For the last 5 nights, we've had rainstorms. It's like clockwork, when the sun goes down, out comes the rain. The dirt roads turn to giant mud puddles as the rock roads form rivers and sometimes lakes, making it impossible to pass. For this reason, a rainy day in Haiti is much like a snow day up north. School is off, people can't make it to work, crops are flooded and most are afraid to leave their homes if there's not someone staying behind who can catch the water from the dripping ceiling to protect their belongings from getting drenched. I'll never forget last hurricane season when I saw a woman and two children sitting on the roof of their flooded house with everything they own in their laps. It's rare for there to be a gentle drizzle. Instead, it's almost always a heavy rain...a downpour...a flood.
On the bright side, the ground is no longer cracking from thirst, the crops are watered and the grass is greener.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
A Big Update!
A lot happened in the last five weeks. I will be splitting it up into several sections to make it more manageable.
New Espwa Medical Center Design
After being approved by the Espwa Medical Director, reviewed by the Espwa’s founder, director and several visiting doctors, including the founding director of non-profit Medical Missions of South Haiti, the medical center that I designed for Espwa and all neighboring villages, is on its way to Washington DC where a group of volunteer architects will convert my ideas into a working 3D model and computer animated design. This recent advancement is due to the kindness and generosity of Donald Stevens, founder of Reach For Children. The funding for the medical center is roughly estimated to be in the range of $250,000. A woman by the name of Susan Midgett has committed herself to raising the $100,000 needed to begin immediate construction of the medical center. You can read more about her efforts and fundraising on her blog sosforhaiti.blogspot.com She’ll be participating in the Shark Swim off the coast of San Francisco to Alcatraz!
Public Health Office Plan Drafted
With only two and a half months left in Haiti, the pressure to ensure the sustainability of the 14 public health programs and the public health department that I’ve initiated is greater than ever. After speaking with Fr. Marc, the founder of Espwa and Peter Faford, the projects manager, the plan to build a public health office on the property has been approved. This office space will only be temporary until the new medical center is constructed but will nonetheless add a sense of professionalism to the public health department by giving the assistant public health officer, four public health workers and eleven public health students a common space to work, research, educate and execute public health presentations. This is a big step forward. After donating my computer and printer, I will still need to fundraise for a desk, chairs, book shelf and filing cabinet. If you can help with any of these please let me know.
New Food Depot Finished
After receiving a large grant from USAID/CRS (Catholic Relief Services), a 60’x60’ food depot has just been built to house all of the food used at Espwa (3,000 meals/day) along with food donated by CRS for 800 families in neighboring villages to be distributed monthly. Due to the importance of ensuring proper storage and upkeep, the public health team has taken on the responsibility of performing bimonthly inspections of the building which will include everything from hygiene, sanitation, safety, maintenance and pest/insect control.
Medical Dictionaries For Sale
Not really. They’re actually free. But donations are always welcomed! With the help of several Creole/English dictionaries, I’ve put together a 5-page, 400 word medical dictionary and phrase book for English-speaking and non- Creole speaking doctors and medical staff that visit. The book holds hundreds of vocabulary words and need-to-know phrases when working in a clinic environment. The book is broken up into several sections including, Emergencies, First Aid, The Body, Personal Hygiene, Symptoms and Injuries, Common Illnesses, Medical Conditions and Serious Illnesses, General Health Care, Medical Clinic, Dental Clinic, Hospital Staff/Equipment/Materials, Feelings and Emotions and Age and Physical Descriptions. It can be used by both people trying to learn Haitian Creole and those trying to learn English. I’ve also put together another 5-page, 800 word quick reference dictionary and phrasebook for beginning Creole/English. It covers Basic Expressions, Conversation, Personal Information, Nationality, Occupation, and Food and Drink. Seeing as how the most asked for thing besides for a soccer ball is a dictionary, I’m going to make a few hundred copies of this abridged version and give them out at the schools for anyone interested.
Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Floss Distribution
Last week marked our second mass distribution of toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss for all 520 children/monitors at Vilaj Espwa. Along with each distribution (every 3 months) comes a refresher course on how to properly brush your teeth. Seeing as how toothpaste is usually our limiting factor, the public health team emphasized the importance of brushing even if you don’t have any paste. They teach about plaque buildup and the importance of our fluoride treatments. The limited floss that we have is distributed only to the teenagers and young adults along with a demonstration on how to use it properly. Thanks to Medical Missions of South Haiti, we have received enough supplies for a third distribution in May.
Interested Pre-Medical/Medical Students/General Volunteers
Over the last few weeks, I have received several emails regarding students interested in coming to Haiti to volunteer, primarily in the medical field. If your interest is strong and you can dedicate a minimum of 3 months to living here and working, I urge you to contact me regarding a position working within the public health department here at Espwa. With 14 programs running, there is a constant need for man/woman power to ensure sustainability. If you are unable to dedicate a full three months, we may be able to find another way for you to help! On the same note, if your skills are in grant writing, intervention proposal writing, fundraising and or public speaking and you would like to help support the public health work happening here, you will be greeted with MUCH excitement and gratitude! Just shoot me an email at willinhaiti@gmail.com
March Medical Mission Group
Comprised of Dr. and Mrs. Blood, Jay Prosner-jack of all trades, and 10 engineering and media students from Valparaiso University, the group of 13, constructed playground equipment and installed it in the South Village where the younger children live, installed float valves in all of the water tanks, and completed several plumbing and electrical jobs, sponsored an activity for the kids on most nights, including making jump ropes, popsicle stick buildings and towers, making silly putty out of water and corn starch, and distributing yo-yos, played soccer and basketball with the kids. Dr. Blood and his Haitian student doctors Vladimyr, Merline, Francise, and Jacob, along with myself, saw patients at Espwa, Charlette, and Cotes de Fer. We saw a wide range of conditions, including thyroid goiters, testicular cancer, breast cancer, Parkinson's disease, new cases of HIV, leprosy, cerebral palsy, malaria, fungal infections, parasitic infections, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, nephrotic syndrome, third degree burns on the buttocks from a mosquito netting fire, and more everyday problems such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory infections, and lacerations. We performed several minor surgeries, including lipomas (fatty tumors), cysts, biopsies, and injection of keloid scars with cortisone. Jay Prosser held a food distribution at Charlette. Each family received enough food for a month, including rice, beans, oil, corn flour, and other items. While at Charlette, the Sante Piblik (Public Health) team from Espwa instructed each patient in proper toothbrushing technique, distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste (Colgate in Creole), and did fluoride rinse treatments. The Valparaiso students measured patient's feet and distributed shoes and sandals. (summary courtesy of Dr. Blood)
2nd Public Health Class Nearing Graduation
After nearly 2 ½ months of lectures, presentations, exams, papers and forcing themselves to endure an extra 1 ½ hours of class 5 days/week on top of their regular school work, the second generation of public health workers are just a few weeks shy of graduating. Upon graduation, each is awarded with a monetary award, a certificate of completion, a uniform complete with a lab coat, hat, collared shirt, back pack, and watch. It costs roughly $150 from start to finish, to train one of the boys to become a public health worker. This cost includes the course material, teacher salary and graduation costs. If you would like to help sponsor one of our boys please let me know.
Tinea Capitis Mass Treatment Complete!
Tinea Capitis (ringworm of the scalp), is on its way out after a 5-week mass treatment program undertaken by the public health team. 64 children were treated and cured. The second phase of the program is to target any children who were overlooked the first time and to begin them on treatment. Along with treatment, the house monitors are taught a basic understanding about tinea capitis and how it is spread, along with how to prevent it. The spread can largely be avoided by washing the scalp with soap, not sharing combs, brushes etc and washing clothing and sheets on a regular basis. After seeing the effects of our bed bug and scabies interventions, the monitors have agreed to help us rid their homes of tinea also.
Tuberculosis INH Treatment Program 2/3 Complete
After nearly 6 months of biweekly treatment, over 100 children/young adults are nearly finished with their INH treatment to prevent TB infection. With a compliance of just 42% in previous years, this year, under the auspices of the public health team and institution of DOT, the percentage of compliance has more than doubled to 86%. This is quite the feat that couldn’t have been made possible without the dedication and diligence put forth by the PH team.
On A Personal Note:
I can’t believe my time is winding down so quickly. After returning from the Dominican Republic for a nine-day getaway at Carnaval, I returned to Haiti refreshed and with a new perspective on the world and where I see myself in it. This has led to a mountain of self reflection and the reason for me not having posted on the blog in so long. The days are becoming longer, the work heavier and the nights shorter. In preparing for med school in August, I’ve been reviewing Anatomy and Physiology, Biochemistry and Genetics for at least an hour each morning right before my daily run. I’m in week 5 of my training for my next marathon in Duluth, MN on June 20th. This time, I’m running for me. It’s not a fundraiser but rather a personal goal I have set for myself. This week begins the stress of applying for medical school financial aid so please keep me in your prayers as I work to convince my school how much I am in need. Looking forward to your comments—Will P.
New Espwa Medical Center Design
After being approved by the Espwa Medical Director, reviewed by the Espwa’s founder, director and several visiting doctors, including the founding director of non-profit Medical Missions of South Haiti, the medical center that I designed for Espwa and all neighboring villages, is on its way to Washington DC where a group of volunteer architects will convert my ideas into a working 3D model and computer animated design. This recent advancement is due to the kindness and generosity of Donald Stevens, founder of Reach For Children. The funding for the medical center is roughly estimated to be in the range of $250,000. A woman by the name of Susan Midgett has committed herself to raising the $100,000 needed to begin immediate construction of the medical center. You can read more about her efforts and fundraising on her blog sosforhaiti.blogspot.com She’ll be participating in the Shark Swim off the coast of San Francisco to Alcatraz!
Public Health Office Plan Drafted
With only two and a half months left in Haiti, the pressure to ensure the sustainability of the 14 public health programs and the public health department that I’ve initiated is greater than ever. After speaking with Fr. Marc, the founder of Espwa and Peter Faford, the projects manager, the plan to build a public health office on the property has been approved. This office space will only be temporary until the new medical center is constructed but will nonetheless add a sense of professionalism to the public health department by giving the assistant public health officer, four public health workers and eleven public health students a common space to work, research, educate and execute public health presentations. This is a big step forward. After donating my computer and printer, I will still need to fundraise for a desk, chairs, book shelf and filing cabinet. If you can help with any of these please let me know.
New Food Depot Finished
After receiving a large grant from USAID/CRS (Catholic Relief Services), a 60’x60’ food depot has just been built to house all of the food used at Espwa (3,000 meals/day) along with food donated by CRS for 800 families in neighboring villages to be distributed monthly. Due to the importance of ensuring proper storage and upkeep, the public health team has taken on the responsibility of performing bimonthly inspections of the building which will include everything from hygiene, sanitation, safety, maintenance and pest/insect control.
Medical Dictionaries For Sale
Not really. They’re actually free. But donations are always welcomed! With the help of several Creole/English dictionaries, I’ve put together a 5-page, 400 word medical dictionary and phrase book for English-speaking and non- Creole speaking doctors and medical staff that visit. The book holds hundreds of vocabulary words and need-to-know phrases when working in a clinic environment. The book is broken up into several sections including, Emergencies, First Aid, The Body, Personal Hygiene, Symptoms and Injuries, Common Illnesses, Medical Conditions and Serious Illnesses, General Health Care, Medical Clinic, Dental Clinic, Hospital Staff/Equipment/Materials, Feelings and Emotions and Age and Physical Descriptions. It can be used by both people trying to learn Haitian Creole and those trying to learn English. I’ve also put together another 5-page, 800 word quick reference dictionary and phrasebook for beginning Creole/English. It covers Basic Expressions, Conversation, Personal Information, Nationality, Occupation, and Food and Drink. Seeing as how the most asked for thing besides for a soccer ball is a dictionary, I’m going to make a few hundred copies of this abridged version and give them out at the schools for anyone interested.
Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Floss Distribution
Last week marked our second mass distribution of toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss for all 520 children/monitors at Vilaj Espwa. Along with each distribution (every 3 months) comes a refresher course on how to properly brush your teeth. Seeing as how toothpaste is usually our limiting factor, the public health team emphasized the importance of brushing even if you don’t have any paste. They teach about plaque buildup and the importance of our fluoride treatments. The limited floss that we have is distributed only to the teenagers and young adults along with a demonstration on how to use it properly. Thanks to Medical Missions of South Haiti, we have received enough supplies for a third distribution in May.
Interested Pre-Medical/Medical Students/General Volunteers
Over the last few weeks, I have received several emails regarding students interested in coming to Haiti to volunteer, primarily in the medical field. If your interest is strong and you can dedicate a minimum of 3 months to living here and working, I urge you to contact me regarding a position working within the public health department here at Espwa. With 14 programs running, there is a constant need for man/woman power to ensure sustainability. If you are unable to dedicate a full three months, we may be able to find another way for you to help! On the same note, if your skills are in grant writing, intervention proposal writing, fundraising and or public speaking and you would like to help support the public health work happening here, you will be greeted with MUCH excitement and gratitude! Just shoot me an email at willinhaiti@gmail.com
March Medical Mission Group
Comprised of Dr. and Mrs. Blood, Jay Prosner-jack of all trades, and 10 engineering and media students from Valparaiso University, the group of 13, constructed playground equipment and installed it in the South Village where the younger children live, installed float valves in all of the water tanks, and completed several plumbing and electrical jobs, sponsored an activity for the kids on most nights, including making jump ropes, popsicle stick buildings and towers, making silly putty out of water and corn starch, and distributing yo-yos, played soccer and basketball with the kids. Dr. Blood and his Haitian student doctors Vladimyr, Merline, Francise, and Jacob, along with myself, saw patients at Espwa, Charlette, and Cotes de Fer. We saw a wide range of conditions, including thyroid goiters, testicular cancer, breast cancer, Parkinson's disease, new cases of HIV, leprosy, cerebral palsy, malaria, fungal infections, parasitic infections, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, nephrotic syndrome, third degree burns on the buttocks from a mosquito netting fire, and more everyday problems such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory infections, and lacerations. We performed several minor surgeries, including lipomas (fatty tumors), cysts, biopsies, and injection of keloid scars with cortisone. Jay Prosser held a food distribution at Charlette. Each family received enough food for a month, including rice, beans, oil, corn flour, and other items. While at Charlette, the Sante Piblik (Public Health) team from Espwa instructed each patient in proper toothbrushing technique, distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste (Colgate in Creole), and did fluoride rinse treatments. The Valparaiso students measured patient's feet and distributed shoes and sandals. (summary courtesy of Dr. Blood)
2nd Public Health Class Nearing Graduation
After nearly 2 ½ months of lectures, presentations, exams, papers and forcing themselves to endure an extra 1 ½ hours of class 5 days/week on top of their regular school work, the second generation of public health workers are just a few weeks shy of graduating. Upon graduation, each is awarded with a monetary award, a certificate of completion, a uniform complete with a lab coat, hat, collared shirt, back pack, and watch. It costs roughly $150 from start to finish, to train one of the boys to become a public health worker. This cost includes the course material, teacher salary and graduation costs. If you would like to help sponsor one of our boys please let me know.
Tinea Capitis Mass Treatment Complete!
Tinea Capitis (ringworm of the scalp), is on its way out after a 5-week mass treatment program undertaken by the public health team. 64 children were treated and cured. The second phase of the program is to target any children who were overlooked the first time and to begin them on treatment. Along with treatment, the house monitors are taught a basic understanding about tinea capitis and how it is spread, along with how to prevent it. The spread can largely be avoided by washing the scalp with soap, not sharing combs, brushes etc and washing clothing and sheets on a regular basis. After seeing the effects of our bed bug and scabies interventions, the monitors have agreed to help us rid their homes of tinea also.
Tuberculosis INH Treatment Program 2/3 Complete
After nearly 6 months of biweekly treatment, over 100 children/young adults are nearly finished with their INH treatment to prevent TB infection. With a compliance of just 42% in previous years, this year, under the auspices of the public health team and institution of DOT, the percentage of compliance has more than doubled to 86%. This is quite the feat that couldn’t have been made possible without the dedication and diligence put forth by the PH team.
On A Personal Note:
I can’t believe my time is winding down so quickly. After returning from the Dominican Republic for a nine-day getaway at Carnaval, I returned to Haiti refreshed and with a new perspective on the world and where I see myself in it. This has led to a mountain of self reflection and the reason for me not having posted on the blog in so long. The days are becoming longer, the work heavier and the nights shorter. In preparing for med school in August, I’ve been reviewing Anatomy and Physiology, Biochemistry and Genetics for at least an hour each morning right before my daily run. I’m in week 5 of my training for my next marathon in Duluth, MN on June 20th. This time, I’m running for me. It’s not a fundraiser but rather a personal goal I have set for myself. This week begins the stress of applying for medical school financial aid so please keep me in your prayers as I work to convince my school how much I am in need. Looking forward to your comments—Will P.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Ringworm and Flouride
Last week, the public health team completed their second mass treatment of scabies. The first time we did it nearly 3 months ago, 450 children in the village needed treatment. This time around, we were down to just 44 cases of scabies! If a child had scabies and shared a bed with anyone else, they were all treated. If there were more than a handful of children with scabies in a single house, everyone in the house was treated.
Last week was also the first mass treatment of tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) for all of the children. This one is a little harder to treat. Each child must first be weighed and then given according to his/her weight, a pill everday for at least a month. Because we have just 125mg and 500mg tablets, some of our kids are taking 3 pills/day. We're tackling this treatment program with DOT, much like we've been doing with the TB program. Each evening, right around bed time when we can be sure that all of the children are in their homes, the public health team distributes the meds. It's very important that the children are treated everyday in order to completely treat the ringworm and prevent any secondary infections. The meds can sometimes be rough on some of the stomachs of the younger ones. This treatment is voluntary. There is nothing dangerous about tinea capitis. It is simply a thing of comfort and appearance, unless it gets to the point of secondary infections (these can be avoided by washing the head everyday). Tinea is usually grown out of once a child reaches puberty. There is a large stigma surrounding it though. The children who do have it, are often teased, ridiculed and poked at. I have 62 children on treatment and all of them want it.
A lot of things happened last week. Among the scabies and tinea programs, we also launched our flouride program. Once a week, the entire public health team (5 people) along with the new public health students (11 people), head into the village and offer flouride mouth rinses to every person living there. The concentration of the rinse is strong enough to need only one rinse every 1-2 weeks. This is also a voluntary treatment program. Along with the treatment comes an explanation of what it does and a mini-lesson on how to brush your teeth and the importance of taking care of your teeth and gums. No one has yet to turn it down. The next toothbrush/toothpaste/floss mass distribution is scheduled for 3 weeks from now.
That's all for now.
Last week was also the first mass treatment of tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) for all of the children. This one is a little harder to treat. Each child must first be weighed and then given according to his/her weight, a pill everday for at least a month. Because we have just 125mg and 500mg tablets, some of our kids are taking 3 pills/day. We're tackling this treatment program with DOT, much like we've been doing with the TB program. Each evening, right around bed time when we can be sure that all of the children are in their homes, the public health team distributes the meds. It's very important that the children are treated everyday in order to completely treat the ringworm and prevent any secondary infections. The meds can sometimes be rough on some of the stomachs of the younger ones. This treatment is voluntary. There is nothing dangerous about tinea capitis. It is simply a thing of comfort and appearance, unless it gets to the point of secondary infections (these can be avoided by washing the head everyday). Tinea is usually grown out of once a child reaches puberty. There is a large stigma surrounding it though. The children who do have it, are often teased, ridiculed and poked at. I have 62 children on treatment and all of them want it.
A lot of things happened last week. Among the scabies and tinea programs, we also launched our flouride program. Once a week, the entire public health team (5 people) along with the new public health students (11 people), head into the village and offer flouride mouth rinses to every person living there. The concentration of the rinse is strong enough to need only one rinse every 1-2 weeks. This is also a voluntary treatment program. Along with the treatment comes an explanation of what it does and a mini-lesson on how to brush your teeth and the importance of taking care of your teeth and gums. No one has yet to turn it down. The next toothbrush/toothpaste/floss mass distribution is scheduled for 3 weeks from now.
That's all for now.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Delegation and Training
In case I've yet to show a picture of the clinic, here it is. My new design for the public health center will be roughly four times larger, 15 rooms, 2 full baths and a courtyard waiting area.
This is the southern children's village, the first 20 homes that we remodeled. Now, my team is working on the northern 15 houses.
Ronique, one of our best sketch artisits and Gedna, one of the public health team memebers.
One of the neighborhood boys who stopped by one of the mobile clinics we were holding.
He smiles. I swear it.I don’t know what it was, but all day, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I’m going to miss this place, the people, the work and of course the climate. I woke up this morning at 3am to get in my histology studying before the day began. Sundays seem to pass quickly, probably because church takes up most of the morning. After mass, I met with Fritzner and the public health group. Beginning today, Fritz is learning how to take over for me when I leave in May. I currently have 14 public health programs under my belt, am fundraising nonstop, trying to build a network among other clinics and NGOs in the area, building several databases to account for the new information we have collected on the several diseases endemic to the area, creating a census to assess the needs of the people living in the surrounding villages and at the same time, trying to delegate responsibilities so that I 1. Don’t go crazy 2. Provide work and a sense of responsibility to people who don’t otherwise have any and can benefit from it and 3. To ensure that all of this work is not only sustainable but continues to grow and reach thousands, tens of thousands and one day, the whole country.
I can’t expect any one person to take over everything that I’m doing and instead, I’m splitting the work up among Fritzner and the first four public health group graduates. It’s comforting to know that the entire program will not dependent on a single person. Here’s an example of what some of Fritzner’s responsibilities will be.
1. Education
a. Training public health team workers
i. Teaching the 3-month class
1. Create methods of evaluation
2. Record the progress and competency of each student
3. Assign homework/project assignments/proctor exams
4. Update course material as necessary
ii. Supervise public health team projects
1. Coordinate public health presentations and secure venues
2. Hold weekly public health meetings
3. Attend weekly Espwa meetings to report on any public health work being done
4. Attend the monthly department meetings to represent the public health department
2. Testing, Treatment and Prevention
a. Tuberculosis
i. Coordinate with the Espwa clinic doctor to ensure that all PPDs have been given
ii. Compile a list of positive PPD tests and distribute INH accordingly using public health team workers
iii. Ensure treatment compliance by using the DOT method
iv. Collect treatment sheets and record data in the TB registry
v. Buy and replenish any needed supplies
b. Malaria
i. Enforce malaria testing before treatment
ii. Conduct home inspections to ensure that screens and rock buffers are intact
iii. Coordinate spraying houses for bugs every three months
c. Scabies and Tinea Capitis
i. Perform mass treatment protocols whenever necessary especially at the start of the school year and at the end of the holidays
3. Hygiene, Sanitation and Safety
a. Conduct monthly home inspections
b. Conduct daily bathroom inspections
c. Conduct weekly kitchen inspections
d. Conduct monthly carpentry, tailor, mechanic and masonry inspections
e. With each inspection, a report should be written and presented to the Espwa Director with recommendations as to how to enhance the conditions if necessary
4. Networking
a. Attend monthly health care meetings at Hope for Haiti
Friday, January 30, 2009
Just another day
Today was a good day. I woke up early to get some more writing in for my autobiography. After two years, I’ve written over 500 pages and though it will need some serious editing, I’m happy to be nearing the end of it. If anyone out there is an editor and would like to help me out, that would be great! I hope to finish the first draft by May and find an advisor and editor. This book will be for me and will be a testament to the life I’ve lived thus far. It is very important to me that I not continue with the burden of my past into medical school. I want to be able to move beyond my past and enter adulthood to focus on what lays ahead. I want medicine to become my life and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life working for those less fortunate who suffer unjustly from a denial of their most basic human rights. I want to be their voice and will stand up without hesitation to defend those rights.
I pulled out my anatomy and physiology text book and began reviewing the material that I once knew like the back of my hand but now struggle to remember. I’ve been making the time to get in at least an hour of study each day so as to slowly get me back into the academic mode. Though there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t read something from a medical text, those instances are usually because of an immediate and practical need such as what dosage of meds to give, identifying an illness etc. I need to become comfortable immersing myself in the books again because I have two years of it ahead of me.
I spent most of the morning in town buying more supplies for the Houses to Homes project that I took over for Paige when she left five months ago. We’ve just finished painting the remaining 15 houses in the northern village, screened all of the windows, sealed and caulked all cracks and sprayed for bugs. Here are some pics of before and after for one of the houses. Part of the malaria prevention program that I set up includes surrounding the houses with rock “buffers” to eliminate any standing water pools after rain. All in all, the houses are looking great.
I pulled out my anatomy and physiology text book and began reviewing the material that I once knew like the back of my hand but now struggle to remember. I’ve been making the time to get in at least an hour of study each day so as to slowly get me back into the academic mode. Though there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t read something from a medical text, those instances are usually because of an immediate and practical need such as what dosage of meds to give, identifying an illness etc. I need to become comfortable immersing myself in the books again because I have two years of it ahead of me.
I spent most of the morning in town buying more supplies for the Houses to Homes project that I took over for Paige when she left five months ago. We’ve just finished painting the remaining 15 houses in the northern village, screened all of the windows, sealed and caulked all cracks and sprayed for bugs. Here are some pics of before and after for one of the houses. Part of the malaria prevention program that I set up includes surrounding the houses with rock “buffers” to eliminate any standing water pools after rain. All in all, the houses are looking great.
Marathon Pics and The Do Something Award
The Do Something Awards
...celebrating and empowering the most outstanding young world-changers...
Athletes have the Olympics. Singers have the Grammy’s. World-changers have the Do Something Award.
Since 1996, Do Something has honored the nation’s finest young world-changers. Do Something Award Winners represent the pivotal "do-ers" in their field, cause, or issue and are rewarded with a huge community grant, participation in a special award ceremony, media coverage, and continued support from Do Something.
In 2008, the BR!CK Awards were renamed the Do Something Awards and became the first non-celebrity category of the Teen Choice Awards. There were 9 nominees in the category. Online voting determined the grand prize winner. Each of them received $10,000 for their project and 19 year old Chad Bullock won a whopping $100,000. Scarlett Johansson presented The Do Something Award. Check out the video below.
Five winners will receive a minimum of $10,000 in community grants and scholarships (if applicable). Of those five winners, 1 will be selected as the grand prize Do Something Award winner. That grand prize Do Something Award winner receives a total of $100,000 in community grants. The Do Something Award community grant money is paid directly to the not-for-profit of the winner’s choice.
Only winners who are age 18 and under are eligible for a scholarship of $5,000 and a $5,000 community grant (total= $10,000 Do Something Award). Winners age 19-25 (applicants must be born on or after 8/30/1983) receive their entire award in the form of a community grant.
The SELECTION PROCESS
Do Something Award applications go through two stages. First, the Do Something Award Academy (comprised of former winners) reads through all of the applications and selects the finalists. The Do Something Award finalists are flown to New York City, where representatives from the Do Something Award Selection Committee interview the finalists face-to-face. The 5 Do Something Award winners are announced shortly thereafter in Spring 2009. The grand prize winner will be announced in Summer 2009.
I'M GOING FOR IT AND CAN USE YOUR SUPPORT! HERE ARE SOME FINISH LINE PHOTOS FROM THE CAYMAN MARATHON THE RACE ORGANIZERS JUST SENT ME. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! I COULDN'T DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT IT!
...celebrating and empowering the most outstanding young world-changers...
Athletes have the Olympics. Singers have the Grammy’s. World-changers have the Do Something Award.
Since 1996, Do Something has honored the nation’s finest young world-changers. Do Something Award Winners represent the pivotal "do-ers" in their field, cause, or issue and are rewarded with a huge community grant, participation in a special award ceremony, media coverage, and continued support from Do Something.
In 2008, the BR!CK Awards were renamed the Do Something Awards and became the first non-celebrity category of the Teen Choice Awards. There were 9 nominees in the category. Online voting determined the grand prize winner. Each of them received $10,000 for their project and 19 year old Chad Bullock won a whopping $100,000. Scarlett Johansson presented The Do Something Award. Check out the video below.
Five winners will receive a minimum of $10,000 in community grants and scholarships (if applicable). Of those five winners, 1 will be selected as the grand prize Do Something Award winner. That grand prize Do Something Award winner receives a total of $100,000 in community grants. The Do Something Award community grant money is paid directly to the not-for-profit of the winner’s choice.
Only winners who are age 18 and under are eligible for a scholarship of $5,000 and a $5,000 community grant (total= $10,000 Do Something Award). Winners age 19-25 (applicants must be born on or after 8/30/1983) receive their entire award in the form of a community grant.
The SELECTION PROCESS
Do Something Award applications go through two stages. First, the Do Something Award Academy (comprised of former winners) reads through all of the applications and selects the finalists. The Do Something Award finalists are flown to New York City, where representatives from the Do Something Award Selection Committee interview the finalists face-to-face. The 5 Do Something Award winners are announced shortly thereafter in Spring 2009. The grand prize winner will be announced in Summer 2009.
I'M GOING FOR IT AND CAN USE YOUR SUPPORT! HERE ARE SOME FINISH LINE PHOTOS FROM THE CAYMAN MARATHON THE RACE ORGANIZERS JUST SENT ME. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! I COULDN'T DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT IT!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Suturing in the dark
Tonight was my first time ever suturing someone by myself. It was a rush. I’ve sutured dozens of times since being down here but only under the supervision of another doctor or with the assistance of a nurse. I’ve done scalps, feet, ears, arms and bellies. I’ve done running stitches, interrupted stitches, vertical and horizontal mattress sutures. All of those times, it was always the doctor who injected the lidocaine and prepared the sterilized suture set up. Tonight, however, I was on my own. I was the only medical person around and the cut would only take about 8 stitches. I had one of the boys assist me with collecting the necessary supplies; a sterile drape for the table and another for the boy, syringe, gauze, lidocaine, alcohol swabs, size 8 sterile gloves, forceps, scissors, nylon suture, needle holders, antibiotic ointment, a clean bandage and some tape. Since I was on my own, I had to run through all the steps in my head to make sure I didn’t miss anything, things you take for granted when you have a nurse prepare everything for you. 1. Wash the wound with cool water and clean out any dirt and dried blood. Make sure not to suture if the wound is more than 12 hours old and or shows signs of infection. 2. Prepare sterile setup with all needed supplies 3. Inject the lidocaine little by little, slowly progressing around the wound so that the patient feels nothing more than the first poke (this I learned from Dr. Drew, a dermatologist who visits a few times a year). 4. Make the first stitch in the middle of the cut and tie it closed; one loop to the left and two loops to the right. 5. Continue stitching until you’ve closed the wound entirely. 6. Change dressing daily and leave stitches in for two weeks (the hands and feet take longer to heal). Everything moved smoothly except for the fact that we lost electricity in the clinic and I had to do it all with a headlamp. All in all, it was a cool experience.
Now, the prevention part of me couldn’t help but to ask a dozen questions. How did you get the cut? Where were you when you got cut? Why weren’t you wearing shoes? Where is the glass now? Did anyone pick it up? Do you have shoes to wear? When did this happen?For a while, kids were coming to the clinic with huge gashes in their feet almost daily and sometimes several times a day. I came to figure out, that they were all soccer players and had been playing barefoot in the same field. Rather than scoping the field and removing all of the broken glass, the children continued to play and continued to get cut up. I had the public health team go to the field, close it down for the day and search for all the broken glass. After that simple cleanup, it’s been almost a month since I’ve seen a kid come in with a cut like that. This boy had been running around at night barefoot and came upon a piece of glass. The glass was removed, but as a precaution, I’m going to have the team scope the area tomorrow for any remaining pieces. The obvious answer to this question would be to have all the kids wear their shoes all the time, but down here, that’s a joke. The children keep their shoes for school and for church. Playtime almost always means barefoot unless they’re fortunate to have an extra pair of shoes or sandals. For that reason, the most effective way I can prevent these unnecessary cuts is to educate the children about what to do when they see glass and to make sure that the grounds are kept clean and safe. Easier said than done.
Now, the prevention part of me couldn’t help but to ask a dozen questions. How did you get the cut? Where were you when you got cut? Why weren’t you wearing shoes? Where is the glass now? Did anyone pick it up? Do you have shoes to wear? When did this happen?For a while, kids were coming to the clinic with huge gashes in their feet almost daily and sometimes several times a day. I came to figure out, that they were all soccer players and had been playing barefoot in the same field. Rather than scoping the field and removing all of the broken glass, the children continued to play and continued to get cut up. I had the public health team go to the field, close it down for the day and search for all the broken glass. After that simple cleanup, it’s been almost a month since I’ve seen a kid come in with a cut like that. This boy had been running around at night barefoot and came upon a piece of glass. The glass was removed, but as a precaution, I’m going to have the team scope the area tomorrow for any remaining pieces. The obvious answer to this question would be to have all the kids wear their shoes all the time, but down here, that’s a joke. The children keep their shoes for school and for church. Playtime almost always means barefoot unless they’re fortunate to have an extra pair of shoes or sandals. For that reason, the most effective way I can prevent these unnecessary cuts is to educate the children about what to do when they see glass and to make sure that the grounds are kept clean and safe. Easier said than done.
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