Impossible to put into words...I have decided to share my journal with you. An experience that was life changing and one I will never forget. Here is a glimpse into the disaster that is now Haiti...
I took a lot of video while I was there, but can't upload it to the blog. For those of you on facebook I am posting it there.
Wednesday, Jan. 20th
Our original plan was to leave for Haiti on Sunday. I am driving to the UCSD clinic around 1:30 p.m. today to get my vaccinations when I get a 911 text from Cassia. She quickly explains to me that if I want to go to Haiti I need to be in Miami by 8 a.m. tomorrow. I have no flight, nothing packed and responsibilities here, but somehow after frantic packing, a million phone calls and delayed flights I arrive in Miami with my entire team by the 8 a.m. deadline.
Thursday, Jan. 21st
8 a.m.-We depart Miami in a 34 million dollar jet donated by a Russian geologist. We are bound for Haiti, but are still unsure if we are going to be able to land. Luckily the runway is clear and we arrive in Port Au Prince around 10:30 a.m. It is an emotional landing as US troops are seen covering the fields at the airport. We meet up with other ACTS volunteers who cry when they see us. They try to prepare us for the sadness we are about to see. Currently we sit waiting for transportation to the hospital.
10:45 a.m.- I feel my first aftershock while laying on the ground under a hanger. I am scared for a second, but don't react. About a half hour later I feel the second aftershock and quickly jump up. Both are short and not very strong. After a couple hours of waiting the British military offer to take us to the hospital...in a dump truck! It is a crazy ride through garbage and poverty, the roads are bumpy and some are flooded. We finally arrive safely at the hospital. When we arrive the gates are swarmed with people. We form a chain with the French military to move our luggage and supplies inside. After a quick tour of the hospital and a short nap I am assigned to the PACU. The conditions are bad, patients line the halls, some are yelling out in pain and I can smell urine and body odor in the air. I care mostly for post op ortho patients tonight. By 3 a.m. I am completely exhausted from all the traveling. Luckily the girls come by and we manage to get some sleep.
Here are some of the photos I took on the ride to the hospital. It was a bumpy ride (in the back of a dump truck) so most are blurry.
Today I am assigned to post op. It is extremely hot, there are not a lot of nurses and our supplies are limited. I am overwhelmed at times because there is so much that needs to be done. With the help of translators, French nurses and family members we take care of the patients as best as we can. I am working outside when Brenna comes to get me. She has tears in her eyes and she tells me she needs to talk to me. She then says "I don't want to die in Haiti." Tearfully she tells me they are predicting another earthquake, possibly larger than the initial one. We gather our team to talk about the news. When we arrive upstairs we realize over half of our mission group has evacuated. We are all crying and not sure what to do. We have a meeting with the surgeons in the OR. Dr. Dwayne says a prayer and reminds us all to think about the reasons we are there. Everyone is upset, but collectively we all decide to stay. I am extremely scared, probably the most scared I have ever been, I feel sick to my stomach, but head back outside to work. Tonight we decide to sleep in our tent outside the hospital. We also evacuate all of the patients from the hospital. They are scared and don't want to be in the building. Earlier that day there was another aftershock. I think it was a 5 something. Brenna and I are by the nursing station when it happens. We grab each other and start to run. The patients yell out in fear. We were scared, but luckily it stops before we make it outside.
Saturday, Jan. 23rd
Today was an extremely hard day. We are assigned to the OR and we work all day and into the night. There are several emergencies as we are trying to close the OR around 1 a.m. We lose several patients today, one a 17 year old boy. He had a terrible femur fracture, his operation took over 4 hours and he lost a lot of blood. He lost consciousness in the field and was brought back to us. We have no blood at our hospital and after fluid resuscitation and several attempts to find blood we lose him. His family is currently mourning and I can hear his mother yelling. I feel horrible. We also lose a man due to respiratory failure. Unfortunately, we have no way to ventilate patients. We step over his dead body wrapped in a tarp tonight on the way to our tent. On the way to set up our tent a lady bleeds out and miscarries in front of me. She is on a wooden chair in the middle of a dirty hallway. I watch her plancenta fall to the floor. It is an image I will never forget. Tonight lots of hugs are shared by random strangers, we are all emotionally drained. Dr. Laura calls us heros. We have a makeshift campfire with some of the other volunteers, It is extremely good for our spirits. I can barely keep my eyes open now. I am in our tent and the girls are asleep. I have so much more to say, but I am completely exhausted.
His femur fracture
Sunday, Jan. 24th
Today we pass the 48 hour mark for the earthquake scare. There is another aftershock today. I feel this one while laying on the roof in my tent. So far there have been aftershocks every day. I learn today that we are less than a mile from the epicenter. We are still sleeping in our tent on the roof at night. We feel safer there. The sky was so clear last night and the stars were beautiful. We stay up and talk for awhile. This morning we laugh a lot. Brenna, Shelly and I stand on the roof while the Haitians look up at us...."They are angels and they all look alike." hahaha I hope I never forget how funny we thought that was. :) I am off to work in the OR again today. A group of South African surgeons and a nurse have arrived. The OR runs smoothly today as the South Africans are able to help out with a lot of the surgeries. We also had the help of some RN's from Boston. They are amazing! I am really loving working with people all over the world.
Today we open the OR. The morning goes really smoothly because we have the help of some Haitian nurses from the states. People are starting to get sick. Mostly diarrhea, some vomiting. Theresa, our nurse manager has to leave because she is so ill. The highlight of our morning is walking around the post op tent area handing out lollipops to the little kids. We leave the OR around 1 p.m. today and attempt to nap before rounds with the French. Tonight we will also cover the PACU until morning.
Our new baby station...a folding table!!
Tuesday, Jan. 26th
Today we go to the university, tent city and pediatric clinic. It is a nice change from the hospital. We hand out stickers and lollipops to the kids. I think it is therapeutic for us all. We work in the peds clinic all day. The line is long and it is extremely hot. The children chant "blanc, blanc, blanc" as we arrive with supplies. They are so happy to see us. Again we work the PACU through the night. We are all exhausted.
Sweetest little girl
We share our cokes with the french
Exhausted and dehydrated...we provide nursing care for each other.
Wednesday, Jan. 27th
Today is an emotional day because it will be our last full day in Haiti. We work the OR and train a group of new nurses that have arrived. We are so grateful to have them there. We pack and gather up all of our extra food to pass out to the patients and their families in the PACU. Since our arrival the patients have not been fed by the hospital. They are so grateful. We give away our clothes and shoes. They hug and kiss us. It feels really good. I break down while saying goodbye to a couple and their baby. I have helped care for their baby for the past few nights and have gotten close to the parents. Their reality hits me as I kiss the babies forehead. I sit on my knees and cry. The dad hugs me and Shelly comes and sits next to me. She crys too. We give the dad our email information and head to bed. We are physically and emotionally drained.
Thursday, Jan. 28th
We are leaving Haiti. I am sad, but ready. The 18 hour days are starting to catch up to me. After many hours of waiting we finally arrive at the airport. I feel extremely proud as we board the military plane bound for Orlando. When our wheels hit US soil I cry, Cassia and I hug. It is good to be home!
I took a lot of video while I was there, but can't upload it to the blog. For those of you on facebook I am posting it there.
Wednesday, Jan. 20th
Our original plan was to leave for Haiti on Sunday. I am driving to the UCSD clinic around 1:30 p.m. today to get my vaccinations when I get a 911 text from Cassia. She quickly explains to me that if I want to go to Haiti I need to be in Miami by 8 a.m. tomorrow. I have no flight, nothing packed and responsibilities here, but somehow after frantic packing, a million phone calls and delayed flights I arrive in Miami with my entire team by the 8 a.m. deadline.
Thursday, Jan. 21st
8 a.m.-We depart Miami in a 34 million dollar jet donated by a Russian geologist. We are bound for Haiti, but are still unsure if we are going to be able to land. Luckily the runway is clear and we arrive in Port Au Prince around 10:30 a.m. It is an emotional landing as US troops are seen covering the fields at the airport. We meet up with other ACTS volunteers who cry when they see us. They try to prepare us for the sadness we are about to see. Currently we sit waiting for transportation to the hospital.
10:45 a.m.- I feel my first aftershock while laying on the ground under a hanger. I am scared for a second, but don't react. About a half hour later I feel the second aftershock and quickly jump up. Both are short and not very strong. After a couple hours of waiting the British military offer to take us to the hospital...in a dump truck! It is a crazy ride through garbage and poverty, the roads are bumpy and some are flooded. We finally arrive safely at the hospital. When we arrive the gates are swarmed with people. We form a chain with the French military to move our luggage and supplies inside. After a quick tour of the hospital and a short nap I am assigned to the PACU. The conditions are bad, patients line the halls, some are yelling out in pain and I can smell urine and body odor in the air. I care mostly for post op ortho patients tonight. By 3 a.m. I am completely exhausted from all the traveling. Luckily the girls come by and we manage to get some sleep.
Friday, Jan. 22nd
Today I am assigned to post op. It is extremely hot, there are not a lot of nurses and our supplies are limited. I am overwhelmed at times because there is so much that needs to be done. With the help of translators, French nurses and family members we take care of the patients as best as we can. I am working outside when Brenna comes to get me. She has tears in her eyes and she tells me she needs to talk to me. She then says "I don't want to die in Haiti." Tearfully she tells me they are predicting another earthquake, possibly larger than the initial one. We gather our team to talk about the news. When we arrive upstairs we realize over half of our mission group has evacuated. We are all crying and not sure what to do. We have a meeting with the surgeons in the OR. Dr. Dwayne says a prayer and reminds us all to think about the reasons we are there. Everyone is upset, but collectively we all decide to stay. I am extremely scared, probably the most scared I have ever been, I feel sick to my stomach, but head back outside to work. Tonight we decide to sleep in our tent outside the hospital. We also evacuate all of the patients from the hospital. They are scared and don't want to be in the building. Earlier that day there was another aftershock. I think it was a 5 something. Brenna and I are by the nursing station when it happens. We grab each other and start to run. The patients yell out in fear. We were scared, but luckily it stops before we make it outside.
Dr. Dwayne and some of the staff
Sleeping outside after the earthquake scare
OR Crew
PostOp (PACU) - the french transport a patient in the background
Saturday, Jan. 23rd
Today was an extremely hard day. We are assigned to the OR and we work all day and into the night. There are several emergencies as we are trying to close the OR around 1 a.m. We lose several patients today, one a 17 year old boy. He had a terrible femur fracture, his operation took over 4 hours and he lost a lot of blood. He lost consciousness in the field and was brought back to us. We have no blood at our hospital and after fluid resuscitation and several attempts to find blood we lose him. His family is currently mourning and I can hear his mother yelling. I feel horrible. We also lose a man due to respiratory failure. Unfortunately, we have no way to ventilate patients. We step over his dead body wrapped in a tarp tonight on the way to our tent. On the way to set up our tent a lady bleeds out and miscarries in front of me. She is on a wooden chair in the middle of a dirty hallway. I watch her plancenta fall to the floor. It is an image I will never forget. Tonight lots of hugs are shared by random strangers, we are all emotionally drained. Dr. Laura calls us heros. We have a makeshift campfire with some of the other volunteers, It is extremely good for our spirits. I can barely keep my eyes open now. I am in our tent and the girls are asleep. I have so much more to say, but I am completely exhausted.
Before surgery...I try to comfort the 17 yr old boy. Sadly this is the patient we lost.
His femur fracture
One of our campfires
Dr. Wilkins
Another emergency...this little girl swallowed a needle
Today we pass the 48 hour mark for the earthquake scare. There is another aftershock today. I feel this one while laying on the roof in my tent. So far there have been aftershocks every day. I learn today that we are less than a mile from the epicenter. We are still sleeping in our tent on the roof at night. We feel safer there. The sky was so clear last night and the stars were beautiful. We stay up and talk for awhile. This morning we laugh a lot. Brenna, Shelly and I stand on the roof while the Haitians look up at us...."They are angels and they all look alike." hahaha I hope I never forget how funny we thought that was. :) I am off to work in the OR again today. A group of South African surgeons and a nurse have arrived. The OR runs smoothly today as the South Africans are able to help out with a lot of the surgeries. We also had the help of some RN's from Boston. They are amazing! I am really loving working with people all over the world.
Help from the South African Surgeons
OR crew
Some of the surgical procedures....
Monday, Jan. 25th
Today we open the OR. The morning goes really smoothly because we have the help of some Haitian nurses from the states. People are starting to get sick. Mostly diarrhea, some vomiting. Theresa, our nurse manager has to leave because she is so ill. The highlight of our morning is walking around the post op tent area handing out lollipops to the little kids. We leave the OR around 1 p.m. today and attempt to nap before rounds with the French. Tonight we will also cover the PACU until morning.
PACU- The 4 of us, plus Melissa work the PACU tonight. We decide to totally re-arrange and are super stoked about our baby station. Dr. Laura is so proud :) Tonight there are a lot of babies to care for. We attempt to educate a young mother who isn't feeding her baby. She tells us she will feed him in the morning. There is confusion among the Haitians regarding the IV fluids (serum). The mother is under the impression that the serum is food. Cassia explains to her that her baby will die if she doesn't feed him. This is not easy. Tonight we feed babies and work the tents. We finally get to our tent at 5 a.m. I have just fallen asleep when I am woken up by another aftershock. This one causes my legs to go numb and I grab Shelly. There are 5 aftershocks this a.m.
I loved this little guy
Bill - security, adopted dad
Working the tents
Tuesday, Jan. 26th
Today we go to the university, tent city and pediatric clinic. It is a nice change from the hospital. We hand out stickers and lollipops to the kids. I think it is therapeutic for us all. We work in the peds clinic all day. The line is long and it is extremely hot. The children chant "blanc, blanc, blanc" as we arrive with supplies. They are so happy to see us. Again we work the PACU through the night. We are all exhausted.
Some photos I took on the walk back to the university...
Stoked!
Brenna has not slept in over 24 hours, but she insists on washing our scrubs. Brenna, I love you!
Today is an emotional day because it will be our last full day in Haiti. We work the OR and train a group of new nurses that have arrived. We are so grateful to have them there. We pack and gather up all of our extra food to pass out to the patients and their families in the PACU. Since our arrival the patients have not been fed by the hospital. They are so grateful. We give away our clothes and shoes. They hug and kiss us. It feels really good. I break down while saying goodbye to a couple and their baby. I have helped care for their baby for the past few nights and have gotten close to the parents. Their reality hits me as I kiss the babies forehead. I sit on my knees and cry. The dad hugs me and Shelly comes and sits next to me. She crys too. We give the dad our email information and head to bed. We are physically and emotionally drained.
Thursday, Jan. 28th
We are leaving Haiti. I am sad, but ready. The 18 hour days are starting to catch up to me. After many hours of waiting we finally arrive at the airport. I feel extremely proud as we board the military plane bound for Orlando. When our wheels hit US soil I cry, Cassia and I hug. It is good to be home!
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