Day 4

Wow! I don't think I have ever worked so hard in my entire physical therapy career. (nor have I ever sweat so much).  The work is tough but rewarding. I am overwhelmed by people's stories of the earthquake and it is hard to imagine such tragedy. Please don't read my stories and think I am complaining because my suffering is insignificant to what the Haitians have gone through.  I will share a few stories from today.
I worked with a 6 year old girl who had a right below the knee amputation and her left ankle was crushed after a sofa fell on her in the earthquake. Her pregnant mother and 2 sisters died. She is the sweetest most lovable girl and she walks with a prosthesis without any crutches.  She does have a lot of problems from the injuries that we are working on. She hugs me and sits on my lap and I feel so much sadness that she does not have her mother to do that with.
Another patient that I had today shared his story with me. He was a Spanish teacher and was at work on the forth floor in Port Au Prince during the earthquake. The whole building collapsed and all the students and teachers below him died. He started crying while sharing his story. He said his life was saved because he was on the forth floor. He was trapped for 2 days.  He lost one leg and his right hand was shattered. The left elbow was shattered so they fused it straight. He says, "I will never forget that day"
It feels like we are working in an ER where there are patients all over the room, babies crying, and it is so hot and humid. There is no time to take a break or even drink water which is good because I never have to stop for a bathroom break.  Sometimes the electricity goes off and all the fans stop but we keep going. Just when we are making a dent in the line of patients, a truck will show up with 8 or 9 people in the back in wheel chairs. (I still dont know how they get in the truck).  Brian and I often share one treatment table and sometimes only have one interpreter. 
The people are so gracious and happy despite everything they have gone through.  They like to joke and tell stories and wait patiently to see us. 
My patient said he will never forget the earthquake. I will never forget these experiences in Haiti and the strength and love for life these people have taught me. 

Haiti trip stats:
-number of times a minute the rooster outside my window cockadoodledoos: 5
-number of times I have beat Brian in cards: 15
-number of times Brian has beat me: 1
-scary spider spottings: 2
-tarantula spottings: 0
-breakfasts served with nutella: 4
-wedding proposals: 1
-Brad Pitt sightings: 0
-mosquito bites: 20 (not bad)
-showers per day: 2