More News From Haiti

School starts back for kids today after Long Christmas break and then a week off in rememberance of earthquake 2 years ago. Planned on a really quick shower due to cold water but as I got into the shower saw a humongous zarenyen (spider) in corner over sink. Ugh. Am doing OK with smaller spiders in my room, mouse in my bedroom and roaches but this thing makes me shudder. So big. Finished my shower REALLY fast!!! Got to clinic and found we needed to clean before we had clinic. Yesterdays big party at church left everything a bit of a mess. Now to clean the floor you pour water on it but first you have to pump the water into buckets from the well. I did the pumping as have not had opportunity. Pumped two buckets and abasin full for the woman washing clothes. This is why everyone in Ferrier has beautiful arms...pumping water and carrying heavy loads. Even the children have beautiful arms and everyone has great posture. Chickens must have come in clinic to clean up leftovers as feathers and chicken poop on the floor. No kids in school over here and when I asked why was told they have to clean up the church. Wow! Interesting clinic today. First patient little boy with wheezing, using abdomenal muscles an breathing fast. Rx for antibiotics, no breathing treatment and home. No wonder so many children die in Haiti. Little later a man walked to clinic with daughter and just looked worn out...BP 64/40. Took him back and laid him down and BP normal. Dr. Johnny sad that people in the country feel need to "clean themselves out" couple times a year with home remedy. Well he cleaned himself out to the point of dehydration. We had no normal saline and doctor wouldn't give him more than 100 cc of lactated ringers which was not a lot of help but did get pressure up to 76/50 and yes, he was going to walk home. Last patient was a little lady with gangrene to her little toe. I was asked to mix antibiotic with 7 cc and give in one shot. Tried to tactfuuly point out that only necessary to mix with 2.1. "OK, give with3 cc." OK, I can live with that. So hard to try to make sure patients get what they need and not make others lose face. A real balancing act at times. Didn't even make it to the stairs before Wol was in my arms. This morning he cried when I left for clinic which made me feel bad. Rest of day with baby.
Joyfully,
Barbara