LC's whereabouts

Thank God not every day is like today. I wouldn’t last a month here! Nor every week as slow.

Today started with waking up with a sore throat. I guess it has to hit me once in a while too. All morning’s been a bit achy, but no worry. Now after a nap, I feel a bit better.

My nurses have not returned since the earthquake (hopefully they’ll be back on Monday). The first day, the ones still here and I quickly saw 17 patients. By 9:30 we were done and I was able to go to Port. Thursday I had a late start going to the clinic, with so much to do at Canaan, that by the time I got there, the few that had come, had left already, all but 2 babies. Today I saw about 10 people. I’m almost surprised there weren’t more, because people are leaving Port by the busloads; but I’m kinda glad they’re not stopping here, cause the nurses are all gone. I did have one lady today, with a very swollen, blue eye and bruises all over from a house that fell on her.

What has made this day difficult was one little patient; Actually two little patients. The good thing about today is the miracle God did for me. Saphi. Please pray for him. He’s 3 weeks old, weighs 1 kg (2 pounds) (he was born 2 months early), My first thought when I saw him was “why did the parents bring in a dead baby”. He looked so dead; The color, the features, the stiffness of his face. His skin even felt dead – clammy and cold and stiff. I even asked if he was dead. I had to take off all his many layers of clothes to see if he was breathing. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him breathing – with difficulty, but breathing. I quickly took him and checked him over, but what can I do with such a situation? I told the parents he can’t live; there’s nothing I can do for him. I told him they’d have to take him to the hospital (thinking he’d never make it). No money. (Why wasn’t Dr Ric able to get to Haiti when planned? I needed him today for two little ones). I tried to prepare the dad (the mom was out crying) but he begged me to give him something – anything; a vitamin. I tried to give him some breast milk but he couldn’t/wouldn’t swallow anymore. I was even hearing what I think were cheynes stokes (dying breath rattles). What to do in such a situation! I looked at my IV stock. I knew he needed fluids but I couldn’t imagine putting in an IV in a baby that small. But when the dad continued to ask me to do something, I decided if I tried, at least I could say I had done what I could. So I got my 24 G needle – the smallest I had but still too big for a preemie and just looked at it for a while. It seemed so hopeless to try. Why, I think the canula of the needle that stays in the vein was bigger than the vein itself! So, finally, I said “God, if this goes in, it’ll be your miracle! And in it went! Not all the way – think the vein would have popped, but the tip. It wasn’t the best, but I got 50 ml in the next few hours. So after that, I thought if God was willing to do a miracle, we better take him to a hospital with hopes. So off to St Marc, but they wouldn’t receive him. It’s crowded there, UN people all around. They sent him away. I didn’t go because I had other patients to see, so was shocked when they returned with the baby, still alive. I thought he actually looked a teeny bit better. So we took him to D’Chapelle, quite a bit on the other side of St Marc. They accepted him and right away attended him, and he’s in their care. Pray for him – I think God wants him to live, impossible as he looked.

The picture looks better than real life. He's only 2 pounds. That stick is a tongue blade.

Then later another 7 month old girl came, but only weighs like 6 pounds. She also looked like she was dying. I gave mom some money and sent her to the hospital too. I hope the mom will take her.

Tomorrow we are hoping Dr Ric and some other doctors/surgeons will be arriving. Pierre Payen hospital (5 minutes from us now with our good roads) is overcrowded with people from Port, so they’re going to work there. I’ve been asked to help so will probably take 5 or so kids from here to translate for them and go work there. They’re going to work through the night.

Pray for us, for strength to keep going if there’s so many. I’m happy to be involved like this but it will also be tiring, esp if we work all night. We struggle a bit here at times because we know the huge need in Port and it feels like we’re not really doing anything.

3 of the girls that came for 3 weeks are coordinating leaving Haiti. One of them's dad is in the US army so he's coordinating some army helicopters to come drop off some fuel and food at Canaan and picking the girls up and taking them somewhere - DR or Puerto Rico probably. There's some interesting things going on. There is a lot of support coming in - not sure what's happening with food distribution.

Sister Gladys is still trying to coordinate her return. So difficult to get into the country. They're hoping to get to the DR border and pastor Henri will pick her up.

P. Henri's mom and his sister's mother in law came here now. There house was cracked so not safe right now.

OK, I better quit. Want to try getting lots rest tonight, in case I'm up all night tomorrow!

Thanks for your support!!!