Integration

We started our day with the entire group making rounds on the ward with the residents and doing a few dressing changes. We saw a 14 year old boy with an upper arm break with exposed bone and not much meat around it for support. Probably will end up with an amputation. Never made a peep during his dressing change and smiled with gratitude when he received a piece of gum. (compliments of Joanne). The team then split up for the day. March, Marietta, and Joanne stayed on the ward to help with dressing changes and tried to integrate with the staff. Patients were very grateful to have us there with our bags of supplies. We saw things that you would never see on a regular floor back in the U.S. Very open wounds and exposed tendons and bones. 2 really bad burns that we had to change. The pain for them was almost unbearable, as you can imagine without any medicine on board. Once completed they all said thank you and were happily strolling the ward proud of their new dressings. We left their feeling accomplished that we had contributed to the effort of healing today.

Matt,Linda, Brad, and Jay (who turned 18 years old today in Haiti), took a trip to UK Baptist hospital outside of Milo to see 6 quadriplegic patients who had been transferred their for "rehab" from Milo. The original intent of this new facility before the earthquake was pediatrics and maternity. In light of the recent events they had to change their mission. 2 british nurses are caring for the quadriplegic patients with large traumatic wounds; none of them will ever walk again. We may have to return their to close some of the wounds; if so, we will make a makeshift operating room out of one of their rooms.

The team then returned to Justinian hospital to meet with the orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Pierre-Louis to round on all of the orthepedic patients. The team is trying to build a relationship between Haitian and American orthopedic surgeons in the hopes of building a lasting program. It is sensitive ground and Matt carefully crafted his words so that it was truly a collaboration between 2 specialists with very different backgrounds. Matt made it clear that we are here to learn from them and help them build a sustainable orthopaedic program and system.

As a result of the rounds today there are 12 patients on the list for the OR rooms this week.

We have a good plan for the next few days and hope to continue making progress. We are now being called to dinner, which is very important since there is no lunch. This is difficult for some of us. No names need to be mentioned.....

Our plan is to attach some pictures over the next day or two.

Again, love to all.

With spirit, The OA Haiti Team.