I think that the visiting teams experienced more difficulties those of us 'long termers'. I did not deal with language, culture or limited medical supplies/medications, as those used to working in lands of plenty.
Wednesday-Triage at the front line handed out 300 small pink cards. The now 'normal' speech explaining what medications we lack sent a few home. The Spanish dentist wanted to see 15 patients out of the 30+ with teeth problems. Now if I had been her-I'd of braved the front line, looked in folk's mouths and picked the patients I thought needed care first. After all 15 randomly chosen people could mean 15 bad teeth or 150+ bad teeth. I tried to pick the 15 who had been there first but it was impossible to know. I gladly returned to my side of the line-telling myself that I'd not do that again!
Later in the day word came that the Spanish psychiatrist wanted patients. "No." I told the Haitian translator/messenger I wasn't going to pick them out. So he turns to the crowd and asks [quietly] "Who needs to see the psychiatrist?" to a crowd of more than 150 people. I quickly pulled him back and informed him that he could not just turn to a large crowd and ask or every single one would respond. I sent him to go back to the doctor to ask her specifically what what kind of patient she wanted.
Soon she came herself and hand picked the 5 patients that she wanted to see out of the hundreds suffering from anxiety, stress and depression that naturally partner the a national and personal catastrophe that they were experiencing.
Later I did send her one man who calmly explained to me that he needed to see a doctor.
'One minute I look at you - you are nice and beautiful but the next your just evil." OK-that will get you a ticket to see the doctor.
Our exciting delivery of the day ended up being the first one that Anna watched. The OB room being already occupied so the setting is under a blue tarp, on a piece of plywood on a couple of sawhorses---not attached!!
Add a 19 year old, first time mom totally out of control. Not listening to her mom, the doctors, nurses, nobody. Thankfully we had enough folks to brace all four sides of the plywood or the whole thing including mom and baby would of ended up on the ground.
I yelled at her. Her mom yelled at her. She yelled louder than both of us. Lots of hand holding her on the table. Finally-calm. Baby was fine. Mom was fine and didn't even tear. I did explain to Anna that most deliveries were not that active or loud.
[Picture of a different laboring lady]
2 comments:
Wow - what experiences you continue to have! Bless you for serving.
incredible. Glad all ended up well, and not on the ground!
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