I must say it has been interesting-this first time blog. Hope it wasn't too boring for you. Just trying to give everyone a little taste of this news making spot from a ground up approach.
I realize looking at NY Times online that it has kind of fallen off the front pages which was expected. I have seen things only get worse since I arrived.
People are down , I think. At least in Cayes with more people displaced here most supplies are generally more expensive and people are getting weary trying to take care of their families as well as extended families. The Times tries to make feel good stories out of some situations but they LIE. Not too many folks here are feelin' good.
I have seen a great deal of pathology in kids and adults and have taken many photos of these problems. Everyone I have asked to allow me to take pictures of themselves or their kids have been more than gracious in allowing me. For this I thank the Haitian people. The volunteers down here during my stay(from all over U.S.) have been superb in trying to get things done. The staff at ESPWA are "Crazy Dedicated" to this place and making it better for the over 800 kids here. The good thing to acknowledge is that most of the staff are Haitians
How about one more tear jerker story b4 I sign off for the night.
Into clinic today comes this nicely dressed Haitian women with a 6 month old baby.
Babe was covered with a light blanket at first so I didn't get much of a look at him.
Seems he has had a cold and a little diarrhea past few days and she wanted to have him checked out.....And oh by the way "is there anyway you could help me get him to the U.S. for his operation that he needs".
Well that perked me up a little and I started taking his blanket off for a better look. After many years in the pediatric trenches I had never seen a baby devasted by bilateral congenital glaucoma. He had a monstously swollen right eye that he could hardly close his lids over. This globe had an area that appeared to be pointing like a giant pimple. The cornea was completely scarred over. The left eye when he opened it was smaller with a complete corneal scar (kind of like Michael Jackson in one of his old Thriller videos when he used yellow contacts)
Seems his mom was 42 years old and had been trying for a babe for 11 years. This was her first baby. He had been seen at Brenda Hospital in town which if you can believe it is a very well known Eye & Ear hospital here. It is run by Belgians and they do cases from all over the country. She saw them in December and was scheduled for surgery in January. The earthquake hit and Hospital Brenda was turned into an Orthopedic field hospital and even now still is and is not doing eye surgery.
Not really aware of the involvement from birth but in the U.S. this kid would have had eye surgery on the 2nd day of life with the possibility of saving some vision in left eye
Instead he ends up as "collateral damage" from the earthquake
That should mess up everyone's maternal & paternal instincts for the night..bye..nase
I realize looking at NY Times online that it has kind of fallen off the front pages which was expected. I have seen things only get worse since I arrived.
People are down , I think. At least in Cayes with more people displaced here most supplies are generally more expensive and people are getting weary trying to take care of their families as well as extended families. The Times tries to make feel good stories out of some situations but they LIE. Not too many folks here are feelin' good.
I have seen a great deal of pathology in kids and adults and have taken many photos of these problems. Everyone I have asked to allow me to take pictures of themselves or their kids have been more than gracious in allowing me. For this I thank the Haitian people. The volunteers down here during my stay(from all over U.S.) have been superb in trying to get things done. The staff at ESPWA are "Crazy Dedicated" to this place and making it better for the over 800 kids here. The good thing to acknowledge is that most of the staff are Haitians
How about one more tear jerker story b4 I sign off for the night.
Into clinic today comes this nicely dressed Haitian women with a 6 month old baby.
Babe was covered with a light blanket at first so I didn't get much of a look at him.
Seems he has had a cold and a little diarrhea past few days and she wanted to have him checked out.....And oh by the way "is there anyway you could help me get him to the U.S. for his operation that he needs".
Well that perked me up a little and I started taking his blanket off for a better look. After many years in the pediatric trenches I had never seen a baby devasted by bilateral congenital glaucoma. He had a monstously swollen right eye that he could hardly close his lids over. This globe had an area that appeared to be pointing like a giant pimple. The cornea was completely scarred over. The left eye when he opened it was smaller with a complete corneal scar (kind of like Michael Jackson in one of his old Thriller videos when he used yellow contacts)
Seems his mom was 42 years old and had been trying for a babe for 11 years. This was her first baby. He had been seen at Brenda Hospital in town which if you can believe it is a very well known Eye & Ear hospital here. It is run by Belgians and they do cases from all over the country. She saw them in December and was scheduled for surgery in January. The earthquake hit and Hospital Brenda was turned into an Orthopedic field hospital and even now still is and is not doing eye surgery.
Not really aware of the involvement from birth but in the U.S. this kid would have had eye surgery on the 2nd day of life with the possibility of saving some vision in left eye
Instead he ends up as "collateral damage" from the earthquake
That should mess up everyone's maternal & paternal instincts for the night..bye..nase
Hi Papa J!
ReplyDeleteI hope all your travel arrangements go smoothly. Thanks for the blog~ I hope you do it every time, every country!
love, love, love you!!
Pence