Not So General Hospital

Dr. Toussaint at welcoming return














The Forest Park crew heading out















Our Faithful Nurses



- Hi there!

...So there I am. Sitting at my desk, keying away, minding my own business and CERTAINLY not looking on Facebook....and I hear, from the office behind me, the voice of the president and founder of our hospital..."I think we're going to Haiti."

That lackadaisical verbal comment started what will surely be a small part of history now.
If you've watched the evening news in our area any recent evening you have, undoubtedly, seen the story.

Dr. Toussaint ("T") made the decision to fly his jet full of medical/surgical supplies, a team of physicians, a group that I will affectionately refer to as "security" to a country recently devasted by an earthquake.

Now, to get the team together...it was basically a line that automatically formed as if a military summons had been sent. Physicians, nurses, and techs alike literally asked if they could join. I dare say that I have never witnessed a more solemn display of medical patriotism from any group of people.

Originally scheduled for Friday morning, due to an unreceivable airport, the team lifted off Saturday morning loaded with prayers, thoughts, supplies, medical personnel, and a unified goal of simply helping just because "they need it."
"They" being men and women that would inevitably lose their limbs, or have physical changing trauma as a result of falling objects i.e. buildings! Or, children that have become the head of their respective households because their parents were crushed.

Upon arrival the team was greeted with up close scenery that the most graphic war movie would have trouble copying. The smell. The sounds. People crying out for help.

And here is Forest Park Medical Center, volunteering to enter circumstances that would rock their emotional world. Stories of desperation have been shared with me. I would like to share some with you.

They land. They start working.
Once set up in a 2-OR hospital FPMC became the FIRST civilian medical response team in Haiti. Now...the difficulty really begins. The language barrier. Unfamiliar territory. Environment that becomes somewhat more hostile due to a growing panic.
Tents were created just outside the facility. Patient introductions begin.
The decision of "moving on from this patient because they are too far gone" is now a repetitive process. One of our nurses received a patient and the census was to give Morphine and move on - to ease their pain as best they could. The nurse wanted to continue to administer medical attention, but, due to the large volume and deleting time frame.....reality set a little deeper. It must be difficult to triage people with your eyes welling with tears knowing that it's too late for some. Or maybe, as in some of the children there, they had to deal with this - a 6 year old girl who was communicating with some of our staff was asked where her mom was. She said "I am mom"
"No, no, where are your parents?" we asked. "It is only me" she replied.
She had a 5 year old brother, and a two year old little sister that she had been forced to take care of since her parents had been crushed. She managed to look after them for several days until getting taken care of....did I mention she was 6?!?
What a heartmelter!

They would have to place a pain block, and give the children suckers (dum dums) to distract them from the relocation of their joints! As they would reach for the candy...their arm would be jerked back into socket! On-the-fly skills from an exhausted team.
Working hour after hour. Getting chunks of sleep in a couple of hour intervals the team went on. Surgeons doing over 30 procedures in one day. Supplies running out. Hungry. Nervous. They kept providing care.
One physician, who could speak French, one of the languages represented there, woke up to a crowd of people that was pointing and saying "he is the one" - in other words, he can help us AND understand us. At the very least they provided hope for this devastated country.

Amputations were performed. Infections were healed. Dressings placed. - but the biggest obstacle of all......dealing with what they saw, smelled, heard, after returning home.

Many of the group had emotional relapses. Their human side showing. - A side I will never see due to their heroic efforts. I stand proudly and applaud every one of them. Not because they had the skills to do it....not because they expected/received no payment....but because of the instant desire to go just because "they needed our help."

Love you guys!!! - Pleasure working here with ya!