Time to smell the roses

It's been very refreshing the last few days to literally have time to smell the roses!  After 2 months of what seemed an extreme amount of emergencies and births, we're getting a little break.  I'm sure the hospital room will be full again soon enough, but for now we'll enjoy the opportunity to visit friends or get some things done around home.  

I know this isn't clinic, but I felt like sharing it anyway!  

The bud. . .

Then the flower! 

This was actually a rose sent down from the States for my birthday--color especially chosen!  I've sure been enjoying it.  Thanks, Elissa!  

Red Eye Reduction

This afternoon the nurses were summoned to the clinic to check out a little boy who was complaining about a bad cough and bloodshot eyes. His mother said he had the cough for a long time and had been coughing up some blood- now, however, the blood "moved into his eyes" she said. 

The poor little guy looked worn out and tired. His attitude was very good though!

You can see how severely bloodshot his eyes are!

His cough had been so bad over the last few days that he had burst blood vessels in his eyes and face- 

amazingly enough (though it looks really bad) he wasn't suffering from too much pain.

After the physical examination, Katie gave them medications for his cough

-and some candy!

In a few weeks his eyes will return to normal and he should make a full recovery!

I suppose this could call this "red eye reduction"!

Apparently his mother had a similar condition, because one of her eyes was bloodshot also.

She was pretty much over the sickness, so she didn't need any medications.

They went happily on their way, with the promise to return next Friday for a checkup...

A Glimpse into the life of Miss Katie

 ...A fresh new morning after the rain with an invigorating breeze... AND a big mug of Dominican coffee. Just what I needed after making it to my pillow sometime in the wee hours of the morning. My last week has been full of blood pressure and bandage patients and BABIES. My limited creole vocabulary is being stretched to the max as I try to explain to all the inquisitve elderly folk why they shouldn't consume huge amounts of salt or drink coffee with an elevated BP...ect. I love caring for my daily bandage patients...even if my 'head boy' insists on grabbing a syringe and spraying me with iodine or hides the sterile packing under the exam table. :)


 Last night I hurried down to the clinic to assist Anita in another birth. Poor Mama worked hard and long, but delivered a beautiful little girl around midnight with all 10 fingers and 10 toes intact. :) The miracle of every new little life never ceases to amaze me.

Sweet baby girl

This morning I kinda drug myself out of bed...just in time to hear a rapid knock on the door asking for a nurse to come help another girl in labor. I hurried through the clinic gate and sure enough...baby was coming and FAST. I flew into action grabbing supplies and getting her on the exam table. Praise God for Miss Leda, who came in the door at just the right time to help deliver baby # 4 in 5 days...a chubby little fellow with big eyes. I love to look into their wrinkled little faces and welcome them into the world.




                          One of the precious little babies on the milk program.

             A feverish little guy who wrapped his arms around my neck...and my heart.

 
                                           At my blood pressure desk.

                                     A man with a deep neck abscess.

Exciting Saturday

Saturday seemed to start plenty early for the nurses as we visited the clinic first at 1 am and then 4:30 to check on our lady in labor.  After our 4:30 check, we decided we needed stay at the clinic so we settled ourselves in the nurses' room where there is a bed for the nurse on call.  

It was a 2nd time mom, and it was also the first child's 4th birthday!  Just before 7 am a little boy was born.  I told them he was his brother's birthday gift.  

Their house was near by so they soon headed off for home with their little bundle.  

Mama, Daddy, and Baby

A tired but happy nurse

Saturday was Mis Joselaine's day on call, and I was glad for that so we could go home and rest.  I crashed into bed soon after I got home, and was soon sound asleep.  Around 11:30 or 12 I got a call on the radio that Mis Joselaine needed help.  The last thing I felt up to was dragging myself out of bed and back down to the clinic, but I didn't have much choice.  

Upon arrival I found another lady in labor, but this was a first-time mom.  She was hemorrhaging when she came in.  I don't know how badly as I wasn't there to see.  So the situation was a lady hemorrhaging, in labor, and according to her dates she was only 7 months along.  It looked a bit grave for mama and baby, but trusting God for grace and wisdom, I set to work.  

There were a lot of things that needed done all at once--an IV started on mom, oxygen and suction prepped in case we needed it for baby, and mama closely monitored.  Katie started working to get the IV running.  I called for Megan to come down to prep oxygen and suction, and I stuck with mom.  

As I got totally engrossed in the emergencies at hand, I forget that I hadn't eaten anything after working half the night, and by now it was afternoon.  Suddenly the reality hit me when a strange feeling surged over me, that told me I was near fainting.  I started praying, and also asked the nurses to get me glucose (sugar) tablets and water as well as a chair to sit on.  You can just imagine the scene.  There I was with my gloves on, looking whiter than a sheet, just pleading with God not to let me faint then!  I've never been that near fainting without my vision going blurry, but it didn't.  After a little I knew I was over the worst.  Praise the Lord!

Not too long after that the baby was born.  To my relief it was obvious that it wasn't 2 months premature.  Another little boy, but he wasn't vigorous.  There was also meconium staining in the fluid so we did give him blow-by oxygen for a short time until he was headed in the right direction.

It was another one of those times when disaster seemed inevitable, but God had mercy!

Mis Katie, Mis Anita, and Mis Joselaine with baby boy # 2

Surely by now we had enough excitement for one Saturday and would have a quiet afternoon--or what was left of it. . . not so. . .  It wasn't long before dark that two young men showed up at the gate looking rather gruesome--nearly covered in blood.  

The first report was that they had been attacked by a pack of bandits, but the story seemed a bit fishy. At any rate, guilty or innocent they needed help.  One had only minor cuts, but the other had two major injuries.  He had a huge gash in his head which penetrated the skull and a nasty cut on his arm.  The one on his arm had a bone chip hanging out of the wound still attached to tissue.  After a quick assessment, it was very clear that the second one definitely needed further care than what we could give him here and quickly too.  We did minor cleaning and wrapped up the wounds, gave IV and oral fluid and soon had them loaded up and on there way to Leogane or Port au Prince.  

It was Steve and Michael who took them out.  By the time they left here it was 9:30 pm or so.  Because of the head injury, the hospital in Leogane wouldn't take them so they went on to the hospital on this side of Port.  That hospital gives very good care so he at least has a good chance of recovery.  

A quick peek at the head injury. . . 

and cut in the arm

Notice the white in the left side of the wound, that's the bone chip.  

We found out the next day that the fellow who was in worst shape used to be part of this group of bandits and left them.  He came to the area for a funeral, and when he was leaving they attacked him.  It was only the grace of God that he escaped with his life.  

Sad and Happy Stories

Like most anything there is the fun and undesirable, the pleasant and unpleasant, the sad and happy.   This post involves both.  (I hope you're not getting tired of baby stories because I have more of them.) 

Baby who's mother died--held by her uncle

Do you remember the 4 tiny babies that we had at the clinic about 3 weeks ago?  Well, the one in the picture above is one of them.  Her mom was the one that was very sick, and we ended up taking her out to T-Goave.  The mother died about 1 1/2 weeks after she left here.  This week the lady's brother came back with the baby, and we put her on the Nourishing the Needy milk program.  The baby is doing well, but it's so sad that Mama didn't make it.  

Here are the twins--Deyei and Deunia

They are around 2 months old now.  Deyei is actually starting to look fat, and Deunia is looking good too.  I was so happy to see them again this week.  

Baby and "New Mom"

This case really blessed me!  There are so many malnourished children or tiny babies who lose their mom and need milk.  Formula is expensive so they often come in fed on tea and or sugar water.  It's expensive for us to buy the formula too, and we don't have enough so I'm pretty reluctant to put another mouth on the Nourishing the Needy milk program.  Well, this twenty day old baby was brought in whose mother had died, and they said a relative had nursed the baby some.  I asked if she would continue caring for it.  They didn't think she would.  Her baby was about 19 months and ready to be weaned.  I gave them just a little milk and told them to have the lady who had nursed it come to see me--not really expecting that she would.  

When the lady came with the baby a day or two later, I was hopeful.  I tried to explain that it would really be good if she could take care of the baby.  She didn't seem very willing at first.  I plead with her saying that the baby had no mother now, and we all needed to help.  To my surprise she agreed.  I told them that I still wanted them to come for checkups and I'd take care of giving the baby meds when needed.  Her willingness to help when I'm sure they know that I could have given them milk really blessed me! 

Here is a follow-up on the "head guy", Frisnel

Frisnel with a dull look in his eyes

I was gone over the time Frisnel got saved, but when I came back I quickly noticed the change in his countenance.  

This week now we started letting him go home and return each morning for bandaging.  It's a thrill to see his smiling face when he comes for bandaging.  

(For some who may have known Obes, Frisnel is a grandson of his.)

A much happier young man

More help!!!!! New born!!!!! Update!!!!!

"Anita! Is that you?" I was tempted to breathe a sigh of relief, seeing that the head nurse was home again. And, of course, there was a lady who was in labor, waiting, too. Maybe she was breathing a sigh of relief, too!
    But, then Anita said,"Are you delivering this baby?" So I sucked my breath back in again and continued praying.
    And the baby came, with a cord around his neck...and, thankfully, Anita didn't leave me in my hour of need. She stepped me right through everything, and gave a helping glove or two when I needed it.
    It was about midnight when we left for home. That was how Monday started. Blue. Because it was a boy.
     And then, another happy thing came. Remember the premie baby that came a few weeks ago? He is twenty days old now. I had given him up for dead. Not that I wanted to. I was afraid to hope for anything more than that. He had an appointment that they never showed up for. And with as fragile and frail as he was, I didn't trust it.
    But here he came. He was round-faced and so cute. Little old poochy lips, like his mom. And what a grinning, hugging reunion all the nurses had with them. And the dear old grammy was almost in tears.
    Then she told us she had been sick. But she did not make a dossier for herself. She said, "I don't have money." She made a dossier for the baby, so that he could get meds, but not for herself. I was so touched. Mis Anita said I was allowed to give her some meds for her cough and insomnia, too.
    That is enough to make up for the long hours of feeding that baby when I wanted to be home, relaxing myself or sleeping. That little fellow was just eating away like a pro. He still hasn't gained a lot of weight, but he is looking like he is headed in the right direction.
    And the dear little mama, who is mentally handicapped,  just smiles when I tell her that the baby is beautiful. Because I mean it. They blessed me. They reminded me of why I came to Haiti in the first place...

The mentally handi-capped mom, grandma and myself.

Such a joy to hold the baby and seeing that it's growing and getting enough food.

Serving

   Good day to all you dear folks out there, that faithfully pray and support us here as we serve the many needs.
   The business and constant load of the last few days have left me totally exhausted and drained, being able to sleep is a dream that is always "almost ready to come true"!!!!! Just as soon as I want to catch a quick nap, bang bang bang, goes the rock on the gate, another person asking for something, so of I go, I do have to share that I have strength to keep going that's not of myself, and I can say that about the rest of us here this week, being short staffed is not a small thing, especially when we all don't know the language well.
   Monday morning was very muddy, still raining on and off, but people came in droves to the clinic, I believe there were around 75 that came through, so I spent most of my time there helping out, some of the workers weren't there. In the meantime I was getting Stev's bobcat ready to take a lady with eclampsia to town as soon as clinic was out, so Miss Leida and myself left around 2:30 to slip and slide to town with our patient, it's interesting how rough the road is again now with all the rain, the dirt washes out between the rocks and only rocks and ravines are left, so it's a lot slower going again. Also I never quite get used to the moans and groans of the sick person, often times its exaggerated, apparently it's the culture, but I would quickly ask them, ou bien? (you well?) and they would say, "wi wi". (yes yes). Then they'd be totally quiet for a few minutes till they forget that they're well, then of they would go again.
   2 days ago, (Tuesday) was a slower day because people are at the market and then some tend to trickle in after lunch, just before clinic is out, so the day wasn't going to bad, but after 3 I took some school food, picked the "head guy" up, because he said he was bored, and drove up to Madame Pastors house with the school food, as I backed up to the house I noticed a gathering of people who were looking at an older lady sitting on a chair, I unloaded and then went to look and beheld a "broken wrist", so I radioed home, and we took her to clinic, Miss Leida said to get ready to take her to town. So of I cruised with her and her caretaker again, got to the hospital and the guard told me, "no way, we can't take her, take her to Laogone", of course it's dark, 7 o clock by now, and no Steve to call for advice, so I secretly pushed through the crowd and somehow entered the hospital where I found doctor Felix, he is Direks son, Direk works in the clinic, he is around my age, and I also found Dr. Edgar also a young doctor, both were nice and exclaimed that I was their friend, and that they appreciated what we did here in the mountains, (they've both been here already at different times) Dr, Edgar knew English well, so I told him whats going on and he said, "bring her in". I didn't dare get hopes up because nothing ever goes easy here, and sure enough nothing did, the lady told us before we left home that she had money and could pay for everything, so I didn't bring nothing with, just some personal money, so I called Pastor Levy and between the two of us, we finally scraped enough together, to pay for x-rays, pain meds, injections, cast etc etc etc. (Her money suddenly wasn't anymore, not sure how it disappears so quickly, maybe on the rough trail!!!!!!!!!!!!) So by the time we left the hospital it was around 9:30 PM.
   Just to add, this lady was even more funny then any I had taken in before, she was moaning loudly and no amount of distraction from me stopped her, she did have pain though, but I noticed that every time she seen someone about 100 feet in front of us she would shut her eyes, lift her broken hand high in the air for all to see, and just howl as loud as she could, and then when we were past the people on the road, the howling turned to moans and the hand descended and her eyes popped open and she was watching for the next set of people walking along the road!!!!!!!!!! Finally I signed and wandered for her to sing instead of howl, and she took it up, she sang in Creole, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus, I certainly agreed and sang with her in English. Ended up being refreshed!!! :)
   I was quite hungry, been running since breakfast time, Pastor Levy took me to his house for a quick bite, and then discussed whether I should go home because only the girls were home, the tires on the bobcat are bad, and having had to stop to fix tires and keep pumping them up on way in, we decided it's safest to stay at Darv's for the night and come up next day. Levy phoned Pastor Jeera and Claudney and told them to keep and eye on the mission and check things out. So I went to Darv's for the night being at peace.
   Next morning, I picked up the wrist lady and Levy took grandpas bobcat and we brought up all the med's for clinic. After running steady to get demands filled for everyone once I got home, we went to orphanage for supper and playing some games, and then came home to "finally" sleep, but that wasn't to be, a lady came knocking at 9:30, she was in labor, although not far enough that anyone had to stay there for the night. But eventually we got to bed, AND I SLEPT GOOD, (oops, I forgot that hardly ever things go as planned here)!!!  till 3 rats decided they can't sleep and needed to fight, so I spent 2 hours chasing rats, what a nightmare, they had the guts to run the whole length of the cement rod that runs through my room while I had the light on and and throwing shoes at them, and as you are probably imagining it, I DID LOOSE, they are mocking me this morning, they seem well rested and climbing a conduit pipe not 5 feet from me as I'm typing this. And I sit and stare tiredly at the 5 pairs of shoes and sticks laying on the floor by my bedroom door, screaming, "looser"!!!!! But a good looser, ;)
   Anyway I thought i'd add some flavor this morning. Have a good day.

Lady with the broken wrist, and her care taker.

It's good to have a doctor friend!!!

Waiting for x-ray results. We came into the room and found the doctor
that does the x-ray's, sleeping on that table, I was wondering about his
choice of bed until I noticed the air conditioner up in the window!!!!!!!

This is the picture of her wrist.

Got back around 11 Wednesday morning. 

Unloading Med's

"""DE-STRESSING""" at the orphanage!!!!!!!!

Playing "scrabble" if I remember right.