Day 2: cite soleia, 80 or so patients

So I'm currently laying In our room with a ceiling fan on, 4 large oscillating fans blowing in all directions, and another small personal fan blowing on me. With very very little clothing on, and I'm still sweating. How is that possible? How do the Haitians (and all other tropical climates for that matter) handle it! Geeze! And it's not even summer. I'm just trying to remember its gonna be freezing when I get home so try and relax and enjoy it while I can.

Well today was such  a  great day. It was a long day, but it was just fun. I really love being here and working in these clinics.  What the clinics are doing is really making a tremendous difference in the lives of Haitians. We are saving lives. The formula  you provided is going to small babies who are horribly dehydrated. Even children who just aren't getting nutrition are using the formula. Medications that we take for granted are used and are working to lower blood pressures that could cause a stroke  it's amazing how important those simple medications are. But today... Today was a day of kids and babies... And I loved it.

We set up the clinic here, under this tent that also serves as a church in cite soleia (city of the sun). It was a beautiful breezy morning in this small rural village that was out a very bumpy dirt road. I really liked this site... Probably because a school was next to us and you could hear the kids playing and laughing. 

We saw a lot of children today. Malaria. Dehydration. Worms. Asthma. Diarrhea. These just name a few. Despite being so sick, they are so beautiful and most could muster up  such bright smiles. 

We worked at this clinic all morning... And by work I mean we triage all patients. Then exam them in a chair. Mostly our exams are all through conversation. We don't have tests or xray or even an otoscope (the thing you use to look in ears). We can listen to hearts and lungs though. And push on bellies. After the providers exam them, we write orders and send them to the pharmacy. Which is just another long waiting line at a big table. They get their medicine, pay the small fee for the visit and head home. Blood pressure medicines, antibiotics, tums, Tylenol. A lot of these patients wait hours. No complaints. Just lots of smiles and "merci! Merci!" 

We selfish, needy, impatient americans could really learn a thing or too! I joked we should just film the waiting area dying our morning at the clinics and play it at the waiting room in Asheville. Maybe people will stop and think before they complain about their hour wait for healthcare! 

But I digress...

Is that even the proper use of that word?!?

This beautiful 3kg girl entered our world today. We should all stop and take a moment to enjoy the beauty of life. This precious girl entered our world! Oh life. It's amazing. She was born while we were driving back from the village. I was really hoping to be there for the delivery, but just an hour after was still so precious. 

She is a healthy little girl with a huge life ahead of her! 

We headed back to the "fixed" clinic after our morning away. I like to call this clinic, sisters of mercy south, way south.

It's an honor to work for an organization that basically has a sister clinic in another country that we support.

The furniture. The equipment. The generator. The truck! All donated by my clinic in Asheville. We also send large amounts of medicine every 3 months to help keep it going. This is how healthcare should work. Big clinics helping out smaller ones. 

Back to our afternoon.... 

The clinic was still very busy since one of the doctors was tied up with the delivery so we tried to help as best we could. Gave a child an iv. An elderly man who looked very ill some fluids. An infant antibiotic shots.

 It was a bit crazy but it was good. 

It's all good. 

Today was spectacular. Beautiful people. Beautiful stories.  I'm honored and so thankful to be here. 

By the way.... Here are some kits we made tonight to distribute tomorrow in the mountain clinic. Baby kits with your baby clothes, diapers, formula, baby blankets, socks and more! Thanks for all the support.