Monday 22 – Wednesday 24
Trip to University of Miami Hospital, Port Au Prince
By Majid
We were all awake around 7 am Monday morning and enjoying the breakfast. Tim came and informed us that van is here to transport one of the young men with the head trauma that kept all of us very busy throughout the night. It was decided that LeeAnn and I would go with the patient to University of Miami Hospital. Tim said hurry up guys, the driver will leave very soon if we kept him waiting and we only have 10 minutes. Here comes the rush. LeeAnn and I pack
ed our bags (clothes, power bars of course) and went to hospital across the street to get the patient from the Big Daddy’s ICU (yes this was name of our ICU/Recovery room which was about 8 feet from the operating table).
Patient was sedated but he was breathing (lucky man), we moved him to the SUV after folding all the seats except the driver seat. We did not have portable oxygen and we decided to take him without oxygen and keep our fingers crossed. Thank God, trip was without any problems except our back were so stiff because there was not enough room for us to sit comfortably.
Here we are at front entrance of the hospital and we moved the patient to ER. (Just to let everyone
know that this was a tent hospital). After 45 mins we took the patient to the operating 
room and surgery was started. I had about 40 min to get to know the Operating room, Anesthesia and supply area and check our sleeping area Dr. Vincent (chief medical officer) showed us our sleeping area. It was a big white tent and as we walked in, there were about 200 portable beds lying in about 6 rows. Most of beds had mosquito nets. We were lucky
to find two beds that already had a mosquito net big enough to cover both beds. We left our luggage there and went to the operating room. They had operating room (four but only one functional because they had only one anesthesiologist, Joana, until I came), supply area, sterilization area, recovery room, ICU, NICU and Peds area ALL IN ONE BIG TENT. (Just imagine yourself the partitions). I talked to Vincent that I will stay for two days because they really needed another anesthesiologist to cover their surgery schedule. After the young man (the kid we transported), I had few more cases to do. All of staff was really polite and friendly. They kept bringing me water bottles and food at the lunchtime. Joana helped me a lot to find thing from the supply area. It was about 6:30 pm when we done with the cases. So finally I came out of this big tent to get some fresh air. There was a truck with BBQ grill outside the big white residential tent and there was a long line of people in front of it. They were selling burgers, soft drinks and beer. This truck comes on Monday and Wednesday only. So the hospital only provides one meal a day (mostly rice with chicken) and for the rest of time you are on your own. The hospital does provide water bottles free of charge. While we were in line, Vincent was kind enough to give us few bed sheets. There were people not only from US but also all over the world. Burger and beer was a hot commodity at this camp. We were chatting with the people while waiting for burgers. Finally we made it to the counter and paid nine dollars for chicken burger and coke (not so cheap, but I guess it was worth it). We got the drinks and found out there is another line to get the burgers. I was really hungry and my stomach started to make some strange noises. Finally I had my burger and we sat on the bench. It took me 40 min to get the burger and only 5 mins to eat it. People were getting crazy with the beer (I guess it was end of their shift and burger and beers only come twice a week). After eating and chatting, I was on my bed. LeeAnn found two foam mattresses for our beds. At nighttime it was not hot inside the tent. Now the dilemma started. I need to go rest room and found out that there are about 8-9 porta-potty along the back wall and next to these there were four showers. I did bring my flashlight with me incase I have to use. I stayed outside this porta-potty about 5 minutes thinking whether should I go in or not. I guess I did not have any options. I had my flashlight on and entered. It was my FIRST experience and also will also be the last. Then I went to shower booth. The flow of water was really great (not like the trickling water we have in Pierre Payen) that I spent extra 10 mins in the shower. Once I was in the bed, it did not take me long to go to sleep.
The next day started. I ate power bars and ready for work again. We had a very list for operations that day. LeeAnn went back to Pierre payen with Annie. The day went on, doing cases after cases. I was excited to do 3-4 pediatric cases as well. I talked to Vincent about leaving to Pierre Payen on Wednesday, he told me that he would arrange the transport. In the morning about 9, I was told that transport is ready. There were about eight people already in the SUV (land cruiser). Vincent said don’t worry, all these people are going to General Hospital (which is a local hospital in Port Au Prince). At the time when we were at the general hospital, driver got the call from THE BOSS, that she needed the car right away and they arrange transport for me later on. Who was the BOSS? Director of Medishare, a project of Univ. of Miami that includes other areas of interest including hospital. Driver then went to the local hotel (La Corela I think that was the name) where most of the medishare people were staying. There was some damage to part of the hotel, but most of it survived. But the hotel across the street had more damage and it was closed. The driver did not speak English but we were still able to communicate with the help of sign language and tooti-phooti (broken) English. I waited 15 min outside the hotel then finally four ladies came and then director talked to the driver something in French (Haitians speak French) and we were on the road. We went through various winding streets in the downtown area and looking at the damages that has caused so much disastrous in this region. It was really amazing to see that one side of street there were most of the houses were destroyed but across the street there was only minimal damage.
Finally we arrived at their meeting place, some UN office. I thought the driver will drop me back at the hospital, but the director told me that they would be back in 20 minutes. AT IT WAS LONG TWENTY MINUTES !!!!! My watch was telling me one hour and thirty minutes. In the mean time driver received a call about my whereabouts. Dr. Vincent called Pierre Payen to make sure I did arrive safely and to his surprise I was not there. The driving distance was about one hour and thirty minutes. He called medishare and then medishare called t
he driver and talked to me. Few minutes later the ladies came out of the office and told me that once driver drop them at their hotel, I can go. I was relie
ved to some extent. Finally I was in Pierre Payen with this formula 1 driver. I got a warm welcome from my group, especially from Jessica (another anesthesiologist from WA).
Trip to University of Miami Hospital, Port Au Prince
By Majid
We were all awake around 7 am Monday morning and enjoying the breakfast. Tim came and informed us that van is here to transport one of the young men with the head trauma that kept all of us very busy throughout the night. It was decided that LeeAnn and I would go with the patient to University of Miami Hospital. Tim said hurry up guys, the driver will leave very soon if we kept him waiting and we only have 10 minutes. Here comes the rush. LeeAnn and I pack
ed our bags (clothes, power bars of course) and went to hospital across the street to get the patient from the Big Daddy’s ICU (yes this was name of our ICU/Recovery room which was about 8 feet from the operating table).Patient was sedated but he was breathing (lucky man), we moved him to the SUV after folding all the seats except the driver seat. We did not have portable oxygen and we decided to take him without oxygen and keep our fingers crossed. Thank God, trip was without any problems except our back were so stiff because there was not enough room for us to sit comfortably.
Here we are at front entrance of the hospital and we moved the patient to ER. (Just to let everyone
know that this was a tent hospital). After 45 mins we took the patient to the operating room and surgery was started. I had about 40 min to get to know the Operating room, Anesthesia and supply area and check our sleeping area Dr. Vincent (chief medical officer) showed us our sleeping area. It was a big white tent and as we walked in, there were about 200 portable beds lying in about 6 rows. Most of beds had mosquito nets. We were lucky
to find two beds that already had a mosquito net big enough to cover both beds. We left our luggage there and went to the operating room. They had operating room (four but only one functional because they had only one anesthesiologist, Joana, until I came), supply area, sterilization area, recovery room, ICU, NICU and Peds area ALL IN ONE BIG TENT. (Just imagine yourself the partitions). I talked to Vincent that I will stay for two days because they really needed another anesthesiologist to cover their surgery schedule. After the young man (the kid we transported), I had few more cases to do. All of staff was really polite and friendly. They kept bringing me water bottles and food at the lunchtime. Joana helped me a lot to find thing from the supply area. It was about 6:30 pm when we done with the cases. So finally I came out of this big tent to get some fresh air. There was a truck with BBQ grill outside the big white residential tent and there was a long line of people in front of it. They were selling burgers, soft drinks and beer. This truck comes on Monday and Wednesday only. So the hospital only provides one meal a day (mostly rice with chicken) and for the rest of time you are on your own. The hospital does provide water bottles free of charge. While we were in line, Vincent was kind enough to give us few bed sheets. There were people not only from US but also all over the world. Burger and beer was a hot commodity at this camp. We were chatting with the people while waiting for burgers. Finally we made it to the counter and paid nine dollars for chicken burger and coke (not so cheap, but I guess it was worth it). We got the drinks and found out there is another line to get the burgers. I was really hungry and my stomach started to make some strange noises. Finally I had my burger and we sat on the bench. It took me 40 min to get the burger and only 5 mins to eat it. People were getting crazy with the beer (I guess it was end of their shift and burger and beers only come twice a week). After eating and chatting, I was on my bed. LeeAnn found two foam mattresses for our beds. At nighttime it was not hot inside the tent. Now the dilemma started. I need to go rest room and found out that there are about 8-9 porta-potty along the back wall and next to these there were four showers. I did bring my flashlight with me incase I have to use. I stayed outside this porta-potty about 5 minutes thinking whether should I go in or not. I guess I did not have any options. I had my flashlight on and entered. It was my FIRST experience and also will also be the last. Then I went to shower booth. The flow of water was really great (not like the trickling water we have in Pierre Payen) that I spent extra 10 mins in the shower. Once I was in the bed, it did not take me long to go to sleep.The next day started. I ate power bars and ready for work again. We had a very list for operations that day. LeeAnn went back to Pierre payen with Annie. The day went on, doing cases after cases. I was excited to do 3-4 pediatric cases as well. I talked to Vincent about leaving to Pierre Payen on Wednesday, he told me that he would arrange the transport. In the morning about 9, I was told that transport is ready. There were about eight people already in the SUV (land cruiser). Vincent said don’t worry, all these people are going to General Hospital (which is a local hospital in Port Au Prince). At the time when we were at the general hospital, driver got the call from THE BOSS, that she needed the car right away and they arrange transport for me later on. Who was the BOSS? Director of Medishare, a project of Univ. of Miami that includes other areas of interest including hospital. Driver then went to the local hotel (La Corela I think that was the name) where most of the medishare people were staying. There was some damage to part of the hotel, but most of it survived. But the hotel across the street had more damage and it was closed. The driver did not speak English but we were still able to communicate with the help of sign language and tooti-phooti (broken) English. I waited 15 min outside the hotel then finally four ladies came and then director talked to the driver something in French (Haitians speak French) and we were on the road. We went through various winding streets in the downtown area and looking at the damages that has caused so much disastrous in this region. It was really amazing to see that one side of street there were most of the houses were destroyed but across the street there was only minimal damage.
Finally we arrived at their meeting place, some UN office. I thought the driver will drop me back at the hospital, but the director told me that they would be back in 20 minutes. AT IT WAS LONG TWENTY MINUTES !!!!! My watch was telling me one hour and thirty minutes. In the mean time driver received a call about my whereabouts. Dr. Vincent called Pierre Payen to make sure I did arrive safely and to his surprise I was not there. The driving distance was about one hour and thirty minutes. He called medishare and then medishare called t
he driver and talked to me. Few minutes later the ladies came out of the office and told me that once driver drop them at their hotel, I can go. I was relie
ved to some extent. Finally I was in Pierre Payen with this formula 1 driver. I got a warm welcome from my group, especially from Jessica (another anesthesiologist from WA).
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