Jay Post #4 1/25

Dispatch #5


Only two things happened today:

The Cavalry came. We were standing in the Refugee Center talking to the men who work night and day when three army guys and the regional director of the UN came up to us and asked our status and work.

They never greeted the Haitians at all, never asked them a question!

They invited us to a conflab on future planning for Cayes, congrats on the work we’ve done, warned us not to send more people to Jeromie (they are overloaded) and informed us, I’m not kidding, that “the 600 lb gorilla had arrived” and would be working with us. (not the Haitians standing with us).

We did what we could to connect the two and they kept at it until they left.

If that’s how the military treats Haitians in the past, no surprise, they are tired of these bloodless coups.

They say food is paramount, they have tons, and don’t expect it soon because the special forces types are afraid of riots. We pointed out we’ve been delivering bags of rice in an open BUV with no problem but I’m sure tons is another issue. Maybe. As Pogo once said. I’ve met the enemy and they are us.

We have consulted Dr Rudolph at Bonnfine, the Admin of Bonnfine, Dr. Tenhaaf, The Army, the U.N., Jean Beaucejour, John Vrooman, and all of our team and all say ‘go’ for the trip tomorrow.

We’re taking every precaution.

We load at 5AM, drive at 5:30, arrive maybe 9AM at Leogaine where our truck supplier says we’ll find ‘lots of problems and injured people’

We asked around and the opinion of the pundits is that even though two days ago, we couldn’t take off limbs fast enough, they’re all healed suddenly today. Which the driver thought was amazing as he was there this AM. He said we don’t have to go to PAP to find badly injured people.

We are doing much planning.

We are taking the cot tops, 12 total to put across the bus seats to fill the gap in the seats for limb support, then tying up the second side to hold the injured in their bumpy seats.

We are lining each seat with a cut tarp for blood control.

Dave went to the coffin maker in town and bought wood for splints though Paul pointed out we can buy sugar cane on every corner cheaply and later eat the splints if we don’t use them.

Dave built steps to get up into the back of the bus.

A taptap is following us to carry extra family. We are taking a bike to avoid entering hospitals in the bus until we’re needed.

We are carrying water, oral electrolyte solution made from Tang, brown sugar and salt, bread, bananas for feeding.

We have coffee cans for urinals.

Everyone gets a phonetic name tag and a card for a chart to put down meds, food, and water plus known problems.

We found 3 duragesic patches, 12 toradol injections (we’ll give half and hope it’s enough), methadone, reglan, rocephin. Our 7 liters of IV solution, betadine, dressings, ace wraps, tape, rope, knives,

Most important is we’re taking the guy who goes every day to PAP, and the Police.

I am SO glad we brought a fireman now. Wayne has had great ideas on transport. Paul is assisting as EMT-B.

We have three doctor, Ann is Inventory control and knows all the gear inside and out. Matt is doing assessment and I’m starting IV’s and watching triage. Jan is trip leader. Two translators. Each extra body knocks out one patient.

I hope we’re headed home by 2PM, can unload the 10-15 most unstable patients at Tenhaff’s place then drive 2 hours up to Bonnfine with the other 20-35 to the two orthopedists.

Dave got the power saw working, went to the Savannette and made stretchers, found rope, made splints, and also got the first work done on the well and solar panels.

I’m making Tuesday our first rest day UNLESS this really works and is important. THEN we’re going back until we overload our system with patients, which may be one trip.

I hear great things about Doctors without Borders. They have pop up surgical labs, neat tools, lots of meds, anesthesia, and are getting lots done.

Today, Jan diverted a flight to Gouanave with aid. Also a plane crashed on landing with aid at Jacmel. No injuries, the plane died.


Dispatch #6

I guess the good news is the bad news. There were NO patients to move. We found Doctors without Borders from Paris also looking for cases. The big surgeries are all done or the patient could not last 13 days.

We visited three medical facilities areas and found no need. Doctors are pouring into Haiti

We started poorly. The bus arrived not at 5AM but at 7AM but we still made it to Leogaine by 10:30.

At Mirogaine, half way to PAP, we started to see major road cracks and one river blocked and occasional collapsed houses. But at 10 miles from Leogaine, it changed suddenly. Sometimes three or four houses in a row were gone, all the houses had major damage and having been inside some, we know that any visible damage from the road means the house is unsafe and ruined.

The roads are lined now with tents and tarps of those living outside.

So here we are with a bus that holds 65 people (100 Haitians since they don’t have personal space) and I called Pastor Joel in Leogaine. He met us at the orphanage where I began my work in Haiti.

I offered to transport the 59 orphans to Brad Reddick School, set up a feeding program, put them on our classes, and quickly finish the computer lab and workshop but instead use them for an orphanage until he can find a place. While he was moved. He felt it would be hard to move the children twice and also with so little notice so he is thinking about it.

We went and looked at the 17 machine woodshop tools that he was storing. They were mostly collapsed under concrete and destroyed minus the big wood saw. Pastor Neto, his brother begged me to let him have it to try to start a business during the rebuild so I left it.

We came away with two ideas. We think this idea of Medical, non-surgical people arriving early on the scene and transporting the injured to empty hospitals on the first days, not the 12th day, is a good model and this team is ready to try again if the demand requires it.

The second was that we we’re glad for a dry run. Practicing medicine in a lurching bus took practice.

This was a great group and very, very flexible. Blessed be the flexible as they don’t get bent out of shape.

Dave had a hard day at the school working on solar panels as we’re having problems with refugees to the desert. Many have moved back to the Savannette from PAP and they are hanging around knowing we do that kind of work and it’s hurting Dave’s efforts.

Benot and Pezzo had a great day again. 1200 people again got fed climbing off the buses from PAP and I am getting people who ask me about the program and thank me. It is very visible as it happens right in the square of town. Pezzo found another person, Wayne the fireman, who can do American Sign Language so we had another interesting evening with him.

I think today, Haiti turned a corner. It was a bit more like business as usual. The banks opened, stores opened, people were in the fields, and shops and buying and selling.