Haiti Update 2-26-2010

-Surgical Team 5 Update

-Fund raising – Canadian Style

-Canada Leaving-

Supplies 5 truck loads and fencing

Help with nursing – after they beat us in Hockey

It has been over a week since I last wrote and much has happened. I am presently back in Haiti – a travel story in itself – but I’ll write a series of updates to catch up. Please check out our new facility in Photo 11 by ND photographer Matt Cashore.

We will start with Surgical Team 5 and Paul Cabral. It is nice to hear from summary reflections as it gives the best picture of how the hospital is growing and maturing. Paul writes:

“So the week has ended and spending 18 hours a day working has left me sore feet, but energized. While there is a lot to be done, allot has been accomplished.

This week we performed 85 surgeries, saw hundreds of patients if not a thousand of patients.

We opened an inpatient adult ward where we hydrated patients overnight, treated infections with iv antibiotics and housed post op abdominal cases.

We had a 24 hour Ed where we fixed lacerations in the middle of might caused by fights or accidents.

We had a inpatient pediatric ward where we nursed preemie twins who delivered in a taxi on the way to the hospital and another who was dehydrated.

Obstetrically we delivered 6 children and performed 1 c section. Helped with a variety other needs.

Logistically ,completed the move of the surgical unit to the hospital, cleaned up the nursing school. Set up or and inpatient unit and minor procedure room. We turned Wal-Mart into central stores. We organized as much as we can. There is allot more to do.”

Fund Raising Events accomplishes 2 things – it obviously raises needed money to keep this program going but also keeps awareness of the ongoing needs in Haiti. Americans are used to quick fixes. We have a problem and want it fixed immediately and on to the next issue. Haiti will take years.

This week the Rochester Community came out in full force. Good friend and master chef Tony Gulace organized “Rochester and InterVol for Haiti” at the Memorial Art Gallery. Despite a blizzard, over 150 people turned out for an evening of gospel, soul and jazz music featuring the Campbell Brothers and various eating stations by the top chefs of Rochester. The event raised over 13,000.

The Canadian Military had set up a field hospital just on the outskirts of Leogane. The Canadian Military is responsible for this sector of Haiti. Over the past 6 weeks we have been working together both medically and on other community projects. The field hospital will be closing its’ doors in the next week (60 day mission finished). The staff decided to have a fund raiser to help a local orphanage that was destroyed by the quake – Canadian Style – hey! 4 hirsute soldiers from the medical unit were offered to the medical staff to have their whiskers cut by the highest bidder. Obviously they picked a bunch of GQ stud looking guys knowing that it would attract many of the many female soldier bidders who were only egged on by their male coworkers to bid higher. I believe the highest bid went for 190 dollars and that was US bucks. It was a painful but fun shave for the winner. (See photos 14-16)

Sean Farrell- aka “radar” (for those of you old enough to remember MASH) has been volunteering in Haiti for over 4 weeks. He has done a bit of everything but is responsible for developing a great relationship with the Canadians. This has resulted in 5 truck loads of medical supplies (see photo 18) delivered to our hospital include surgical and medical supplies, drugs and wood for a fence to built around the new hospital. Simply amazing – hey! In addition the Canadians have been sending over nurses (disparately needed) to help in our field hospital. We are greatly appreciative but noted they started coming the day after they beat us in the Olympic Hockey Finals – coincidence – I don’t think so – hey!

I have much more to come.

Ralph

PS For those who have been recently added to this update list, older updates and video are available at: