belly was pretty big and so I figured it would help her out so why not. We ended up getting 2L out of her, and it was quick…less than an hour. We did this sitting underneath a tree, the patient was on a cot outside on the hospital grounds near the TB tents.
It is always nice having Ellen around because in certain situations she and I can look at each other and know exactly what the other person is thinking. It will be rough when she leaves but challenging to work on being on my own.
Street food=good!! Ellen and I get it almost every day-fresh fruit, candied nuts, brown sugar blocks, bananas, peanut butter on bread, etc.
8/14-8/16
Went to a CONCERN worldwide party which was fun and then got the new house together on Sunday.
8/16-8/22
Tb tents and working around the house getting mattresses and beds, coffee pot (or something that will do to heat up water for the French press-I love REBO, a brand of coffee down here…its my favorite-and Ellen and I like the same kind of coffee which is good…sweet and a decent amount of milk) Anyway, we got beds-frames they make and paint on the street-we got 12 and I rode in the back of the truck on the way home…the pants I was wearing now have silver paint all over them because the frames were not completely dry before we threw them in the back of the truck. Now my pants have some more character to them! Next day we went to get mattresses…12 of them. Cassidy speaks Creole well and so he was our big help negotiating prices. Basically, you can negotiate for an hour or so…not get to the price you want, start driving away, and then they give you the price you want. It is an interesting thing and happens all the time, whether it be mattresses or fruit (well that’s all I have experienced anyway).
8/23-8/29 TB TENTS, Megan visits the US
Two doctors from the states came in on Monday to work while Megan was in the United States. They were from Wisconsin and were great to work with throughout the week. It is a hard environment to come into but they did an great job and worked hard.
8/23-Ellen and I did a bunch of labs, Jameson, Lawrence, and James were at the hospital helping us out.
8/24-Ellen left for the US, it was sad to see her go…Mike and I woke up to say goodbye, we all miss her a whole lot…like I said, sometimes its nice to have someone to look at in situations and just know what the other person is thinking-or pretty much make sure you aren’t crazy because you both feel the same way. At the hospital our translators were asked to leave and we were to use some of the hospitals translators. There was a new patient that came in and I ended up having to put an IV in him…yes I do that for a decent amount of the patients but this patient was a big guy and I was nervous. A nurse from Adventist came to the hospital to get a pregnant woman’s TB meds (she was a patient of Megan’s and went into preterm labor so she is now at Adventist). Anyway, I was nervous because you could not see any of his veins-the trick is if you can feel it, its there and you can go for it most of the time. So this nurse encouraged me and helped me feel confident about sticking him, and what do you know I was successful. I am feeling more and more confident with each stick…the patients, and most of the people here have great veins that sometimes you could stick without a tourniquet.
8/25 MY DAD’s BIRTHDAY!
I am glad I got to call my dad and say happy birthday! I am so glad to have his support and was sad that I missed his birthday!
Throughout the rest of the week we worked hard, had a couple new admits, had a couple deaths, and learned a whole lot about what Megan does and how she keeps the place working and successful (which is a whole lot, again I cannot say enough about her and how much good she is doing here…the patients are happy, well fed, taken care of, look after each other, etc.-please send support her way! You can check her out on twitter and facebook).
I went around to some of the patients, asked them if I could look at their xrays, and then listened to their breathing. I told them I was learning when I looked at the xrays and then listened to them breathing. Oh and I got my hair braided this week…my whole head is in small tiny little braids-we will see how long they last, for now I enjoy them because it makes hair care easy. I hope I don’t get a burnt scalp-I need to remember sunscreen!
One of my favorite points of this week was hearing two different earthquake stories…most times I don’t really ask where people were, how it affected them unless they bring it up. I was very thankful they shared their story with me. Throughout listening to their stories I remembered making an effort to avoid the words “I know” because truly I do not know what it is like to experience such a devastating disaster…to see and smell death and destruction of your people and home. The people that experience any natural disaster are unique in their experience. Every once in awhile I remember what someone told me here: “These people are all survivors, the people you see here are survivors, we are survivors.”
Side note (as usual)-I was happy to meet a fellow UNC nursing alum…we met at the Epi d’OR. She was here with AIMER Haiti. I previously worked at their clinic for one day…I recognized the translators that were with the women at the restaurant. I spoke with the translators and ended up talking to two of the volunteers-one pointed me in the direction of the UNC alum and we got to talking. It was pretty cool as she graduated 3 years ago and knew some of the same teachers (yes I still say teachers instead of professors).
I continue to learn every day and grow as a nurse. I am thankful for those that take the time to teach me-whether it be a lesson in TB, Creole, or Haitian Culture. I love what I am doing here... the people here, Haitians and foreigners, make it worthwhile.