New Blog

Hey everyone!

I've started a new blog for my 2010-2011 adventures in Haiti. Be part of my "following!"
Thank you all for your love and support. I couldn't do it without you!

-Andrea

LINK TO NEW BLOG: http://andreainhaiti.blogspot.com/

Pictures Online

http://picasaweb.google.com/107031682907817075033/HaitiSeptember2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCKSCuOOs08ak8QE#

Sunday: September 12...and on

Last day in Fond Parisien.

Betsy made pancakes with blueberry jelly this morning. Delicious. We spent a while reading and wasting time on the porch before we got off our rear ends and took down a couple tents. Roxanna had her tent dismantled and in the bag before Sarah and I could even pull out the rods. Sarah and I then went to see the babies at the Malnutrition clinic. I knew that my boredom had reached its peak when I suggested we go for a run around LAC. We ran around for about 30 minutes with the security guards cheering us on. When we got back to base, we pulled the playing cards out. Kirstin, Sarah, Dr. Scotty, and I played a game of Euchre, which was a lot of fun.

Betsy organized and supervised alfredo pasta with sundried tomato and salmon/tuna patties for dinner. Everyone laughed at my aversion to bugs. Fortunately I can laugh along right with them. To conclude the night, Luke read a couple stories out of "Sh*t My Dad Says" for my last book club.

I will definitely miss this. I have made a lot of great friends and have had a much more amazing experience than I could have ever asked for. Thank you to everyone who made my trip what it was...absolutely unforgettable(sauce). While it is really heartbreaking to say goodbye, I hold on to the fact that someday I will be back. I can't give a date or a time, but wherever life leads me, I will make another (if not many more) stops in Haiti. I love this country, I love the people, and I wish for everyone of you to be able to experience a mere piece of what I have.

Signing off for now.

Saturday: September 11

Today we woke up early to say goodbye to the team of nine. It feels unusual having this much free space and quiet time. We spent a little while working on PT charts in the air conditioning before a group of people from a nearby facility came to visit us. We took them down to Camp Hope and I was greeted by a very excited Tito. Come to find out, the little guy is quite the photographer. We also stopped by the artist's tent to get some souvenirs. It really is amazing work. Today, however, has been one of the hottest days here. I was definitely not "glistening," but out-right sweating!

Back at LAC, Dr. Scotty, Sarah, and I went to the malnutrition clinic to see the babies. One tiny, tiny little girl was in respiratory distress with a high fever and extremely distended stomach. After giving her some oxygen, they decided to take her to a hospital in Port-au-Prince (we recently found out that they turned her away, claiming they didn't have enough beds.) Sarah and I spent a little while playing with the little ones and dancing with Marie-Ange (a young burn patient waiting to go to the United States for surgery.)

Dr. Scotty, Sarah, Roxanna and I had a lot of fun with this new card game "Scrabble Slam!" We are getting quite good at it. We just took a break to have a delicious dinner of pork, pasta, and chili.

Tomorrow is my last day and I am sad to go. No worries...I'll be back.

Friday: September 10

Today I started out at the PT tent, but soon left to spend some time with Dr. Scotty in the medical clinic. I got a good picture of how healthcare operates here. It really makes us seem ridiculous for bitching about any sort of healthcare we get in the United States. A 25 year old woman came in with a heart problem (I got to hear the murmur myself) and was only being treated from some sort of stomach ulcers. Dr. Scotty tried to get a hold of the doctor she saw at Haiti General Hospital, but he was pretty useless and eventually hung up in frustration. She called a private cardiologist who asked for $150.00. Obviously, the reality is that the patient would not be able to pay that sum of money, and when Dr. Scotty asked for a discount to pay $50.00 out of her own pocket, he refused her offer. The surgery the patient needs cannot be done here anyway. The doctor coldly said that she had about 2 years to live without intervention. There is talk is that the current plan is to try to get her to the U.S. for cardiac surgery. The whole situation was both mind-blowing and eye-opening. Also, a baby came in identified as febrile and weak. Apparently he was stopped cold turkey from breast feeding 3 weeks ago and the mother didn’t understand that she was no longer producing milk. Whatever she was feeding him by bottle was not adequate. It was really great to see how Dr. Scotty is working to teach the nurses to be independent when HHI leaves in November.

When the med clinic ran out of patients, I headed back to the PT tent. I spent a while entertaining the kids with my newly learned Shakira dance. Also, I have found the cutest kid in the camp: Olsen (I will have plenty of pictures to come.) Lamy took a few of us to an artist in the camp. His work was really amazing. We then hung out by the church tent for a while before we were to play soccer. All of a sudden I became really sad about leaving. Since there is no therapy on the weekends, I will probably not see anyone before I leave. Last time I knew I was coming back, but who knows what the future will bring. A few tears rolled down my cheeks and little Tito (who was clinging to me like a monkey) began to cry as well. He figured out that I was leaving. Mwen ale Lundi.

Lamy helped us get a soccer game started (though not too many of "the guys" showed up.) When we were picking the teams, there was a girl standing to the side. When Sarah asked if she was going to play, Lamy answered: “I don’t think so. She is not ready for this.” It was hilarious, though I think he was mostly referring to the fact that she was wearing a skirt. The teams were a little uneven skill-wise, but we blancs still held our own. The final score was 17-15 (our loss,) two or three of those goals being mine. It was a lot of fun. After the game, I had to say goodbye. It was difficult, especially saying goodbye to Lamy who is definitely one of my favorite people I have met here on these two trips.

We had hilarious conversations around the dinner table (with eggs, bacon, and toasted Haitian bread made by the group of nine.) There was talk about being pirates and how difficult it would be to train a parrot. Josh informed us about the type of monkey he would like, and we observed the idiocy of june bugs who hit the fan and flew both into our faces and onto the table.

We are now waiting to begin book club, the book being “Sh*t My Father Says.” Every night is hilarious. Last night I tried to read, but was voted off when I couldn’t finish the first line without busting up. I’m thinking that the fact that I won’t be reading anything tonight will mean improvement.

It’s been a long, hot, dehydrated day and my eyelids are heavy. Hopefully we will able to get started soon.

Thursday: September 9

This morning Dan and Lee left. Sarah and I are sitting here saying we miss them already. The other night she, Dan, and I were sitting out on the porch being goofy and Dan laughed and said: "You guys are ridiculous!" Of course I followed with: "That's quite the understatement. But ridiculously awesome!" Good times. And we might just have to find a replacement for Lee's Canadian accent. We'll find oot.

The PT tent was hilarious today. We had deep philosophical conversations about our religious beliefs only to turn right around and teach Lamy the phrase "party pooper." We spent the morning trying to convince Lamy that he should date Joane, but he said he wasn't "ready for this." He didn't have any money and he didn't seem to believe us when we told him you don't need money for that. There weren't too many patients today so Sarah and I found the time to learn a Shakira dance in the supply tent with Esther. At the end of the day, Betsy taught a class about different gaits. They all lined up and followed the instructions on how they were supposed to walk and identify different problems. It was hilarious. At the end, they all got a certificate for having completed all these classes.

We're planning a big soccer game tomorrow with Lamy's "guys." Who these guys are is a mystery, but there are supposed to be about 8 of them. I'm guessing they are probably the other translators. We'll find oot. It should be a ton of fun.

I've been eaten alive and have been itching all day. I'm currently finding more and more bites as I type. I'm writing early today, so hopefully nothing extremely exciting, and needing reporting, happens before we turn in tonight.

Wednesday: September 8

Woke up early and itching. The bugs attacked me last night, preying on my laziness regarding the application of bug spray. The door began opening and closing very early this morning as well, so that didn’t help.

I went back to the PT tent and had a lot of fun as usual. The old nickname “big baby” (gwo bebe) came back to haunt me toward the end.

When we came back to LAC, Sarah, Rob, and I went to the malnutrition clinic while the others did a vacation bible school back at Camp Hope. I spent the time with little Fritz who I could only make smile a few times and who fell asleep on my lap.

While we were in the clinic, the wind picked up and the rain slowly picked up pace. We did our best to save the tents. We were out in the DUMPING rain and lightning retying knots and holding stakes in place. When the other group returned, we worked to prevent flooding on the porch…it was a close call, but we did a mighty fine job. We had an assembly line going, working bucket by bucketful of water. I’m worried about what the state of Camp Hope is. Piton told us his tent collapsed (through charades of course) so I’m guessing we will find a lot of the same.

I did laundry and hung it in a rain for a second wash. Rinse and wash cycles. It is absolutely baffling how white the Haitians can get their clothes. Mine are ridiculously disgusting.

Everyone else went to the orphanage to their church service. They have just returned and it is time to sign off.