Last day at Clinic in El Salvador
Posted on 29 April 2010 | 1 response
So, our time in El Salvador is nearing an end. We have one day left in the clinic. Tomorrow is just a half day and then we head to San Salvador. It is really important for the team to rest and unwind before heading back home. It is also equally important for the team to take a mental break from the stress of the clinic just to collect themselves and reflect. I had a conversation with Ellen, and she reflected on her time here…
¨…for me there is not just one experience that stands out, not just one patient that stays with me.. it is the entire 2 weeks. I saw many people and you know that looking into their eyes there is tremendous need. And after you go through the interview process and you offer them some assistance, some hope, the look in their eyes change. They smile, they grasp your hand in thanks. At first I felt we were only applying band aids here but maybe we give some of them a little more. Laura gave me a bracelet yesterday that came with some medication from the Pharmacy. It was a purple rubber band with HOPE written on it. Maybe that is why we are here.¨
Stories from the Clinic
Posted on 28 April 2010 | No responses
We arrived at the clinic today to be greeted by a mob of people from Honduras. There were about 100 people waiting for us and absolutely no room to move under the tent where people waited to register. That was pretty much how the whole day went. It was a crazy busy pace with way more complicated cases.
There are definitely a lot of sick babies that make their way to the clinic. Rehydration solutions were commonly dispensed, as well as antibiotics for urinary tract infections. Many of the patients had not eaten anything for days and had very limited urine output which made it very challenging to sometimes do an urinalysis. We diagnosed 3 new diabetes cases today as well.
At dinner today everyone got up and said something about their day. Rae, one of the nurses, told a great story of the very last patient she saw. After a long day, she met a woman, newly diagnosed with diabetes, for a private consultation. She went though her regular session and at the end, the woman was so grateful, she thanked her on behalf of herself and her 5 kids. Her shoes were tattered so Rae decided to give her a pair of shoes. In the shoe bag, she found her own pair of shoes she had bought during her honeymoon 38 years ago. They were her favourite shoes and she thought long and hard about parting with them, just because of the sentimental value. At the end she decided to give them away. She tried them on the patient’s foot and they fit!! She inserted a pair of orthotics and gifted them to the lady. The lady was so pleased, she had tears of joy, especially because unbeknownst to the team, it was her birthday. Rae then attempted to sing happy birthday to her in Spanish. It was just the perfect end to the day.
Ellen also spoke of a sweet lady at the clinic who came in with her daughter. She had difficulty moving on her own, so we decided to give her a walker. Kate, who was doing assessments alongside Ellen, helped demonstrate how to use the walker. The woman could not grasp the concept of using the walker as an aide and focus on not lifting the walker up and carrying it with you. Kate got down on all fours and put her hand on the woman’s feet so she would have to drag and not lift them. Finally, after a bit of practice, they figured it all out. It will take some getting used to, but the pain in her back and knees should soon be a thing of the past.
Max was involved in an interesting case as well. She had systematically ruled out many infections in a certain patient. She sent the patient for additional testing and he came back with a positive result for typhoid! This is something we rarely, if ever, see back home. The man presented with a fever for the better part of a month. It was such a great discovery for Max. The man received a 2 week course of antibiotics and, hopefully, will be on the mend soon.
We have a little girl returning to the clinic tomorrow. She had a massive eye infection. Her eyeball was bulging out, her eye was closed and pus was oozing from the eye. She received topical antibiotics and was told to return. If it does not get any better during this time, then she will be placed on IV antibiotics. Possible cause of infection is E.Cole or pseudomonas. This is where education on proper hygiene is stressed by the team.
Quite often we have families coming in sharing the same towel. So it is very easy for infections to travel from one family member to another. This is especially true in families suffering from scabies. This is why many people have scabies that last for years. We provide towels for some people attending the clinic but we are limited in what we can bring and distribute. However, every patient with a contagious condition is provided with hand and face towels.
So tomorrow is our last full day. SO hard to believe that the 2 weeks have gone by so fast. The team dynamics are amazing. We truly are a family here and are enjoying one another.
Back to Work in Arcatao
Posted on 27 April 2010 | 2 responses
So after a relaxing weekend, a tired group of STIMMA workers went to bed early on Sunday night to rest up for the week. Even though the beds were comfy in Arcatao, many did not get to sleep until later. There was a wedding in the main square and in typical Salvadorian style, a man fastened a chair to his back, had horns and ran up and down the streets setting off fireworks. It was quite a sight to see for the team. This continued for a good 20 minutes. The fireworks were of every sound and colour. We were less than 10 feet away at times. A little scary for some, but truly magical.
So, we arrived at the clinic at 7:30am to be greeted by about 50 Hondurans. They had arrived at the clinic at 5:30 awaiting our arrival. Today was an especially challenging day, as the team was a little drained as well, and the sun was out in full force. The patients were certainly more complex as well.
One of the first few patients we saw was a little boy. He was awaiting his prescription at the pharmacy and then all of a sudden! I felt a splatter on my legs. I thought someone had dropped their water. I turned around to see orange vomit all over the place, including up and down the back of my leg. The poor kid was feeling so sick. He was so weak and dehydrated, he did not even have any tears to cry. He was diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection and dengue fever. His mom also looked scared and frustrated as her eyes were teary and red. The little boy just sat nestled in his moms lap as she patiently awaited his medicine. We hope that when he returns to the clinic in 2 days he will have perked up and his fever is under control.
A trend that we have noticed this time around is there are many more patients at the clinic presenting with anxiety and panic attacks. It is too early at this point to say what the source of this trend is; however, I have a feeling it may have to do with residual anxiety from the Civil War.
There definitely have been more kids at the clinic today. We have seen more dysentery and infections. There have also been an increase in the number of hypertension cases and about a half a dozen new diabetic patients. Rae and Jasmine are providing education on how to manage their disease state.
We changed things around with the translators. Daniella moved to Education as our favourite Tia Karla left to visit family in San Salvador before heading home. Augustine, Daniella’s father, has now joined the team. Daniella took control of education at the clinic and then travelled to one of the public schools to provide instruction to students. There are a total of 400 students to be educated. Since the clinic is being held during the day, many of these students will not be able to attend the educational sessions at the clinic. In the next 2 days, our goal is to go to both the elementary and secondary schools to educate all the students and to also go in to the schools and teach the teachers basic first aid.
The pharmacy girls were able to spend a little bit of time with Rae, our wound care specialist, as she took care of a lovely lady in her 80s who had cellulitis. Her right leg was covered from the knee down to her ankles. She had picked at a certain area that had also opened and was weeping. Late and Laura both learned how to properly apply a dressing and what things need to be taken into consideration when assessing such wounds. In the next few days, they will be spending time with Dr O’Connor so they can witness first hand how the doctor develops his diagnosis.
Megan is still hard at work in Registration and the Eye Clinic. Olga, Lois and Megan have all been such a wonderful addition to the team. They are always being helpful and trying to find work to do. They always have a smile on their face and are willing to jump in whenever and wherever. Poor Olga and Megan did not even complain when they sat in the hall counting multivitamins, surrounded by literally 20 to 30 mosquitoes attracted to the sweet scent of the chewable vitamins.
Frank, one of our veteran translators, definitely continues to be a huge asset. The minute he leaves the nurse’s station he is attacked by the team looking for a translator. He never complains and always is willing to help out. His professionalism and fun loving nature has definitely contributed to balancing out the clinic. Some days we see more challenging cases than others, and everyone needs an outlet, something to make them smile. Frank and Ken play that role perfectly, and have honestly done wonders for the team morale.
Ellen and Steph continue to work hard and do their utmost to help. They are such wonderful people. They are always willing to stay later to help out or assist in other stations. Ellen mentioned earlier today how much she has truly enjoyed the clinic and how much she has learned. Steph has commented on how the clinic has exceeded her expectations and it is so much more than she thought it would be.
Sister Peggy, when we left, said an interesting phrase that absolutely rings true with the team.
“We are healed by the healing process of healing others.”
Honestly, could not have said it better myself.
So after a relaxing weekend, a tired group of STIMMA workers went to bed early on Sunday night to rest up for the week. Even though the beds were comfy in Arcatao, many did not get to sleep until later. There was a wedding in the main square and in typical Salvadorian style, a man fastened a chair to his back, had horns and ran up and down the streets setting off fireworks. It was quite a sight to see for the team. This continued for a good 20 minutes. The fireworks were of every sound and colour. We were less than 10 feet away at times. A little scary for some, but truly magical.
So, we arrived at the clinic at 7:30am to be greeted by about 50 Hondurans. They had arrived at the clinic at 5:30 awaiting our arrival. Today was an especially challenging day, as the team was a little drained as well, and the sun was out in full force. The patients were certainly more complex as well.
One of the first few patients we saw was a little boy. He was awaiting his prescription at the pharmacy and then all of a sudden! I felt a splatter on my legs. I thought someone had dropped their water. I turned around to see orange vomit all over the place, including up and down the back of my leg. The poor kid was feeling so sick. He was so weak and dehydrated, he did not even have any tears to cry. He was diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection and dengue fever. His mom also looked scared and frustrated as her eyes were teary and red. The little boy just sat nestled in his moms lap as she patiently awaited his medicine. We hope that when he returns to the clinic in 2 days he will have perked up and his fever is under control.
A trend that we have noticed this time around is there are many more patients at the clinic presenting with anxiety and panic attacks. It is too early at this point to say what the source of this trend is; however, I have a feeling it may have to do with residual anxiety from the Civil War.
There definitely have been more kids at the clinic today. We have seen more dysentery and infections. There have also been an increase in the number of hypertension cases and about a half a dozen new diabetic patients. Rae and Jasmine are providing education on how to manage their disease state.
We changed things around with the translators. Daniella moved to Education as our favourite Tia Karla left to visit family in San Salvador before heading home. Augustine, Daniella’s father, has now joined the team. Daniella took control of education at the clinic and then travelled to one of the public schools to provide instruction to students. There are a total of 400 students to be educated. Since the clinic is being held during the day, many of these students will not be able to attend the educational sessions at the clinic. In the next 2 days, our goal is to go to both the elementary and secondary schools to educate all the students and to also go in to the schools and teach the teachers basic first aid.
The pharmacy girls were able to spend a little bit of time with Rae, our wound care specialist, as she took care of a lovely lady in her 80s who had cellulitis. Her right leg was covered from the knee down to her ankles. She had picked at a certain area that had also opened and was weeping. Late and Laura both learned how to properly apply a dressing and what things need to be taken into consideration when assessing such wounds. In the next few days, they will be spending time with Dr O’Connor so they can witness first hand how the doctor develops his diagnosis.
Megan is still hard at work in Registration and the Eye Clinic. Olga, Lois and Megan have all been such a wonderful addition to the team. They are always being helpful and trying to find work to do. They always have a smile on their face and are willing to jump in whenever and wherever. Poor Olga and Megan did not even complain when they sat in the hall counting multivitamins, surrounded by literally 20 to 30 mosquitoes attracted to the sweet scent of the chewable vitamins.
Frank, one of our veteran translators, definitely continues to be a huge asset. The minute he leaves the nurse’s station he is attacked by the team looking for a translator. He never complains and always is willing to help out. His professionalism and fun loving nature has definitely contributed to balancing out the clinic. Some days we see more challenging cases than others, and everyone needs an outlet, something to make them smile. Frank and Ken play that role perfectly, and have honestly done wonders for the team morale.
Ellen and Steph continue to work hard and do their utmost to help. They are such wonderful people. They are always willing to stay later to help out or assist in other stations. Ellen mentioned earlier today how much she has truly enjoyed the clinic and how much she has learned. Steph has commented on how the clinic has exceeded her expectations and it is so much more than she thought it would be.
Sister Peggy, when we left, said an interesting phrase that absolutely rings true with the team.
“We are healed by the healing process of healing others.”
Honestly, could not have said it better myself.
Weekend in Suchitoto
Posted on 26 April 2010 | 2 responses
Wow, what a great weekend. We took a long ride to a ferry and crossed the river to the beautiful Suchitoto. We were pleased to see the beautiful grounds that we would be calling home for the next 2 days. The team took some time to wander the streets and pick up some gifts for their family and friends at home.
The Indigo design is very common here and we were able to go into an establishment and create our own masterpieces. We learned the art of making t-shirts and scarves with the staining. It is such a labourious process. You get plain, white fabric and then tighten it with string. Any part that is tightened, so oxygen does not get to it, remains white and the rest gets stained blue. We had to dip it into the barrel gently,,,, like washing a baby… and remove it gently… like cleaning a baby. We repeated the process numerous times and then unveiled our masterpieces to the group. This was followed by a series of “ooohhhs and aaahhs.”
The team enjoyed a great dinner, overlooking the mountains and we all just simply enjoyed one another’s company as we watched the sun set. It is really easy to feel like family very quickly with such wonderful people surrounding you.
The following morning (Sunday) we were spoiled. We woke up to a pancake breakfast (with Aunt Jemima syrup!) It was such a great treat for the team. We have been getting spoiled here in Suchitoto, especially because ALL the toilets have seats AND the mattresses are more than 2 inches thick!! Everyone slept very soundly and were well rested. Then, we were honoured to have the kids from the harp program perform for us.
Let me tell you, it was one of STIMMA’s proudest moments. 10 little kids with our blue STIMMA shirts came in, carrying harps that were larger than they were. They all sat in a semi circle with their leader, Wendy, and local teacher, Orlando, leading the way. The kids picked up their harps and the room was filled with the most beautiful tune. This was the first performance for the kids and they had no fear. They played with such confidence and pride. They played many tunes for us. Daniella also picked up her guitar for us and beautifully sang Halo by Beyonce. Chills were felt by everyone in the old Church. Words can just not describe the 1 hour we were treated to. A local talent, a beautiful opera singer, then accompanied the group and sang three songs for us. The kids finished off with one of their favourite songs Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The group received a standing ovation and everyone was smiling from ear to ear!!
I have to say, as a STIMMA Board Director, I have never been so proud!! The little kids were just absolutely amazing. Some of the kids travel by bus for about an hour to participate in the weekly classes. The kids shared harps and encouraged one another. They were such professionals. The venue was amazing, as well, as the sound just echoed through the building. It was just stunning. I am still smiling!!! I am hoping to upload the video once I get home so everyone can see what we were privileged enough to see first hand. Wendy and Orlando have done an absolutely amazing job!!!
So we are soon going to be leaving Suchitoto. We will be stopping off in Chalatenango for lunch and heading back home to Arcatao. We have just had a wonderful relaxing weekend and we are all ready to get back to work on Monday!!
Update from El Salvador
Posted on 24 April 2010 | 1 response
Well, it certainly is hot here!! The team has been busy again, the past few days, working at the clinic. As the days go by we are seeing people from further and further away. The further they get from the “city,” the poorer the people are as well. We are seeing mostly seniors at the clinic. They are an amazing group of people. One of the men was one of the first farmers in the area and he is 95 years old. We pulled him from the line and started doting on him from the very beginning.
The gentleman came in, shirt tattered, dirt on his pants and a very dirty hat. He looked like he had not bathed in a while. Olga first noticed his hand when measuring his blood pressure. He had 4 inch nails that had dirt caked in them. He was then taken to Rae who trimmed his finger nails for him.
While he was in line for triage, Karla, one of our amazing translators, pointed him out. We took him in a room and fitted him with new shoes. When he took the old ones, the inside of the shoes were just a skeleton. There was mud that had seeped through, holding the shoe in place. He also had washcloths in them, for protection, as there were many holes in the shoes. He walked away with a new pair of shoes and a gorgeous hat. We arrange for food for people that wait in line, as well, and he devoured the meal. He was such an amazing man. He had a smile on his face the whole time and just relished all the attention he was getting. You could tell that the locals really respected him as well. They were so happy that he was getting all of his gifts.
The friend of the gentleman with respiratory problems, from the previous day, also came back to the clinic. He was there, in total, for about 4 hours the day before and did NOT get seen as he was concerned for his friend. He returned for himself, yesterday, to be assessed. What amazing patience he had. He could have very well visited the clinic for himself, but was more concerned for his friend. What a gentle soul. He was so grateful and happy to report that his friend was doing much better. This news thrilled everyone at the clinic.
So, on Friday, we ended early and drove to Nombre de Jesus, where we held our clinic the year before. We were there in the hopes to find Christian, the little boy who needs heart surgery. We stood at the back of the pick up truck and took a long bumpy, windy road through the mountains to the town. When we got there we could see how the town had not changed at all. Many people yelled “HOW ARE YOU?” as we drove in, recognizing familiar faces.
We saw some of the kids from the year before, then Dr O’Connor, Eusebio and myself ventured to Christian’s old place. We discovered that he was just there a few days ago. He now lives in Honduras with his aunt. He is a little bit bigger, but his condition has not changed at all. This was good news for the team as we had lost complete contact with him for the past few months. We were given a few more phone numbers to contact him and hope to do so within the next few days. It was such a huge relief to her that he was still okay and visible in the community.
In the evening, Maria, an amazing local hero honoured us with her presence. She had led the revolution and many of her people to safety, during the civil war. She was recently elected into Government office and is very actively involved in promoting the local youth. She came with about a dozen kids from the community.
The boys entertained us with their musical talents and sang some traditional Salvadorian songs. They asked the Canadians to respond with their own musical talent. Daniella, one of our fabulous translators, took control of the guitar and belted out a beautiful song. She was asked for an encore presentation more than once as she amazed not only the locals, but the team as well who had not heard her amazing talent in the past.
So, for the weekend, the team is in Suchitoto, a very beautiful, artsy community. The team is on a well deserved break. We are here for a day and a half. Tomorrow the team will hear the children from the Harp program perform. It is going to be a wonderful way to end off our weekend!!
Next week is our final week. It is certainly going to be challenging, as the people will be coming from further away and be more complicated. This was a good week to ease people in and get everyone acclimatized. The team continues to stay healthy and strong. Only one snake, a few tarantulas and jumbo frogs have crossed our paths this far!! Many of us sleep with a towel shoved under the door to keep the critters out!!!
Busy Days in El Salvador
Posted on 23 April 2010 | 4 responses
We have been busy the past few days. We’ve seen about 140 patients per day. People are coming from villages, walking from 2 to 6 hours to get to the clinic. We are all working long hours, almost 12 hour days, hoping not to turn anyone away who needs help.
There have been many wonderful moments at the clinic. The new team members are flourishing in their roles. Many are wearing more than one hat and embracing new challenges. We are so lucky to have such a great, flexible team.
Megan, one of the newest members, has been busy at registration and eye care. She has helped fit many locals with a new pair of reading glasses. She is working alongside Lois to help maintain order as people come into the clinic. Without Lois´ expertise at setting the pace for the clinic, we would be at a loss.
Olga, another new team member has been EVERYWHERE in the clinic. She’s often at Registration, but then jumps in at Education, then Eye Care, directing flow in line ups, taking blood pressures and helping in Pharmacy. She constantly has a smile on her face as she helps people with hats. She is another person that has embraced her roles.
The nurses have been very busy triaging patients. Soon after Day 1, Ellen and Steph had become independent and are now working on their own. The first day, Max, one of our tenured nurses, was a great source of knowledge and comfort to them. The smiles on Ellen and Steph’s faces, at the end of a long day, are proof of how much they are really enjoying their time at the clinic. The translators assisting them, Daniela and Frank, are doing an amazing job. At such a young age, they have shown so much maturity.
Wednesday was Diabetes Day. We had about 25 diabetic patients come to the clinic. Everyone had their blood sugars and their eyes checked. They were then referred to Jasmine and Rae. Rae provided education on proper foot care. She saw the patients after Kate and Laura cleaned and washed all their feet. Rae then clipped toe nails and inspected their feet. Many had elevated sugars even with medication. Jasmine’s educational info on diet will, hopefully, help take the edge off of those numbers.
We have seen quite a few interesting cases at the clinic. One patient was brought to the clinic by our driver. She was a frantic lady, 80 years old. She was frail, but feisty! I attempted to take her blood sugars, but she would not let me. After being restrained by 2 people, she finally allowed me to get close to her. She got away a few times and had flailing arms that almost made contact with my face!! At the end of the day, she left the clinic a very happy woman. She received diabetic pills, meds for an infection, protein bars and a hat. She was all smiles and blessed us with good thoughts.
The people here have been so kind. They absolutely appreciate our efforts in providing aide. They are blessing us constantly and hugging the STIMMA team. It is such a great thing to witness the smiles on the team faces when they receive a hug. The look is priceless.
Today, we had a man come to the clinic that really affected many of the team. He came in with his friend. They sat patiently through the education and waited in line to be triaged by a nurse. Steph was the first to see him and immediately knew that he had to see the doctor. He was gasping for air and unable to get a breath in. Dr O’Connor tried an inhaler, but it did not work. We had a nebulizer with us and we set it up to give him masking. After working on him for a few minutes, he was able to breath a bit more comfortably. We monitored him and gave him more masking over the next few hours. If he did not get any better, we would have to make arrangements to send him to the hospital as he would have been in respiratory failure.
After constantly being monitored by Pharmacy and the doctor, he left the clinic to go home. His breathing was better, his lower lip was still quivering, but he was able to breath and to speak clearly. It was such a scary thing to witness, but amazing to see the transformation of the patient.
Rae also left the clinic today with Karla and visited some homes of individuals who would not be able to come to the clinic. She drove into Honduras, as well, to visit a family with a son with cystic fibrosis. She went over care with the family on how to prevent sores. The boy was incontinent and at 12 years old, was not wearing any clothes. The family did not have the means to wash his clothes frequently and therefore minimized his attire.
When Rae returned to the clinic, she also brought along a patient. She picked up an 80 year old woman who weighed, maybe 70 pounds soaking wet. She was very frail, dehydrated, weak and lethargic. She had a high fever and was incoherent. After examination, it was discovered that she had a bowel obstruction and an urinary tract infection. She was provided with medication, protein powder to give her strength, and rehydration solution. She wanted us to take her picture, but was most concerned about the state of her hair. She wanted to make sure her hair looked perfect in the picture. She was so kind and grateful. She left the clinic ensuring that each person on the STIMMA team got a big hug!!
The hugs that the Salvadorians give are priceless. They are enough to bring a huge smile on anyone’s face. They have blessed us many times and are truly grateful for any help we can provide them. Even though the facility here is nice, there are no funds coming in and the staff are very limited by the number of people they can see and the type of care they can provide. The blood pressure cuff was amazing for them as they did not even have one at the clinic, yet hypertension is one of the most common chronic disease state presents.
The clinic staff has also been absolutely wonderful. They are working the long hours alongside us and are providing us with whatever resources they can. Even though there is a language barrier, everyone works hard at overcoming these obstacles and effectively communicate with one another so we can all accomplish and attain one common goal. The first few days have been more than amazing and I am sure it is just going to keep getting better.
The first few days in Arcatao, ES
Posted on 21 April 2010 | 4 responses
Well, the team has been busy busy busy!! The staff at the Clinic in Arcatao has done an absolutely amazing job getting the word out. They have arranged all the communities to come on different days AND each sub community to come at a certain hour. This is great for the team, as whenever you look out at the crowd there is no more than 45 to 50 people. This has helped considerably with directing and managing the flow of people in line ups.
The team members are all working well. Everyone is helping one another and everyone is embracing their respective roles. The education sessions have a new added flavour with the addition of a team Dietician, Jasmine Ho. Jasmine visited the local market and got to really understand what was available here for the locals and has catered her teaching accordingly. She has also been able to provide one-on-one consultations to patients with certain disease states. She has been quite busy with the number of hypertensive and diabetic cases coming through.
For the first 2 days we have seen about 270 patients. We have been seeing mostly adults which is a departure from previous clinics where the majority of clinic goers were children. This has lead to more intense educational sessions. Also, it affects the clinical stats as we are seeing more chronic disease states. There have been quite a few interesting cases that we have seen so far…
A lady came in to the clinic complaining of decreased hearing. She had a pain in her ear that had been present for quite a while. A close inspection of her ear revealed that it was severely plugged. The nurses started to clean the ears and dirt and ear wax started pouring out. When the doctor took a look he said there was more in there. After 5 minutes of diligently working on her ear, out came a piece of mango that had been lodged in there!! The lady was so excited that she could hear again!!!
A woman came in after delivering her baby not too long before. She had discharge and was bleeding. Dr O’Connor examined her and discovered that her episiotomy was bleeding. He cauterized her at the facility and sent her on her way…..
A family of seven travelled the distance from Honduras. They had been suffering from scabies for years and the lesions were dried and scabbed over. Medication was provided for the entire family, as well as food. The family was quite malnourished and clearly had not eaten much in the past few days.
The best, however, is seeing the looks on the peoples eyes when they are able to get fitted with reading glasses. All of a sudden they can see! and the look of excitement on their face is priceless. They are so thrilled when they can clearly see their family and realize they will now be able to continue their craft. Kate and Laura, have been alternating in this department and certainly find this an inspiring place to work.
Everyone is doing great and the team is all working hard. We are working almost 12 hour days with smiles on our faces, and at night we all sleep well under the sounds of torrential downpour. The first few days have been amazing and just full of great memories.
A Long Journey to El Salvador
Posted on 19 April 2010 | 1 response
For most of the STIMMA team, we left our respective homes at 4am. there were mild flurries, but that did not phase us because we knew that soon enough we would be enjoying 40C weather. We, suprisingly, did not encounter any issues at the airport in Toronto. San Salvador was another issue.
We managed to collect all of our bags and headed towards customs. The three pharmacy girls went first. The official, in Spanish, asked about our blue STIMMA shirts. I explained who we were and he asked if he coule have a shirt. Well, unfortunately, I had not one more shirt to spare! I communicated that to him in Spanish, but he did not like that response.
What proceeded next was that for the couple of hours, each and every one of our bags were stripped searched. The bags were not just searched, but they removed products, opened boxes and questioned EVERY SINGLE item in our 42 hockey bags.
We carried all of our required permits, which, apparently, were not good enough. They wanted to keep back ALL of our medications, including multivitamins, AND reading glasses!! We made so many phone calls trying to get through to officials on a Saturday.
Finally, they said if we paid taxes on the glasses they would allow us to take everything; otherwise, the other option was returning to San Salvador on Monday to get all the documentation he wanted (which we already had given anyways). At the end, we bit the bullet and said we would pay. So, $425 USD later, we left the airport. I still echo that even if I had given him a blue shirt we still would have been searched!!!!
Since we had lost precious time already, we picked up some food and ate on the bus. The newcomers received a session on Salvadorean history and were provided with insight into the culture.
The long, bumpy ride was stopped about halfway through as an injured snake crossed our path. Everyone, of course, had to get out and take a picture. Myself, however, I was not a part of that. I curled up n the fetal position as far away as possible from the snake. I remember when we were in Peru a water snake crossed our path as we headed to the Lodge. We were told it was a sign of good luck. I hope that is the case for us and we have already overcome any of the obstacles in our way to provide aide. We all settled in Arcatao at 10:30pm. People slept well.
The following day, we went to Church where the community welcomed us. It was like coming home. There were so many familiar faces that we saw. People that we had helped on previous trips, and many that have helped us. The officials did a great job organizing the surrounding communities to bring some sort of order to the whole process. It seems like we are going to be pretty busy from 8am to 5pm everyday.
So all in all, we all arrived here safely and we are getting to know the community. It is hotter than expected. We were told it may even reach 53 with the humidity!! We are looking forward to the next few days to start to greet the people and see old friends again!!
The Kids
Posted on 21 March 2010 | No responses
Today was spent mostly at the orphanage. There was a child that was weak and lethargic. In just the few days that we have been here he had visibly lost weight. He did not play with the other kids – he just sat in the corner and stared. Adele first brought him to my attention. After a quick examination and speaking to the housemother via the translator it was pretty clear that the little boy had worms, possibly a gastro infection and was pretty severely dehydrated. I ventured into the pharmacy and started going through the drugs. I found some pinworm medication and rehydration salts. The little boy sat limp in my lap as we slowly tried to rehydrate him. After about an hour of constantly working on him he started to perk up. He had his sparkle back in his eye and his skin elasticity changed. He certainly was not playing with the kids as he had in the past but he was definitely miles better than what he was.
The orphans at the orphanage are very well taken care of. They get regular meals and there are a few American students from Florida here overseeing their well being. The kids crave attention though. Rehydrating the child was 75% of what made him feel better – the other 25% was having him sit in your lap as you fed him. The way he just leaned in and sat clinging on was part of the affection that he also greatly needed. As for the other kids – a smile, a high five or a fist pump put a beautiful smile on their face. There definitely is a language barrier – the only word I understood was merci but the smile is a universal thing – it means the same in every language.
We went for a drive after taking care of the kids in the morning. I thought the worst that I had seen from the aftermaths of the earthquake was yesterday. I was mistaken. We drove around 20 minutes outside of Port au Prince to the burial grounds. It was hauntingly tragic to see the mounds of dirt everywhere and makeshift grave markers. A place that resembled a “landfill” was piled high with thousands of bodies. Dirt and garbage covered the area and a single cross with many ribbons attached to it was mounted at the top of the hill. Everyone buried was a victim of the earthquake.
There were piles and mounds of dirt and gravel everywhere. The authorities had dug up trenches so that as new bodies were discovered they could be buried there as well. As we walked by some of the newer trenches a very strong odour lingered in the air. We were walking through with a couple of local guys who thought of their friends that they have not heard from since the earthquake. Some, they knew, were buried here. Where, they did not know. There is no individual grave marker, there is no way of identifying where people are. It was such a heartbreaking experience. There was no talking while we were there or the car ride home. It has been a lot to absorb and a lot to take in. It will take a very long time to digest what we have experienced.
This is a country very much in need. The students that were in College – the minds of tomorrow, were the ones that lost their lives. With the school system still down and hopefully up and running within the next few months it will take that much longer for things to come together. The seniors in the community will need to work longer, and the youth will have to work sooner. Just as the little boy who ran up to our truck and wiped it down with a rag – he did not beg for money – he wanted to earn his dollar so he could help support his family. He was forced to learn how to work at a very young age. He was forced to do a lot of things at a very young age because of the earthquake. Kids are resilient, they are survivors. The Haitian children have an incredible spirit. They are an inspiration.
The People of Haiti…
Posted on 21 March 2010 | No responses
Today was honestly one of the toughest days of my life. There are so many emotions going through me. We held the Food Distribution at Christa College today. This was the elementary school that MTHC supports. I walked through the building and I was completely floored by the state of the classrooms. However, the most disturbing image was seeing a math lesson on the blackboard with the date being January 12…
There were about 300 families of children that attended the school that were present. They knew they had to come to the school but had no idea that they were receiving food. They were so very excited and grateful. The MTHC did a phenomenal job with the distribution.
Distributions are nothing like what they are made out to be. There is a right way and a wrong way of running them. The wrong way is throwing bags of food at the people. The right way is to have a line up and tickets. When we drove to the College we saw a food distribution line hosted by World Food Program. There easily were about 1000 people in line. Everyone was very patient and no one tried to “jump” the line or attack anyone to get ahead. There were men and women lined up.
As we walked through the streets to get to the College, a little boy grabbed my hand and would not let go. The one little boy quickly turned into a group of 13 kids. They did not want anything – they just wanted attention. I brought them with me to the College and the police were quick to try to get rid of them. They were street kids and they did not want them anywhere near the Relief Workers. After much arguing, I told them they were not going anywhere because they were with me. They agreed and let the kids stay. I snuck them some rice and beans they could take home to their families. They were so pleased with that. The kids ran home, dropped off the food and quickly ran back. They found me again and wanted to take me to their homes.
It was such a strange feeling walking through the alleys with these kids. They were hanging on for dear life. They were very proud of their community and wanted to show me everything – where they played, where they lived and where they have been displaced to. They encouraged me to go into their “homes” and check out where they lived. Many of the houses were broken down shacks. Their families were working on trying to rebuild the homes. I went into all 13 kid’s homes. Honestly, I cannot even put into words what it was like. They were just 13 of the greatest, strongest kids that I have ever met.
The kids, all they really wanted to do was play. So we went to a field and kicked an empty Sprite bottle around as we were playing “football.” The kids got right into the game and enjoyed it. They laughed so hard and ran around full of energy. They decided that my hair was a mess so they sat me down on a block of concrete and fixed my hair for me and pinned it back. Then, they literally all sat in a circle around me and just stared at me with a big smile on their face. I have never sat in the middle of a circle and had 13 boys stare at me!! I let them play with my camera and they went all over the place snapping pictures. They were so proud that someone had trusted them with a camera. One boy took complete ownership and made sure that it was returned.
Leaving the little boys behind was really hard. This, however, was not going to be the toughest thing that I would experience today.
We drove to the epi centre of the quake. Along the way we drove by many more tent cities. It is pretty sad as they are just so common for us now. Our comments are no longer “oh my, there’s a tent city.” The comments are more like – “oh wow that is a really nice tent city” – or “look, that tent city is made of cardboard.” Pretty sad that this is what is the norm here.
What was not normal for me was visiting one of the largest one of these communities. It was by a square where the city had buried over 1000 bodies from the quake and then established a tent city that housed over 200,000 people!! I looked over the railing and all you could see were tents everywhere. It was such a difficult site – but here I go again, the great thing about this tent city was that it was wheel chair accessible. There was concrete poured so that the amputees from the quake were able to manoeuvre easily, and there were a lot of these people in wheelchairs and crutches everywhere you looked.
I met a man named Charles. He quickly discovered that I did not speak Creole and French so we communicated in English. He was a proud man. He did not want a hand out. He wanted a job. He wanted to help us serve his people. He said he would do anything – pick up garbage, translate, move bodies, drive us around. The list was endless. He just wanted to be a part of the relief efforts and help a charity. This was so inspiring and motivational. He did not have computer access because electricity is limited but he did a working cell phone. I took his number and I hope to return one day and provide him with that opportunity.
The Epi-Centre
This was, in a word, devastating. We saw the palace – it was in shambles. Everything had crumbled and fallen vertical. There were Asian Delegates visiting the grounds so there was tons of security everywhere. There were also tons of makeshift housing set up right across the street as well. I continued to walk down the street and saw one of the most disturbing images I have ever seen in my entire life.
The building was The General Direction of Duties/Taxes. It was a three story building that housed all the important personal government documentation for the Haitians. The building was demolished – there is no way that you could possibly imagine what this structure looked like prior to the earthquake. They had not even started to clean up the remains of the building – what that translates to is that underneath all the rubble are dead bodies. Scattered amongst the street and the rubble were official documents of people. I just stared at the books and paper work. It made it even more real. I don’t know what else to say as I cannot even find the words to say what I want to say. I think that is pretty much the feel of the day today. I took one of the pages as a reminder for myself of this experience. I will never forget it and always look at these sheets as a reminder of the plight of the Haitians.