Wednesday

It was another beautiful day in Haiti. The heat seems to be more manageable with the passing days. Today Wendy and Jamie went back down to the Medishare tents. Wendy treated some outpatients and inpatient adults while Jamie worked in the pediatric tent. We called it a day a bit early due to a stomach ailment but plan to return revived and ready to go tomorrow.
Keith, Rick, and Gail visited a couple of hospitals (Hospital Esproit and Adventis) to check out their facilities. They are both running rather fluidly. Both are busy beyond capacity. Esproit is primarily a pediatric hospital with about 35 earthquake victims in the courtyard in tents with mostly orthopedic injuries. Esproit is running low on orthotics and Healing Hands will be able to provide them with the equipment they need to provide patients with a higher level of care. Esproit is currently receiving their prosthetics care from the Healing Hands supported Handicap International clinic. Adventis is primarily a surgical hospital with about 85 volunteers on staff. Adventis was pretty self sufficient and not requiring our services; although they are currently looking for a full time orthopedic surgeon as well as a prosthetist/orthotists.
Sue and "the boys" have been very busy as well. Sue called this evening to update the group. She said they have gotten all patients who have been fitted up and walking this week! She also said they had an individual brought in to their PT gym on a gurney this morning around 9AM - he had been hit by a motorcycle and then hit by a car - with an open tibia fracture. Apparently they have "a guy" who takes care of these things at the clinic and right there in the middle of the clinic he set this poor man's tibia without any form of anesthesia - it seems this is another spot you could add "Only in Haiti!"
Steve, Jim, and John met with the head of the International Red Cross, Ricardo Conti, this afternoon. They discussed cooperative efforts with them to begin to resume prosthetic fabrication at Bon Travay.
As far as Mark and Emily (our famous chickens) go, Bjorn became good friends with Mark this afternoon. He brought him in to cheer up Leah (not feeling well). They were wandering around the dining room this morning cleaning up our crumbs from breakfast. Day by day they become more comfortable with us - soon they will be jumping into bed next to us!
Sorry about the lack of pictures but our internet signal will not allow the uploading of pictures (at least not in the hour that I waited for it) so we will post many pictures when we return so please keep checking back!