Final update. Over and Out.

Final update:

So the talk to the hospital Doctors went well in the end though it initially looked like another THB moment. With the talk due to start at noon we turn up 5 mins early to check out the room. 10 mins later the person is found with the key to open the door. 10 mins after that we are allowed in the room as it needed to be cleaned, but no worries anyway as no-one has turned up to hear us talk. We’d been promised a projector so we could use PowerPoint but obviously there was a power cut at the time. So 30 mins after we were due to talk 30 Doctors, interns and nurses turn up, awesome! (Were they forced by the chief of staff?). It seemed the talk was well received and hopefully the girls will be able to be more consistently involved in early rehabilitation on the wards.

I have been covering the wards in Claire’s absence. Here’s a rundown of the patient’s I was referred: a gentleman who was stabbed in the neck and now seems to have some sort of incomplete spinal cord injury. Another gentleman who was shot in the abdomen and has lost the use of some of his leg muscles and finally a poor lady whose oil lamp exploded all over her and she now has 2^nd degree burns on her face, chest and arm. Yep definitely patients I’m typically not used to treating! The girls cope admirably and between their local experience of such conditions and my general background experience we seem to muddle through.   

Leaving time . . .

So what have I achieved?

 This is difficult to answer. I can tell you what I hope I have achieved. I hope I have helped give Claudine, Audate and Sony a slightly clearer understanding of what, how and why physiotherapists can do what they do. In doing so I hope they have gained a little more confidence and belief in themselves. It is interesting talking to Fiona about this. She explains her concerns on leaving after her previous visit, wandering whether she had helped or hindered? Was ‘a little bit of knowledge a dangerous thing’ or was ‘some knowledge better than no knowledge’. To her (and me) this trip has highlighted that something is definitely better than nothing as demonstrated by the numerous positive outcomes the girls have achieved with their patients. Therefore if I have been able to help up skill the girls any further with simple rehabilitation principles then surely this is a good thing. Fiona, who has done so much great work already (as well as all of the previous volunteers, Dale, Kim and Claire), will continue this beneficial and rewarding training role.

Quick comment on HHH future in Haiti:

In my short time in North Eastern Haiti this is what I have seen: It seems there are literally hundreds of NGO’s with overseas money trying to set up projects for specific purposes to help a poor country struggling for stability. All projects talk about co-operation, collaboration and co-ordination however this seems to be an extremely difficult task in a country lacking in infrastructure but not lacking in corruption. This is not at all to say that it doesn’t occur, as it must do and has (e.g. controlling the cholera outbreak) it just seems it is much easier said than done.

This is where HHH is slightly unique. With Robyn’s many years of experience working here both for the church and within the health arena she has several influential friends and contacts. This has given us a great support network as well as enabled us to cut through some of the Haitian bureaucracy, allowing us to do some valuable work. For that opportunity and experience to work in Haiti as a physiotherapist, I am extremely grateful. It will be interesting to follow HHH’s direction from here. With all their local support they will hopefully be in a unified position to create something sustainable by the Haitian people for the Haitian people. In that endeavour I wish them the very best of success and achievement.

How do I feel on leaving Haiti?

I will never forget my Haitian experience for numerous reasons. See below:

Things I will miss:

·         Homemade Freshly squeezed fruit juice daily

·         The Girls’ natural, generous, contagious laughter when I accidentally mix Creole with French

·         The practicing church choirs underneath our apartment each morning and evening.

·         The patients and families positive attitude towards dealing with horrific injuries

·         Helping the girls understand what they do and why

·         Watching the sun rise over the Atlantic whilst playing basketball with local friends  each morning

·         The girls being able to say ‘uh oh’ in 10 different ways with 10 different meanings

·         Bernadette’s cooking

·         Knowing that each work day you will encounter something completely new and unusual.

·         Homemade peanut butter.

·         Revising my anatomy from a French textbook, a double challenge!

Things I will not miss:

·         Haitian time keeping

·         Dirt / mud everywhere

·         Chlorinated cups of water for a shower

·         Not being able to put toilet paper in the toilet

·         The daily dangerous road crossings.

·         Feeling that if you didn’t have Robyn to talk your way out of trouble with Creole each day you could get in very uncomfortable situations all too easily.

·         Not being able to eat fresh vegetables without washing them first in chlorine.

·         The smell of rubbish filled drains.

·         Robyn’s ring tone. Turns out knowing half the population has its drawbacks!

·         Mosquitoes, daily insect repellant applications and remembering anti-malarial tablets.

But has it been worth it?

Overall definitely yes for the incredible people I have met working with a smile in challenging environments. It is humbling and inspiring. Have I made a difference? I remember what an American missionary said who has been here 25 years. She explained you hope to make a positive difference, but perhaps you make less than you hope. Though it certainly makes more of a difference on you! I’ve only been here 5 weeks but I can understand the sentiment.

Note: I finish writing this blog having just heard of the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. My thoughts and feelings go out to all who have been affected.