Sunday, January 31, 2010

Haiti - Day 4

The group spent some time providing healthcare to patients in a hospital today. Kim helped treat a woman with a fractured pelvis and a shattered leg. Resetting bone, and tearing off bandages that should have been removed days before were prime example of the pain tolerance that the people in Haiti have. The woman clenched the hospital bed sheets and barely grimaced at procedures that would have sent most Americans over the edge in agony. The translator told Kim that the suffering woman liked gospel music, which inspired Kim to sing some spiritual well-knowns such as "Amazing Grace". The woman raised one hand in the air and swayed it back and forth to the melodious tone of her nurse's voice. After the procedure, and after the much needed pain killers had kicked in, the woman pointed at Kim and the translator, then pointed at the sky and exclaimed "mèsi Sister Kim", meaning "thank you".

At the end of the day, many of the volunteers were able to enjoy a "fantastic" cold shower. The days in Haiti are hot and humid, and missing a shower for several days had resulted in the layering of "sun screen, bug spray, sweat, dirt, sun screen, bug spray, sweat, dirt . . . " described Kim. It was very refreshing for her to wash off the four days worth of "layers" in preparation for the many more to come.

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