Happenings in Haiti

Happenings in Haiti
One thing I want to mention is that Janella Z. gets the credit for saving a women’s life!  As we were leaving the hospital one night they came to us to ask if anyone was 0 negative blood type.   They needed blood for an emergency right away as the women would have died if they didn’t give her a blood transfusion.   The Red Cross folks questioned her hemoglobin level, but Dr. Rudolph over rode the order  for Janella to give blood and the lady was able to receive the unit.

Most of you know that I worked in surgery and didn’t get over to the hospital to see everything the Doctors, nurses and EMTs saw.   But, we saw enough nasty wounds,  even some with  maggots! 

We needed an extra hand in surgery to hold the limb as we washed it before surgery.  They thought Eric was the strong one to do that.  He was also able to scrub in to assist and got some on the job training, one being how to hold & use a scissors to cut suture!   Most people don’t realize we hold a scissors different in surgery (for better control) than for regular cutting.  I want to thank Eric for fixing the door into the OR.  One of the two way swinging doors drug on the floor and you couldn’t open it very well.   I put up with that all week and just before we left he had some time so took the door off and carried it on his head Haitian style to the shop to take some off the bottom.   It worked great when we left!

I sorted old instruments as I had time, put them in boxes according to their speciality, and weeded out the broken and rusty ones unfit for use.  

I took a can of WD 40 along.  They called it liquid gold.  At first I didn't think it got past the airport security, but it was in with the rolls of tape in the medical supply suitcase.  I sprayed wheels and other squeeky or rusty areas.  Used the whole can up and could have used more.

We fixed up a Dressing Cart in the Recovery Room and if time would have permitted we would have tried to organize the supplies in the surgery rooms.  They run out of the room for many items that are used frequently on every case.  And yet they store many things in the rooms that are seldom used. 

At the hospital the one wing has been painted and is ready for the electric light fixtures.  Then they will move into that and redo another wing. 

Submitted by Dorothy Yackley