Anybody know if Phil saw his shadow? Does anybody care? Not here, it’s 90 F in the shade. Went in today with nothing on the schedule (What schedule?) I’m on my 4TH case now.
One was an elderly gentleman who broke an ankle during the quake. He had one crutch and had carved a cain (no handle) from a small tree. He came in because it wasn’t getting better and was swollen. As you may have surmised we are in a rural area. This old man rode for three hours down the mountain on horseback to the road where he then caught a ride in on a Taptap to the clinic. And people complain if they wait more than 30 minutes in an air conditioned doctors office with television? Go figure. He had his ankle set & casted, then returned home. Wonder how he heard we were there to help him?
Good news. Gina at the Jacmel airport called to advise she could get us on a reurn flight to Ft. Lauderdale Wednesday AM. That bolstered our spirits. There is little more we can accomplish here orthopedic wise,
as more of my cases are becoming elective general surgery.
We picked a good day to take our host out to dinner as e were done and home by 1630. We went to the restaurant in Cap Lamandou Hotel.
On the way we drove through Jacmel. The streets are pretty bad. Most buildings and houses are still standing. The ones that aren’t are devasted. Because of the hurricains people build with cinder blocks and cement slabs and pillars. If they skimp on the iron rebar the result is total colapse of the structure killing all inside or near. Houses, stores churches and gas stations, now nothing but ruble. Yet people are carrying on. There are tents in the streets and people cooking outside and singing. Incredible! A mere half mile away on the ocean is the hotel restaurant. What a contrast. The most beautiful spot I’ve seen in Haiti. The fish was grilled with onions and a local seasoning. It could have been a little less well done, but delicious as it was. They were down to 7-ups only. No coke or tonic water. Oh how we suffer.
Iwas surprised to see doctors without borders and UN personal were staying there. Guess they are doing very good.
We actually are doing fairly well. We sleep in a sheltered screened in building, have breakfast, lunch & supper. Elecricity most of the time and indoor pluming. True there is no airconditioning or hot water, but we are far better off the our collague 70 miles away. His luggage and supplies didn’t arrive yet. They have no water and no scrub tech like Cindy. I understand they are finding the situation similar to ours, but we are certainly in the lap of luxery compaired to them.
