Nancy

Since arriving in Haiti, translator Edner and I have walked tent-to-tent gathering a census of PT patients, ages and need. We would start at about 6:30 am and go tent to tent until 9:30 am. Meanwhile from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm, Katie, Julia, Krysten, Emily, Shana and Jon worked at the PT tent. The patient population increased towards the end of the week for as we were taking the census, we were also encouraging the ones that hadn’t been seen to get to the PT tent. Throughout the day, we had 10-20 patients waiting sometimes for 4 hours for PT treatment in a steady stream. We have found that the majority needs strong encouragement to get off the devices that they have been using, and to move forward towards 1 crutch or a cane or nothing. They also all need tons of stretching, joint mobilization, functional massage, distraction, traction and strengthening. Barriers to understanding include depression/anxiety, unrealistic expectations and “old” misinformation. All need education to make sure they understand that they had “crushing” injuries that are HEALED now and that will continue to hurt for 6 months to a year or longer, joints will swell, need to continue to move forward in their ambulation, need to do their HEPs and the importance of them, and take more responsibility for their recovery. Depending on the patient, you might need to repeat yourself several times during the week/weeks you are here. Don’t assume they know. They have very limited knowledge of what they can expect or that it is OK to walk on something that hurts. Once they understand and you take away one device and give them the next step forward, you will see them adapting, accepting and see them progress with their gait and ROM. Many joints still are severely limited but already GREAT progress was seen with many this week.
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I am finding out that I can’t remember each day unless I write it out that night for all the experiences for me are so incredible. Will summarize these days. Everyday that Jon arrives at the ARC camp, you immediately hear JON, JON, JON and at… least 7 kids are clambering all over him. HE LOVES IT. Even the toddlers run up to him and try to climb up his leg. He always has 1 child on his hip, 2 others on each leg and the rest crowding around. Because of his athletic background plus living with a PT, he picked up general strengthening exercises quickly and so we hand off the general strengthening patients to him. He works them hard and I have been very proud of what he has done.
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I have been in deep reflection today after chatting with a patient from LAC–Adrianne borrowed her computer to him—I thank all of the volunteers that have helped Haiti and all of the ones that are going down. ALL OF YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Without our help, we would have 3 generations of THOUSANDS of Haitians …that not only would have lost what little they have but they would also be faced with permanent disabilities! The work we are doing is HUGE and I just can’t thank you all enough!

Take the time to reflect on what you have done or are going to do—ITS IMMENSE, AWESOME and PRICELESS!!!

Hugs to you all,
Nancy

We are working at Fond Parisien at Love A Child in Haiti. All patients are in tents donated by Taiwan. We have a tent hospital, surgery in 2 tents, intensive care, and approx 70 other tents of patients living together in groups of 3-6 per tent on thin mats on floor and a few cots. Ninety percent are ortho cases and all need PT. We have 47 external fixation fractures, 29 amputations, pelvic fractures, infected wounds and the list goes on. It’s challenging getting people off the floor to stand with 1 arm casted and external fixators on 1 or 2 legs plus the fact that they haven’t gotten up since the quake. My 2 other PTs-Kerstin and Tiffany plus Victor and Ashley are the only people assisting with physical therapy at this time.
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