Sunday, March 14, 2010

Sunday, my favorite day....

Sunday has always been my favorite day and I have a feeling that today will be no exception...I have just got home from my first solo night shift (well almost solo...with 2helpers and an interpreter/helper..) and the night went well...

At the clinic we have people who are there for many different reasons and who range in age from 4 days-around 70 and I have had to become a "jack of all trades..master of...well maybe a few!?"

Last night we helped a family who's mother was dying..this family truly loved their mother and it showed. The mothers wish was to be at home and the family was able to secure a truck to take her back to her home...3 hours away..I must say I have never administered morphine in the back of a truck before but I did last night. Although I feel we all go through the act of dying alone, this women was surrounded with such love that the journey to her final moments on earth brightened even my heavy heart. It is very hard to watch anyone die but I feel that the caring compassionate Drs. at the clinic ensured that this women had the dignity in death that should be afforded all persons.

And as life would have it last night I was also involved with caring for a being only beginning her life on this earth. A baby that was born at our women's center 5 days ago was hospitalized with an infection requiring IV antibiotics and hydration. I must admit I have never been "responsible" for caring for a child that small. Her parents are wonderful and attentive, waking up to feed her via a syringe every 2 hours. As anybody who knows me and nursing babies they will tell you I don't do babies...they scare me and only because of my inability yo communicate with them but to be honest aside for "pushing" her antibiotics and providing encouragement to mom and dad for feedings I really didn't have to do much... Baby is beautiful.

And this morning I played with a little 3 year old boy, who's picture I won't post out of respect for him but this little boy had his nose almost ripped off in the quake..he is 3 and has had and will have to have numerous facial surgeries...but he is 3 and has everyone at the clinic wrapped around his finger..he is alive, happy, he sings, colors,he hands me crayons and tells me what to color..he's bossy....and I don't tell you his story so you will take pity on him I tell you it so you will think next time when you see someone who has had the misfortune of being disfigured and I hope you will think about Emmaunel and know that although the outside may be damaged the inside is the thing that truly matters because you can't help but love this boy....and he makes me smile..simply smile because to him life is great and I hope against hope for his sake life will always show him the love he receives from the fellow patients of our clinic because he is so loved and lovable!!!

It always amazes me the things we do or work toward attaining in the "modern" world can make life so difficult..our attachment to money and things I feel at times only keeps us from really living and experiencing life. Yes, I sit here typing on a laptop and will send this out into cyberspace via satellite Internet and in this I am well aware that I too am attached to things that make my life easier and easier to have relationships so...I do not feel that all of our attainments are "bad". Last night I felt very attached to life and the simplicity of birth and death and the relationships we develop in the times in between. The people of Haiti didn't have much to begin with, then they experience a tragedy of which many of us in the "modern" world would struggle to recover from. But its the relationships I have seen only at the clinic patients and families and friends (I usually see more family at the clinic then I do patients on a regular basis) that make me think that life will go on for these people and hopefully it will be a tad better then it was before...

I must get some sleep now..I will be going on a tour of the city later on with John McHoul and will try and post later if I can! and don't worry Margie..they are feeding me well!! Mom and dad, glad to hear the trip is going well and I'm doing fine for supplies besides it's doubtful anything would get to me anyways but thanks! Maybe win a big one so I can continue to do stuff like this, only subsidized...:)


As an aside from this I wanted to tell you all to checkout the Heartline website and read some of the blogs on there. The people of Heartline have been in Haiti for a longtime and will be here for a long time to come...They are thinking of opening a clinic in the future and it is much needed! The people of Heartline on the ground, they understand Haiti and they work so closely with the people. It has been a privilege to be able to work with them..I am so grateful to be part of an organization working with and not "for" the people here!!!

So sunday continues to be my favorite day because its always a day of reflection and anticipation of things to come and I think I am in for so many more things to come my way!!

2 comments:

  1. I love recieving your emails Lise- and this one brought tears to my eyes. I am so happy you are there to share love and help the Haitian people...I can just see you and Emmanuel hanging out- he sounds so precious. I just want to pack up my family and head over too. I am so glad you aer there making a difference. I know Kenny, Emmanuel and so many more families are glad you are there too! Love you-
    Sherri

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  2. Lise, thanks for taking the time to share all your experiences and pics with us, very moving. Take good care..thinking of you.

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