Welcome Back Party

Lori and Licia threw me a welcome back party. It went a little something like this...

Land in Port and get out to Cazale mid afternoon. Unpacked our bags and sat in the office catching up on all that has been happening around here. About 10 kids in the ICU tent, one was a preemie on oxygen with a bad respiratory thing but was deteriorating quickly. Made a plan to get up early and head up to the cholera house to help the day shift this morning. Ate a quick dinner and was going to get ready for bed when they came and told us that they preemie was bad. Went to the dressing room to check on him and knew it would be soon. Anna held him and we just prayed that Jesus would end his suffering soon one way or the other. He died within an hour and Anna and a couple of the other volunteers bathed him and dressed him to be buried today.

I jumped in the shower and right when I got out a volunteer came running upstairs and told me that Lori called and there was a woman in labor up at the cholera house, and asked if I could go up. I threw on some scrubs and grabbed a few lights and a birthing kit. We ran up to the house and found the laboring woman (who by the way, also has cholera) fully dilated and ready to push. She was very small, so I got nervous that the baby was coming early, but she assured me she was 9 months along. Lori said she would call one of the local Haitian midwives to come up in case I needed some help, given this was my first solo delivery. I could feel the head really well and knew baby was in the right position so I was really calm and just excited. I pushed with her for about 30 minutes, and when the midwife, David (who I'm pretty sure was under the influence of something other than water) came in to help. We moved her onto the floor to give us all a little more space. Mind you, there are at least 70 other patients and their families in this small house dealing with cholera so the background sights and sounds are just awesome. David was really hands off and was just letting mama do the work, so I backed off and just got ready to catch the baby. It only took a few big pushes and baby came really easily. She cried immediately and looked fantastic. Anna cut the cord and then David put the end of the cord in baby's mouth so she would drink the blood. We all gasped and the Haitians laughed. My first thought was what the! and second thought was um hepatitis? The midwife delivered tugged on the placenta and caused her to bleed quite a bit. He left, so I massaged her until she was firm again and gave a dose of pitocin. She did really well after that first dose and we let mamma and pappa bond with baby girl.

It was a beautiful paradox of death and life in a matter of a couple hours, and pretty much sums everything I know and love about this place. Welcome back.






This morning Anna and I went up to the cholera house to help out a little bit and tarp the porch. We rearranged many of the cots to make room for all of the patients. There is a steady 65-75 patients a day, which is just insane. I was really overwhelmed with the thought of caring for all of these patients, and really respect all of the Haitian staff who has managed to save almost 3000 lives in the most intense conditions.










Who gets to work in a hospital with this view everyday?





Currently sipping a diet coke and enjoying an afternoon rain storm. Off to work the 6p-12p shift in the cholera house tonight. Would love prayers for continued health and endurance!

Lots of love from Cazale.