Notes from the Field

Reposted with permission from
Caritas Christi Relief Efforts

Tuesday, February 2nd
Betsy Cobb, PT from Saint Elizabeth Medical Center

Day 3 has been long but very rewarding. Dina and I worked from 8A to 7P with an hour for lunch/recharge. We eyeballed pretty much all the patients in the new hospital (around 100 to 120 people) and physically saw 40+, ranging from people with arm or leg amputations (some people with multiple amps), fractures of arms and legs, and pelvic fractures, people who are now paraplegic, and crush injuries (no broken bones, but their nerves and muscles are severely damaged). There is a pediatric unit that another PT is at that has approx 40 kids, an ICU with 6 patients, and the ED which is ever growing, now has more than 100 people in it now that 2 other PTs are at. The whole hospital census is up to 300, and we expected to get 30-40 new patients tomorrow by helicopter.

The doctors in charge say they are capping the census at 400 once the 6 field hospitals are fully up and running.

We are quite tired but it is so amazing how grateful these people are for anything you do for them.

And the community has really rallied around the patient, feeding them, bathing them and providing clothes for them, when they themselves have so little. Many patients are here alone, but you would never know it since there is always someone sitting next to them, caring for them.

Here is a picture of what room b of the new hospital looks like. There are about 30 women in this room. Almost all of them have at least one family member, and the rooms are approx 60 ft x 30 ft. People are on mats on the floor or cots and have a foot or less of space between them.



There are some very sad parts of the day, like when we need to help the wound care team roll a patient who is paralyzed so they can clean the three large wounds she has on her side and bottom because she has just been laying still for 2 weeks. Her prognosis is poor because the type of care she needs just doesn't exist here.

But there are also a lot of bright points in the day, like when one patient cheers on another while they try and walk for the first time after they had their leg amputated, or someone is finally able to walk out into the fresh air for the first time since they arrived at our hospital 2 weeks ago.

In the past few days I have definitely noticed more people outside the wards during the day walking around with their crutches or getting pushed in wheelchairs. In the women’s rooms, there has been hair braiding, and I even saw some girls getting manicures and pedicures.

People appear to understand now that just because they can move around doesn't mean they will get kicked out, and are being proactive in trying to regain their mobility and maintain their health. I can't even fathom what these people will do for work, everyone in Haiti was some sort of laborer before the earthquake, now many of them are missing limbs.

It's amazing the type of care that we take for granted in the US.
On a side note, I had goat for lunch, and I believe also for dinner. Turns out it was quite tasty!

Crutch training begins

Tuesday, February 2nd
John Arcuri

These photos were taken during a medical relief mission in January from the 20th thru 28th in Milot, Haiti about 70 miles north of Port au Prince where it is believed almost 200,000 people perished in one of the most devastating earthquakes in history. Most of the pictures are taken in Haiti at the Hopital Sacre Coeur which is supported by CRUDEM (website crudem.org) and show the hospital expanding from 73 beds to over 300 beds in a matter of days. I met many wonderful people including the Hatian people who were incredibly caring of their fellow Haitians.

I saw many horrific injuries, compounded by the fact that treatment was delayed by many days after the event. The injuries were long bone fractures, many of them open, severe pelvic fractures, spinal cord injuries with paraplegia, nerve injuries from prolonged compression, gangrenous limbs requiring amputation, deep, infected wounds, renal failure from crushed muscles, tetanus among many others.

The people were stoic and grateful for the care we were able to provide, in many cases because of lack of basic infrastructure markedly different from American hospital care.
Life has changed for many there, and the problems will continue as long term care, rehab and prosthetics are non-existent. We discharged very few from the hospital because they had no place to go-they were orphans in their own country.







Caritas Christi has purchased and shipped down several MASH-style tents, self-contained hospital wards which will house additional patients. Images of the tents as they went up can be seen below:





Friday, January 29

We live in a different world. We expect all will be well and healthy and we can accomplish all things. That is not the real world in Haiti. There is pain and suffering and death. We can’t fix it all but if what we do relieves some pain, calms some fear, saves a limb or maybe even a life it was worth the trip.

What we have seen and done in this past week will not fade from our memories a week or a month when our concerns are more inwardly focused and selfish. I hope we have brought back home in our minds and remember what is still here, what will not go away and what we will never forget. We are so blessed and so obligated to share those blessings. Kevin O’Donnell, MD.

One of the most remarkable things I saw while here was how a group of so many people could come together from all over the US and work with each other so well. In such a desperate situation, things could have gone hopelessly wrong, and yet things have miraculously gone very well. Diane Koch, OR scrub and materials.

It has been an amazing experience to be part of the Caritas Christi team here in Haiti. We literally hit the ground running and within minutes of landing, every member of the team was deeply involved in the management and care of hundreds of seriously injured patients. As the days evolved, the team, working well with teams from other parts of the country, developed an impressive system of patient care. It has been an exhausting and at times heart wrenching experience, but I am very proud of the performance of every member of the Caritas team. They truly stepped up and delivered when needed. Rocco Cioccia, MD, Chief of Vascular Surgery, Saint Elizabeth Medical Center.

My experience in Haiti will stay with me forever. The poverty and degree of human suffering was staggering! Yet, patients were so grateful for anything that was done for them. Although exhausted, I go to bed at night knowing I really made a difference. I’m glad I had this opportunity to help all these people. Matt Casey, PA, Carney Hospital.

I cannot ever express my gratitude to the Caritas Christi team from CEO on down for this amazing effort to help this proud, poor and now damaged people. You should see the industriousness of these people. Teenagers in Red Cross vests racing to the copters for patients bent over. Teams of local and dispossessed women arrive en masse and start at room one undressing and washing and feeding ALL the patients. Volunteer translators run from doc to nurse helping. Father James and local ministers comfort the sick, the dying and the families.

One can only imagine what the Haitian people could actually accomplish if given half a chance. Hopefully the world will afford them this chance.Tom Curran, RN, Good Samaritan Hospital