22 Procedures Today

January 27th, 2010. Bon Repos, Haiti

22 procedures were performed today bringing our total number of surgeries to 70 procedures. I write to you from the from seat of a "Tap Tap" the traditional open air truck that the locals pack themselves in for transport. Our van went to the frontier to collect badly needed supplies that were routed via the Dominican Republic. Our work day was busy and the air in our makeshift operating rooms was thick with humidity and flies. So many of patients require daily debridements of deeply infected neglected wounds. One child, an 8 year old boy posed a particular challenge to us. He presented yesterday with fever and what appeared to be an infected compound fracture of the right foot. He was treated with drainage of the infection and intravenous antibiotics. This child came in again with high fever to 103. Tylenol, further wound drainage, alcohol bath, and IV fluids did not touch this child's high temperature. He appeared to have no symptoms: no cough, no headache, no abdominal, no neck stiffness, etc. Consultation with internist Dr James was undertaken and a diagnosis of acute malaria exacerbation was entertained. Please understand, we have no working lab upon which to confirm our diagnosis. We only have our hands, stethoscopes, thermometer, education, and our hearts. Fortunately after several hours the fever broke and we heaved a great sigh: realizing one the one hand the poverty of our abilities without our CT Scans, MRI's and other technologies and on the other hand the joy that something as simple as relieving the fever of a suffering child can bring in the midst of this tremblement de la terre (French for earthquake). We are so blessed to be here and we continue to do what we can.