~Assisting People In Need~
Nancy
changeworld
Posts by Nancy
PT/OT update
Jun 12th
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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Update from Fond Parisien
Jun 12th
Thank you all for leaving food and supplies. We closed down the clinic and the PT for the weekend but we still saw a few in the tents. HHI Dr Scottie and I were called to the camp early this AM for a baby having seizures. I brought her back and Dr Scottie went to see a patient of mine for catheter removal. Treated Caroles sister for her knee dislocated at warehouse and Dugan for he lifted a 100 pound bag of rice. Put them both out of commission for a couple of days. We all worked at warehouse sorting food then we were able to TAKE some
food:):):) because we helped so our cabinets are pretty stocked right now. Julma has been bringing us mangos, bananas and pineapples:) YUM!
More to tell but a few LAC children showed up to walk with us to ARC camp for they know a short cut. Have to go. Jeff Berry is there and lookin GREAT!!!!
Hugs to all,
Nancy
PS I still havent handed out the presents sent by some volunteers to patients for the word gets around so fast at the camp. I will hand them out but closer to when I leave.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mostly about Jon—my 15 year old son in Haiti…
Jun 11th
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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More news
Jun 8th
Upon deplaning and transport by bus over to the baggage shed, my 15 year old, Jon and I had to find and gather 4 big suitcases amidst a …CROWD of people all nationalities vying for a spot next to the small baggage run. About 30 minutes later, we managed to gather our 4 large bags
YOU DO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!
Apr 27th
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
Haiti Trip
Feb 14th
I decided to go to Haiti for I was hearing about all the crushing injuries and just knew that PT skills would be needed. Many were saying that there was no need at this time for PT but I knew from all the reports of amputations and fractures that initial care from a PT can make all the difference in the patients totally recovery. I was going to go alone because I really had no plans for where I would end up working and to take a group with no plans for their safety or well being was not a great idea. As I began planning my trip, Victor Banta, Engineer and Photographer, Hell, MI, Tiffani Bacon, Pediatric PT, Charlotte, NC, Kirsten Benya, PT, Saint Louis, MO, and Ashley Brewer, former Peace Corps Volunteer and currently Alcohol Saleswoman, Saint Louis, MO all expressed a great need to join me. They were all aware that this was a logistics trip and plans were nonexistent. I knew a little about Victor Banta while the rest of the volunteers were total strangers, but when you have a group passionate for an adventure, everything tends to fall into place.
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Haiti Update
Feb 6th
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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Fond Parisien Field Hospital
Haiti [HQ] (by Amber Thorne)
Haitian Hope: Field Hospital
Hallejuhah- HAITI (photo montage by HOLIA volunteer Diana Lamsis, PT)
In Post-Quake Haiti, 1.5 Million Remain Homeless
Need for PTs in Haiti
Trip to Haiti [HQ] (by Laura Jacks)
Camp Hope July 2010
CAMP HOPE, Haiti June 2010
Haiti (by Diana Lamsis)
Haiti (by Jen Roberts)
Haiti (by Roxanna Watts)
Haiti 2010 (by Megan Brock)
Haiti 2010 (by Sarah Kolp)
Haiti 2010 February
Haiti extended edition! (by Shana Weaver)
Haiti Highlights (by Krysten Salla)
Haiti July 2010 (by Andrea Nissley)
Haiti Slideshow (by Brad Rewold)
Haiti-September 2010 (by Andrea Nissley)
Awesome Volunteers
bonjour Haiti (by Jessi White)
Camp HOPE
Camp Hope Request Photos Oct 2010
Faces of Haiti (by Shannon Hannon)
Haiti (by Amber Thorne)
Haiti (by Catherine Bevilacqua)
Haiti (by Laura Jacks)
Haiti (by Megan Herrmann)
Haiti (by Nicole Lamb)
Haiti (by Rikki Hudson)
Haiti (by Sarah Marx)
haiti 2010 (by Angela Standefer)
Haiti 2010 (by Misty Smith)
Haiti 2010 (by Sarah Benn)
Haiti 2nd Trip – Oct 2010 (by Kevin Martin)
Haiti : Vitality (by Stephanie Hansen)
Haiti =) (by Diana Lamsis)
Haiti Facebook Album (by Donna Corb)
Haiti Medical Mission Trip (by Nicki Sessions)
Haiti Trip (by Gary Standefer)
Haiti Trip, May 2010 (by Emily Nantz)
Haiti ~Surprise love affair of my lifetime~ (by Jana Lynn Gottino)
HOLIA – Hurricane Katrina
HOLIA February Trip
HOPE for Haiti (by Beth Melborne)
Joshua's Haiti Pics
Nou Pa 2