Jacmel Clinic

Its been a wild ride down here in Haiti these past couple of weeks. Nothing much going as planned but we have had a great team and everyone has rolled with it. Originally we were going to spend the first week in Marbial, a remote area outside of Jacmel, the second week in Gouneau, a remote area outside of Les Cayes, and the third week inaugurating the new clinic on the orphanage compound here in Jacmel, seeing people in the Jacmel community. Instead, we were unable to make it to Marbial the first week because the rain made the river too high so we switched the first and the second weeks and drove to Gouneau. Unfortunately, public transportation decided to strike and have a "demonstration," blocking off all the roads to Les Cayes. We still went but a day late and in the middle of the night during a window of time when they were supposed to unblock the roads. That didn't exactly work perfectly either since we had to wait at a gas station about halfway there while the tires in the middle of our path stopped burning. Seven plus hours later we eventually made it and spent the next few nights camping and days seeing 350 patients out of a make shift clinic in a small church. Shower curtains and sheets curtained off our exam rooms.

The second week we were able to make the trip to Marbial. Hour and a half in the back of trucks up the river bed and a 45 minute beautiful hike with all our bags of medications on the back of mules. Things went well and we saw about 400 people week two. If anyone wants specifics about what we are seeing and treating, let me know. There were some super interesting cases.

That brings us to this week. As I said, the plan was to open the clinic here in Jacmel to the community. Unfortunately, it's not finished and they need about $5050 to install the floors. I'll get back to that in a second. Instead we are going to be helping out another pastor and his church down the road here, holding a mobile clinic there this week. We also are going to be seeing all the kids in the orphanage, well child checks and sick visits. Last week a couple of our team members went to the new orphanage Marlaine opened in Port au Prince. There are 27 kids there who are all relatively new with lots of funky things going on. This week we plan to send a couple of providers over there to follow up on them as well. Lots to do despite the change in plans although I am a bit disappointed that we can't open the clinic, which will eventually be used as a home base and great place to ship medications so we don't have to hand carry everything down for the mobile clinics. 

So, $5050 for floors; this is the estimate for labor and materials. It would be great to get these installed in the next couple of weeks because someone is coming to paint at the end of this month. I found someone who is willing to match donations so if you are able to donate, your money goes twice as far.

For now, checks can be made out to Kythoni Inc and mailed to Kythoni Inc c/o Kathy Nomides 233 Racine Drive Unit #82 Wilmington NC 28403. Donations are tax deductible. Our website should be up and running soon and there will be a link to donate on that site but the best way now, as we need to move quickly, is to send a check as above.

Thank you so much for your love and support.  Trying to post a photo of my mom and daughter standing in the clinic. I can't wait for it to be finished!

With so much love,
Jen

Last day of residency- old post never published

Started at 3am with another laboring patient. We delivered a tiny (5lb6oz) baby boy who seemed to come a bit early. Two days later I still feel very sleep deprived but man it was an awesome way to begin the final day of this chapter of my life that started in 2005. Crazy. 9+ years and two degrees, a kid and a family medicine board certification later... A chapter closes. Pretty excited about the next bit too. Excited to be able to spend more time with my daughter, have more flexibility to continue to serve in Haiti and thrilled to discover what happens next!

The rest of the day proved to be awesome as well. Clinic with a variety of diagnoses including my very last clinic patient, a seven year old girl who was yellow.

To celebrate, Mackenzie baked me a cake and took me out to dinner. I had some of the most delicious soup I've ever tasted in my life.

Woman laboring with twins!

Pray for a healthy and safe delivery! They are vertex vertex and Mackenzie just ruptured her with half of some instrument not intended for that purpose. (But we couldn't find what we would normally use.) No epidurals and no fentanyl here. This woman is a champ and I'm super excited for her. :)

Code Blue

After showering and starting in on breakfast, that was the first thing that happened this morning. A call over the radio from the ER about a code blue. We all rushed down to the hospital. But we don't really know how long she was dead before arriving to the ER. Mark was performing chest compressions. Mackenzie took over. I grabbed an ultrasound to make sure there was no cardiac activity. There wasn't. The day went on. I actually haven't thought about it again until now. She had many people there who obviously loved her. We prayed at the end of code and so did the family. Honestly, there was nothing else we could do but it reminded me that this is the first thing that I personally want to remember to do. Later I saw the coffin being rolled out of another room, I'm guessing with her body inside. Praying for her family and that death never becomes easy for me.

Utila for the weekend

Time to refresh on my scuba and spend some more time in the sun and sand. Mackenzie and I are here in Utila for the weekend staying at the Pirates inn and diving with Captain Morgan's. It's gorgeous here! We came over on the ferry from La Ceiba, otherwise known as the vomit comet. I puked everywhere while Mackenzie read a book.

Dr. Williams would be proud

It's a good thing I paid attention in lump and bump clinic with Dr. Williams and Elida. The person who usually does wound care wasn't around this particular day so Mackenzie and I did the leg wrapping ourselves and were able to discharge this particular patient home after a few days in the hospital. I guess residency was important. :)

Mackenzie's place

Check out this view! Definitely can't complain about these last three weeks of residency. Spending it with a cool person in a beautiful place. The Spanish language itself is definitely out of my comfort zone but I suppose that's good for me. Wouldn't want to get too comfortable. Got thrown into clinic today and on 24 hour call but doctora Mackenzie is my backup and really just doing everything with me as I learn the system and can't understand half of what is going on. :) It's humbling to feel as useless as a medical student again. At least I can use an ultrasound and contribute maybe useful ideas and knowledge. Maybe.