Day 1 and 2 and TMI

random photo I took while driving in the van.  There is a lot of traffic and with miscommunication Jay and I spent 2 1/2 hrs the first day getting to the orphanage to teach. 

 On Monday Jay and I taught the caregivers at Food for the Poor, an orphanage for disabled children and adults.  The class participants learned and practice transferring patients using a blanket, appropriate lifting techniques of assisting their disabled patients up from the ground with a draw sheet and many other subjects.  I was surprised their interest in massage.  Thanks to Jay's D.O. schooling he was able to give them a few good tips regarding massage. 


Our students at Food for the Poor with Teachers Jay, Jordan, Marcus and me.

On Tuesday Jay and I went separate places.  I worked with Penny, a pharmacist, at General Hospital.  Our assignment was with an American doctor who has been working in Haiti for 2 years and set up a TB clinic.  We spent the first hour assisting patients with feeding and ambulating.  Many of the patients were severely malnourished and literally just skin and bone.  Sorry no pictures of the patients at the clinic.   

Jay spent the day at the Healing Hands for Haiti clinic with a Haitian spine doctor.  Healing Hands for Haiti specializes in bone and muscle injuries, strokes, and patients needing prosthetics.  With a Haitian doctor at the clinic, he saw some pretty incredible 3rd world medical patients.  One patient had a broken jaw that was never reset.  Another patient with a T-11 spinal cord injury was given instructions for the MD a few weeks ago in treating bed sores.  The patient decided to see a voo-doo doctor for a second opinion, a common practice here in Haiti.  The second "doctor" told the patient to not allow anyone to move him and to leave the compression stocking on his leg and not remove.  After 3 weeks of not moving, this paralyzed patient returned to the healing hands clinic with the worst bedsores I've ever seen.  Stage four sores on coccyx, bilateral ischial tuberosities, and up the entire side of one of his legs.  Although Jay took some very incredible photos, I will forgo posting as it will probably not be appropriate for non medical people to see. 

Jay and I under the mango tree

 And as for the TMI-the mosquitoes are plentiful, especially at night.  On one of the first nights here Jay experienced the hard lesson of mosquitoes.  They don't always pick the most ideal locations.  Jay got two mosquito bites on his upper thigh while using the toilet.  Talk about major itch!  Last night before bed Jay said to me-in all seriousness-I really need to use the bathroom, but I think I'll wait until morning.  I just don't want to risk getting another bite.  I couldn't help but laugh.  The sacrifices we make in order to prevent malaria.  Thanks for the doxycylcine, which we take nightly, to prevent the disease while here in Haiti.