What a busy week here in the clinic! We got a lot done in terms of making a chart for the prenatal clinic and finalizing prenatal care protocols. I had a great meeting with Dr Sem and Benit about how it will be done. The "chart" consists of 5 pieces of paper, one with medical history and the others for 4 prenatal visits that hopefully each pregnant woman will come to for checkup. You cannot believe some of the myths that we are trying to dispel here about what is good and not good to do during pregnancy, from the belief that you can't eat fish because it will make your breast milk taste bad, to the idea that you have to wear a period pad for your pregnancy or else air will travel up your vagina and harm your baby. There is just absolutely NO education about the reproductive cycle, or health at all for that matter. I try to seem like I know what I'm talking about.
We have had a lot of emergencies this week, including a 21 year old deaf woman with the most horrific vaginal infection you can imagine. She tried to abort her baby at 4 months with some kind of tea. She was unsuccessful but had made herself really sick with sepsis. She had a really high fever, was shivering and smelled terrible. She had a vacant resigned look in her eye and I shudder to think of what has happened to her. We sent her to the St Damien maternity unit, where I know she will get good care. Dr Sem says he sees 60 pregant women every Thursday during the prenatal clinic, and I saw 30 people today just by myself. I am learning how to be thorough and yet concise, as we have so many patients to see every day. A lot of the children are initially afraid of me, and I am never sure if it's the color of my skin, that they think I will give them a shot, or a combination of the two. Thank God for lollipops (Piwili in creole.) It is always rewarding when I can win their trust. Several people with advanced malaria, typhoid and other infections.
I actually had the thought that Thank God it's Friday today at lunchtime. Last night I didn't sleep well thinking about all the things I have to get done before I leave. I actually turned on my headlamp and made a template for the prenatal care card on my bunk until 3 am. We spent the evening with Maxim's family who thanked us over and over again for helping him finish high school. The gratitude of the people here is so heartfelt, so touching, I cannot imagine how they could show us more how much our love and support are appreciated. I find this sentiment over and over again.
As always, I am so happy to be here amongst the most wonderful, joyful loving people on planet Earth. We miss Mackay already. Our last week in Haiti. Bittersweet.
Good night on a beautiful starry night in Haiti.
We have had a lot of emergencies this week, including a 21 year old deaf woman with the most horrific vaginal infection you can imagine. She tried to abort her baby at 4 months with some kind of tea. She was unsuccessful but had made herself really sick with sepsis. She had a really high fever, was shivering and smelled terrible. She had a vacant resigned look in her eye and I shudder to think of what has happened to her. We sent her to the St Damien maternity unit, where I know she will get good care. Dr Sem says he sees 60 pregant women every Thursday during the prenatal clinic, and I saw 30 people today just by myself. I am learning how to be thorough and yet concise, as we have so many patients to see every day. A lot of the children are initially afraid of me, and I am never sure if it's the color of my skin, that they think I will give them a shot, or a combination of the two. Thank God for lollipops (Piwili in creole.) It is always rewarding when I can win their trust. Several people with advanced malaria, typhoid and other infections.
I actually had the thought that Thank God it's Friday today at lunchtime. Last night I didn't sleep well thinking about all the things I have to get done before I leave. I actually turned on my headlamp and made a template for the prenatal care card on my bunk until 3 am. We spent the evening with Maxim's family who thanked us over and over again for helping him finish high school. The gratitude of the people here is so heartfelt, so touching, I cannot imagine how they could show us more how much our love and support are appreciated. I find this sentiment over and over again.
As always, I am so happy to be here amongst the most wonderful, joyful loving people on planet Earth. We miss Mackay already. Our last week in Haiti. Bittersweet.
Good night on a beautiful starry night in Haiti.