Haiti Mission Project
Loma Linda University School of Medicine Class of 2010
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Happy Valentines Day from Haiti
Posted on February 14th, 2010 No commentsWe have had a couple of slower days at the Hopital due to the national day (or 3 days) of mourning which was Friday Feb. 12th, one month after the initial earthquake. While patient load has been less there has been plenty of work to be done. We have received so many supplies in the last 3 days that we have filled our 4 supply rooms to capacity, and have started filling up the ramp again. We are still waiting for our shelves but are hopeful some will arrive this coming week.LLU Team 2 arrived on Friday night and includes:- Brock Cummings, MD Ortho Surgeon
- Everly Lafontant, MD Family Medicine
- Christa Chandy, MD Internal Medicine
- Brook Beck, RN
- Donna Pidder, RN
- Marc Julissme, RN
- Tim Hickman, Supplies & Facilities
While we are excited about each and every one of our volunteers, we are particularly excited about Brook, Christa, and Tim, who have committed to stay here with us for multiple months. Longer volunteer commitments really help us create continuity of service, something we desperately need around here.Things to look forward to this coming week:- A higher bandwidth Internet connection - Thank you ACTS & High Alert
- A second Autoclave - Thank you Hopeforce
- 3 more LLU Medical Students from the class of 2010
- The LLU/AHI Media Team
- The Maranatha Team of 6 along with their 6 structures to build on the property
- And all the other volunteers that will be heading our way
and now how bout some pics:
CURE Intl. Team 1 heads home
CURE Intl. Team 2 plays with the kids on their first day
A German helicopter lands in front of the ADRA warehouse to take aid supplies to remote camps
We have various accommodations here for our volunteer staff
More volunteer housing
The General Store - supplies left behind for others
The supply ramp full again. It was empty when I returned less than a week ago and now continues on like this another 30 or so feet around the corner.
The supplies are in the ramp because we have 4 supply rooms that look like this.Please pray for the people of Haiti, our volunteers here, and that we get some shelving this week.Thanks for reading. -
Numbers & Toys
Posted on February 12th, 2010 No commentsWell it's been a whirlwind couple of days here. Every night I say to myself tonight you're going to do a blog posting. Unfortunately that conversation usually occurs around 10:30 or 11PM. After a 16-17 hour work day, the pillow tends to overrule the keyboard. So tonight's posting is happening at 9:30PM but is still going to be brief.
Some of you reading the blog have already been here as volunteers and have asked for updates about what we are doing and what our current census is. Well here you go:
Report for yesterday Thursday 2/11/2010
431 New patient visits
57 Admissions
~250 Patients on site
~1000 Total number of people living on the hospital grounds
14 Surgical procedures performed in the indoor O.R.s (STS Graft, 4 ORIF humerus reductions, Hernia repair, Thyroidectomy, Laporotomy, anoplasty, Foot Flap, I&D Subscapular abscess, ORIF Tibia, Leg STSG, Femur ORIF)
8 -10 out-patient surgical procedures performed with IV sedation
And now for those of you who don't have a clue as to what those procedures are...
One of the fun parts of this job is the opportunity to hand deliver gifts from kids in the states to our patients. Here are a few of our kids here as the receive hand made cards from the LLUC Childrens division and a few toys from my boys.
Thank you all for your prayers and your support. -
Back at the Hopital
Posted on February 9th, 2010 No commentsI am back in Haiti at Hopital Adventiste d'Haiti. There have been many changes here while I was gone. Indeed as I had heard there is now water in the hospital's pipes 24/7. Actually we have too much water right now and the cistern is overflowing, but that should be solved in the morning with the installation of a flow control valve. We also have moved 25 patients back inside the building and our outdoor census is just a little over 200 patients. While we only have 225 patients our daily population on the hospital compound soars to over 1000 with patient family members and our volunteer staff. There is much more to tell but it is getting late and I am tired. Here are a few pics...
Dr. Nelson with a patient in a private room
Surgical transport picking up a patient from our indoor Pre-Op room
More indoor treatment rooms
Even an indoor Post-Op room now
We really need some shelving! -
Leaving this Saturday!
Posted on February 9th, 2010 No commentsThis Saturday Alfonso Duran (MSIV going into family), Daniel Patton (MSIV going into ortho), Cosmin Cosma, Michael Wolcott and myself will be leaving to the Santo Domingo. From there we will be meeting up with CURE international, and then traveling into Port-Au-Prince work out of our hospital! Word is that we will be busy and useful!
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Going back to Haiti
Posted on February 7th, 2010 No commentsI am writing this post from LAX while waiting to board a red-eye flight to Miami. From Miami I'll fly to the Dominican Republic where I will overnight at the Nelson home. Early Tuesday morning I will fly back into Port-au-Prince on board the same little yellow Piper Chieftan that got me out of Haiti last Tuesday. While my trip home was brief it was so good to see my family and enjoy a few moments of rest. To say I stopped working while I was home would be a farce. Keeping connected with the work at the hospital, gathering supplies, communicating with the various NGO's and military contacts in Haiti, conference calls, press interviews, and making sure the Florida team met their ride at the PaP airport kept me on the job even if I was in So. Cal.
While leaving my family again after such a short visit is heartbreaking, I am anxious to return to the Hospital and the work waiting for me there. I am carrying in two huge duffel bags filled with surgical supplies, many of which were requested just today. I am looking forward to seeing the progress on the central supply shelving, and the construction of the water main from the 60,000 gallon tank up at the university. I'll be sure to get pics of those soon. Reports from those on the ground at the hospital are of increased organization, and the movement of some patients back into the hospital.
Volunteers - We are thrilled to announce that we have teams of medical personnel scheduled to serve at HAH well into April. If you are interested in volunteering at HAH please visit the LLU Global Outreach website and fill out the volunteer form. LLU Global Outreach is coordinating the volunteer staff for HAH in partnership with Adventist Health International, CURE International, Florida Adventist Hospital, and Park Ridge Adventist Hospital. -
Heading home for a few days
Posted on February 3rd, 2010 No commentsI am writing this post at 35,000 ft above Louisiana. I am heading home for a few days rest, but am planning to return to Haiti and Hopital Adventiste d' Haiti early next week. Jason Wells from the Parkridge team has taken the reins in my absence and is doing an amazing job. The Parkridge team has their own blog that will provide updates until I return to Haiti at: http://parkridgeinhaiti.blogspot.com/
Getting out
Dr. Nelson, Dr. Archer and I made the decision that if I was going to return home, it was better for me to go quickly while Scott and Jason were there to help provide overlap of leadership, thus by mid-day on Monday we started making plans for me to return home. We left the hospital Monday night at 7:30PM for what I thought would be a routine run to the airport to hop a USAF flight out of Port-au-Prince. The USAF have been flying multiple flights a day back to the states for US citizens. This has been the best way out for many of our volunteers for the last week. Sunday night we made a similar run delivering DuWayne Carlson and had confirmation of his arrival in Florida early Monday morning. Upon arrival at the airport, I jumped out of the hospital ambulance said my good byes to Jason and Jim and walked the 300 meters to where I would meet the folks organizing the USAF flights. As I walked up to the I.C.E (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) I got a sick feeling in my stomach which was soon confirmed, NO MORE USAF FLIGHTS. I turned to see the hospital truck driving away in the distance. To say I was in a bad situation would be significant understatement. Not only were there no planned flights, they were no longer letting people into the airport secure area to wait or try and thumb a ride. My options were sleep the night on the curb, run about a mile down a dark and dangerous street to the other end of the airport where the truck was headed to pick up goods, or take a very scary taxi driver up on his offer to "help" me for $20. While I had some contacts written in my book in my backpack I had given my Haiti cell phone to Jason with all of the important contacts in it. I chose to take the western option, fall back on your trusty iPhone. Called Jerry in states, to get Jason's U.S. number... quickly tried to call Jason who was in the truck, no luck. Who else to call? How about email... Jean-Marc, Scott's ultra resourceful french friend here in Haiti, no phone # for Jean-Marc... wait, there, it's the hospital truck driving on the other side of the airport fence... wave the iPhone they might see the light... PRAY... Yes, the truck is slowing... the truck turns my way. While incredibly thankful to not have to spend the night on the ground at the airport curb, I was sooooo bummed. The drive back to the hospital was a solemn one as I considered that my next possible return home would not come until the 20th of February. I got back to the hospital slipped a note under Scott's door telling him I was still there and went to bed.
6AM Tuesday morning Scott knocked on my door, said pack your bags we're getting you home one way or another. "bags" well that was kinda funny since all of my stuff other than my laptop and the clothes I had worn the day before were locked in his room. I grabbed my backpack and we were off. A stop off at the community hospital and a quick call to CURE international and my hope was restored. CURE had a small charter flight of major donors in the air coming from the D.R. that I and two other CURE surgeons might be able to get on to return to the D.R. We jumped back in the car and raced (through horrendous Haiti traffic) to the airport. The procedures at the PAP airport are a new deal everyday you go. Knowing that the plane coming in was small, and that all small international arrivals had been coming to the General Aviation ramp that is where we went to meet it. The plane was supposed to arrive at 9:30 and we made it with 1 min to spare, but there was no plane. By 9:45 we started to get nervous and decided that one of the team had better head to the other part of the airport to see if the plane was there. 10 minutes later he came racing back waving his arms and yelling to get in the truck as the plane was loaded with other passengers and was getting ready to leave. We raced through the international terminal with various security and people wondering what we were doing but we didn't care, got our passports stamped and ran out on the tarmac and into our little plane. 1 hour later we were on the ground in Santo Domingo headed to the CURE hospital for a bite to eat and then to the International airport for flights to the states. An overnight in Florida, I'm currently over Dallas soon to be in landing in Los Angeles. If you see me, take a wide berth, I'm in the same clothes I had on Monday night when I started trying to come home.
Please continue your prayers for our work at the hospital. The situation there continues to be very dynamic, tenuous, dire, and very stressful. I believe we are making a difference there now and can do great things in the future. As always, please continue to give via the donate now button at the top of the page as this is truly the best way you can help the people of Haiti now and for the long term.
And now for some long overdue pictures
(Photo credit: Jason Wells)
The Old SDA Church at the University
The Nelsons in front of the bakery at the university
The new PEDS unit
His only toy
Sharing pictures of my boys with my little friends
A vendor in the Ally behind the hospital
The very hot and humid hospital kitchen
Non-functional hospital laundry
Functional hospital laundry
Heading home
Our ride out of Haiti -
Sorry…
Posted on February 1st, 2010 No commentsSorry folks but I've been too busy to even think about the blog. We were without Internet for quite a while today thus had lots of messages to catch up on. Will try and get some pics and text up tomorrow. I miss you all and thank you for your continued support. -
The US Armed Forces at HAH
Posted on January 29th, 2010 No commentsUS Ambassador Thomas Merten sent in the troops today. When the ambassador visited Hopital Adventiste d' Haiti on Wednesday, I asked him for two things a structural inspection of the hospital and bottled water. Well, today just as I was heading to the airport to pick up the Parkridge surgical team, up walked 3 U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to do a full inspection of the facility. While I do not have their final written report, I am happy to report that they say the entire building is safe to occupy and they would allow their own mothers to sleep here in the hospital. This is very encouraging and comforting news.
The USACE Team
While the USACE team was inspecting the building two huge U.S. Marine transport trucks arrived, one full of bottled water and one full of food (MREs). This was a serious boost for our morale as we now have food and water for everyone on the hospital grounds for at least a week.
I said BIG trucks, full of food and water
A long line of volunteer help to move the MREs and water into the hospitalIt's hard to believe that it was only 7 days ago that we were moving our patients out of the hospital for fear of significant structural damage to the southwest wing, what a difference a week makes. By the way, the Parkridge team is here safe and sound and were already in the O.R. doing cases this afternoon. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support of our mission here at Hopital Adventiste d' Haiti.
Parkridge team leaving Ft. Pierce FL for Port-au-Prince HaitiScroll down for pictures of the 6 babies born here at HAH last night. -
1/2 a dozen + babies born last night
Posted on January 29th, 2010 No commentsJust a quick update this morning.
Our volunteer team from the Southeastern Florida conference worked through the night and I am happy to report that we have seven newborn babies this morning. All mothers and babies are healthy and recovering well. I will post pictures of our newest little ones this evening. Please keep us in your prayers today as we have lots of work to do.
Apparently there were 7 but these were the 6 available for pictures this morning. -
Kids, Facilities, and Departures
Posted on January 28th, 2010 No commentsVery busy the last 36 hours but here are a few pics:
Melissa Gregorius Plays with the kids just before departure.
Dr. Mufa shows the wee ones the iPhone
A post-op patient and his family playing cards
Volunteers digging our 8 new latrine ditches
Clearing for our new USAID water treatment plant (visible in the background)
Kay Wilkens (Univ. Texas), The Jobes, Melissa Gregorius on departure day.
The surgical nurse team and Dr. Jesse head home (Myself & Joe Kim LLUSM 2010 on the right)
My roommate who shows himself every once in a while
Again... there are so many people and groups wanting to volunteer their time and skills here at HAH that we have had to setup a management group stateside simply to orchestrate the volunteer groups. We have asked that all volunteers or groups of volunteers wishing to serve here to please contact the LLU Global Health Institute prior to making travel plans. Haiti is going to need volunteer help for a very long time and we will need each of you at some point, just not all at once. Thanks.
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