Keith called this evening and told me they had a good and busy day today. It began and ended with delivering babies. One highlight is that he was able to start the day at 6:30 a.m. by delivering a baby girl. Both Mom and baby did just fine. The crazy thing is that although given the option of staying at the compound, the Mom decided she would be more comfortable at home. So, just 2 hours after she delivered, she drove off side-saddle on the back of a motorcycle. A friend walked behind her, carrying the newborn baby.
One sad thing that happened is that an 8 year old girl with a broken femur came to be checked. Her father had died years ago, and her mother had abandoned her to flee the country. Someone had splinted her leg after the earthquake, but it was not properly set. She was in a lot of pain, but they had to take off the splint to make sure she didn't have an open wound. They didn't have an orthopedic surgeon or anesthesia, so they needed to send her to a Dutch hospital in Port-au-Prince with those capabilities. The team just fell in love with her. Nate Bobbett, one of the team members, spent half the day with her, comforting her, as she waited for transportation.
The team saw about 400 patients. At times, the crowd would get a bit unruly because of the pressing need for medical care and the scant availability of personnel. The team was thankful for the presence of the Marines, whose presence pacified the agitated crowds. The Marines completed construction of a makeshift operating room, as well.
Keith did say that the other teams at their compound are from Canada and St. Louis, and they are sleeping very comfortably in army tents with bunk beds. What an unexpected blessing! He sounded tired after a long day.
Please continue to pray for the team's health, as I read an email that mentioned viruses (including a stomach one) going around. Also, there was an aftershock in the evening, so pray for safety.
One sad thing that happened is that an 8 year old girl with a broken femur came to be checked. Her father had died years ago, and her mother had abandoned her to flee the country. Someone had splinted her leg after the earthquake, but it was not properly set. She was in a lot of pain, but they had to take off the splint to make sure she didn't have an open wound. They didn't have an orthopedic surgeon or anesthesia, so they needed to send her to a Dutch hospital in Port-au-Prince with those capabilities. The team just fell in love with her. Nate Bobbett, one of the team members, spent half the day with her, comforting her, as she waited for transportation.
The team saw about 400 patients. At times, the crowd would get a bit unruly because of the pressing need for medical care and the scant availability of personnel. The team was thankful for the presence of the Marines, whose presence pacified the agitated crowds. The Marines completed construction of a makeshift operating room, as well.
Keith did say that the other teams at their compound are from Canada and St. Louis, and they are sleeping very comfortably in army tents with bunk beds. What an unexpected blessing! He sounded tired after a long day.
Please continue to pray for the team's health, as I read an email that mentioned viruses (including a stomach one) going around. Also, there was an aftershock in the evening, so pray for safety.
Very interesting to know about the crowds and how the Marines are keeping things under control! That and the sleeping arrangements are great blessings!
ReplyDelete