It has been a few days since returning to Rochester. InterVol/ND team 3 is doing very well. Working along with the WWV (World Wide Viallge)/Uni of Iowa docs (who are also rotating teams of docs/nurses) they continue to see over 100 patients per day and perform 10-15 operations per day and 2-3 deliveries per day and c-sections. All fairly amazing since they are still operating out of make shift facilities. One good note – one of the new docs brought an electorcautery unit. This one machine will greatly expand our surgical capabilities allowing us to do more complex procedures and cut down on some the operating times.
I have started to refer to the two rotating teams InterVol/ND and WWV/Uni of Iowa. This is to keep logistics simple as we coordinate travel groups. Many docs are from other areas and hook up with these 2 groups. All efforts are greatly appreciated and these groups are not restricted. Quite the opposite – we welcome all. As a matter of fact Marty Dineen -full time urologist, recent grad of LSTH Plastic Residency program is now trying to be the “Poet Laureate” of the LSTH. He wrote an ad which I modified slightly that we can use to get more docs as we look to fill the spots for the next 4-6 months:
Dear Fellow Doctor,
Are you doing anything next week? You have been looking a
little run down lately and need a break. What would you say to putting
your entire life on hold, canceling your office and coming here to
Haiti. Most of the world has no clue or won’t believe you as to what it
costs you to do something this crazy BUT I can promise you only what
will probably have been the most rewarding -devastating-eye-opening-life
changing experience of my life.
I know this is short notice, but I only got
about 48 hours notice myself — you could come to Santiago Friday or
Saturday night out of Miami and we could probably get you into Jacmel,
Haiti from there and we would pick you up there and drive you here to
Leogane. You would be a “guest” at the Notre Dame Filariasis
Residence. (Complete with your own chance to catch filariasis, dengue
fever, malaria, etc.)
You’ll go home sweaty and exhausted but no nurse
will tell you your H&P isn’t done, you haven’t marked which side you are
operating on, you didn’t dictate your op note and you don’t have to
worry about any lawyers. Just a group of incredibly grateful and strong
people who have nothing but an amazing faith, a will to live, and
literally the cloth on their back. They live in tents and little huts
made of corrugated metal and wood pulled from the rubble. Besides it
will give you a chance to brush up on your Creole. We have amazing
people on the ground in the US who are able to help you get here to us.
We need you now and in the next few months. Please help!
Sincerely…….
I couldn’t sum it up any better.
I want to thank the current InterVol/ND team 3 group for giving their time on very short notice. Most had to cancel work, patients and family activities. I can tell you that your patients are proud to have doctors who give, and our institutions – Rochester General Hospital and all its affiliates- has rallied behind you and continue to support us both emotionally, financially and with great pride. These folks include:
Bruce Kleene – anesthesiolgy
Bob Young – anesthesiology
Tim O’Connor – Plastic Surgery
Rocco Perrone – Plastic Surgery Resident under the Plastic Surgery Group of Rochester
Gloria Berent – operating room nurse
Ann Marie Blanchard – PA Ob/Gyn
The next team leaves on 2-11 from Buffalo and will arrive 2-12. Since the Leogane International is closed, they will fly to Jacmel and ND folks will pick them up and transport to Leogane. More to come on this group later.
Ralph
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