I had a great day of touring and restocking. This was my "day off" I got this week. I started off with the normal breakfast with the clinic team. We had our "mini" devotion and sent the team off to start their day. I got to sit in on the morning staff devotions for the first time. It was very good. The Chaplain is from Charlotte and is very energetic. We sang a song that was in both English and creole.
I was informed last night that I may possible have a seat in the helicopter for this mornings flight to Jackson beach, but wouldn't know until closer to time for us to leave. I was told at 0830 that we would be leaving in 15 minutes and I had a seat. I had my camera ready and took a ton of pictures of Haiti from the air. JAX is the Samaritan's Purse owned compound across the bay from where we are staying. It was a resort and SP bought it after the earthquake. It is small but very nice with its own helipad for the chopper. The flights were about 20 minutes each way and very pleasant. I got to see the epicenter of the earthquake from last year. I didn't have anything to compare it to before the quake so I couldn't see the damage that much.
Once we returned John and I started going through each jump bag that is carried on the SP vehicles here. They are to be used in case we run up on a wreck or something. It is a small trauma bag pretty much. The first bag I got had a EpiPen trainer in it. For those of you in the medical field, now is the time to laugh. For those who haven't a clue what that is, don't worry about it. It took us about 4 hours to put together 8 bags.
Between the bags we ate lunch and headed out to my old stomping grounds, Bercy Cholera Clinic (CTC). Ah the smell of cholera and Clorox! It was amazing how much that place had changed. It is ran by Haitian doctors and nurses and supplied by SP. They had taken down about 7 or 8 of the 14 tents and made the area smaller. Two of my old tents were still there and being used. I just sat in total awe at where the clinic has gone in the last 8 months. They had 56 patients there and nothing major going on. 56 patients now compared to 10 when I left.
On the way back John and I discussed how much good has come from what SP has done and even more good has come from the Christians back in North America (he is Canadian). I couldn't imagine what Haiti would have been like with out the Prayers and support each person has given.
Once we returned to the compound, we finished up the bags and discussed what I was going to do to the Toyota Land Cruiser Friday. That will be the new "ambulance" for the base it looks like. I am going to stock bags just like what I use back home and possibly train some of the staff on thinking outside the box when it comes to scene calls. Most of the nurses are not used to working outside the med center so it will be interesting to see what input they have on everything (they are all women so I know I will get feedback).
Looks like I will not have my birthday off like planned. I will have to go back to the general clinic and work tomorrow because most of the staff is going to take the orphanage down the street out to the beach. Since I am not a beach person, I was inclined to work. The medical staff we sent off this morning just got back and said it was another busy day and it looks like they may be on a roll for a record week for patients.
I know I said I would probably not come back here, but there may be a slight chance that I come back for a training session for the staff. I was asked if I could teach some of the nurses basic first aid like the EMT's do on the field. If this is something they truley want, I would come back I guess. At least it would be in an air conditioned tent!!
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