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MEDICAL ALUMNI OF NOTRE DAME
 

HAITI UPDATES
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UPDATE 24
Haiti Update 2-26-2010
-Surgical Team 5 Update
-Fund raising – Canadian Style
-Canada Leaving-
   Supplies 5 truck loads and fencing
   Help with nursing – after they beat us in Hockey
It has been over a week since I last wrote and much has happened. I am presently back in Haiti – a travel story in itself – but I’ll write a series of updates to catch up.  Please check out our new facility in Photo 11 by ND photographer Matt Cashore.
We will start with Surgical Team 5 and Paul Cabral. It is nice to hear from summary reflections as it gives the best picture of how the hospital is growing and maturing. Paul writes:
"So the week has ended and spending 18 hours a day working has left me sore feet, but energized.   While there is a lot to be done, allot has been accomplished.
This week we performed 85 surgeries, saw hundreds of patients if not a thousand of patients.
 
We opened an inpatient adult ward where we hydrated patients overnight, treated infections with iv antibiotics and housed post op abdominal cases.
 
We had a 24 hour Ed where we fixed lacerations in the middle of might caused by fights or accidents.
 
We had a inpatient pediatric ward where we nursed preemie twins who delivered in a taxi on the way to the hospital and another who was dehydrated.
 
Obstetrically we delivered 6 children and performed 1 c section. Helped with a variety other needs.
 
Logistically ,completed the move of the surgical unit to the hospital, cleaned up the nursing school.  Set up or and inpatient unit and minor procedure room.  We turned Wal-Mart into central stores.  We organized as much as we can.  There is allot more to do."
 
 
Fund Raising Events accomplishes 2 things – it obviously raises  needed money to keep this program going but also keeps awareness of the ongoing needs in Haiti. Americans are used to quick fixes. We have a problem and want it fixed immediately and on to the next issue. Haiti will take years. 
This week the Rochester Community came out in full force. Good friend and master chef Tony Gulace organized “Rochester and InterVol for Haiti” at the Memorial Art Gallery. Despite a blizzard, over 150 people turned out for an evening of gospel, soul and jazz music featuring the Campbell Brothers and various eating stations by the top chefs of Rochester. The event raised over 13,000.
 
The Canadian Military had set up a field hospital just on the outskirts of Leogane.  The Canadian Military is responsible for this sector of Haiti. Over the past 6 weeks we have been working together both medically and on other community projects.  The field hospital will be closing its’ doors in the next week (60 day mission finished). The staff decided to have a fund raiser to help a local orphanage that was destroyed by the quake – Canadian Style – hey! 4 hirsute  soldiers from the medical unit were offered to the medical staff to have their whiskers cut by the highest bidder. Obviously they picked a bunch of GQ stud looking guys knowing that it would attract many of the many female soldier  bidders who were only egged on by their male coworkers to bid higher. I believe the highest bid went for 190 dollars and that was US bucks. It was a painful but fun shave for the winner. (See photos 14-16)
 
Sean Farrell- aka “radar” (for those of you old enough to remember MASH) has been volunteering in Haiti for over 4 weeks. He has done a bit of everything but is responsible for developing a great relationship with the Canadians. This has resulted in 5 truck loads of medical supplies (see photo 18)  delivered to our hospital include surgical and medical supplies, drugs and wood for a fence to built around the new hospital. Simply amazing – hey! In addition the Canadians have been sending over nurses (disparately needed) to help in our field hospital.  We are greatly appreciative but noted they started coming the day after they beat us in the Olympic Hockey Finals – coincidence – I don’t think so – hey!
 
I have much more to come.
 
Ralph
 
PS   For those who have been recently added to this update list, older updates and video are available at:
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
     
UPDATE 23
Haiti Update 2-24-2010
 
 
-Doctor Updates
-Donations,donations,donations!
   -Americares and Zimmer
   - Dr Dan Alexander  and his C-arm
 
 
Many of recent group of docs have been sending me updates of their experience both patient and other:
 
Dr. Joe Bardenheier writes:
 
The three aftershocks we have had were a little startling but as far as I know no harm done except they wake up the dogs who raise a fuss for a few minutes.
 
 
Dr. Doug Hargrave writes "The experience has been great... "  He goes on to tell of an interesting case.  We have all seen our share of problems we don't encounter back in the States.  More to come when I get pictures.
 
 
 
David Cywinski MD writes:
 
" Thanks for your email, it really gets to the heart of the issue: helping people. The clinic remains extremely busy while the hospital (portable OR) continues to be in the stages of transition. Everyone here is functioning at their capacity bringing their special skills and talents to this process. At the heart of this is logistics. If I could put a wish list together, it would include a logistician that was a constant from week to week so that the wheel would stop being reinvented. The physicians could then focus on delivering medical care, in the clinic and in the hospital, not to mention mobile clinics.  As it has been said "It takes a village to raise a child." This clinic and hospital are children that need  the talents of many.
      It continues to amaze me how much you can get done from the states to help the people of Haiti, I want to thank you for this."
Dr Dan Alexander writes:
 
"We all are working hard, seeing patients and stocking supplies. Yesterday we saw about 300 people (about 80 ortho). Lots of wound care including open fracture treatment, casts on and off. Many patients with fever/diarrhea, especially kids- the effects of unclean drinking water. We continue to handout thousands of water purification tablets after clinic in town. The haitian people are incredibly grateful for this. "
 
Dan is also one of many who have made significant donations to the cause.  It may take a village to raise a child but it takes a lot of money to build a hospital.  Fortunately we have many generous donors.  Dan donated his C-arm fluoro unit from his office.  we are arranging to place it on the 40 ft conatiner leaving Rochester next week for Leogane.
 
Joe Bardenheier told about a donation from Zimmer via Americares of a dermatome for a recent trip he had to Vietnam to do relief.  I followed up with both and happy to say Zimmer donated 11,000 dollars worth of equipement which include an electric dermatome, blades and the motor to run it.  I plan to bring it down with me next week during my next trip.   Don't forget about the very generous donation of a field hospital to WWV.  In addition the Notre Dame Haiti Program has purchased 250 tents and 3,000 lbs of food for the container next week in addition to the ongoing housing facilities in Leogane.
 
Joey Leary has been amazed at all the help with donations.  He states it feel like a wedding shower except the bride is our new hospital and the gifts are medical supplies, equipment, food and housing.
 
I am sure there will be more coming.  Many thanks for all the efforts to date.
 
Ralph
UPDATE 22
Haiti Update 2-20-2010
 
-Tents Needed
-Leogane Shock Trauma Hospital (LSTH) Alum to fund raise for tents
-New Surgical Team arrives
-New Video features Dr. Brett Hendel-Paterson
 
It started raining a few days ago.  There was 3 days in a row with rain.  Soon we will be in the rainy season with a whole new set of problems.  First the homeless are living in structures that will not protect them from heavy rain (see attached photos).  In addition the refugee camp in front of the ND residence is in low lying area which typically floods.  this combined with tight living space is a recipe for spread of disease.  They will have to be moved and they need tents to live in.
 
Dave Polonet is an orthopedic surgeon from NJ who is a LSTH alum who helped a few weeks ago.  He is back in NJ and is setting up a tent drive to either get tents donated or money to purchase tents. This is very timely given the above.  We hope to ship the tents in a container we hope to get out soon (working on customs issues).
 
We switched surgical teams recently.  The new team is:
 
 
InterVol/ND Team 5: Fri Feb 19 - Sat Feb 27
1. Dan Alexander MD - orthopedic surgery; Rochester, NY;
2. Dave Cywinski MD - internal med, pediatrics, peds intensive care, non-operative orthopedics; Rochester, NY;
3. Joe Bardenheier MD - general surgery; Florida;
4. Doug Hargrave MD - plastic surgery; Albany, NY;
5. Susan Knott RN - OR nurse; Albany, NY;
6. Phil Spanheimer MD - surgical intern; Albany, NY;
7. Jim Bates MD - anesthesia; Iowa City, IA;
8. Tara Hata MD - peds& adult anesthesia; Iowa City, IA
9. Paul Cabral MD - OB/GYN; Rochester, NY
 
Many thanks to Team 4 for their hard work and unpredictable travel schedule. 

InterVol/ND Team 4: Feb 12 - 20:
Jean Joseph MD - urologist, U of Rochester
Johann Piquion Joseph MD - OB/GYN Rochester General
Gary Tebor MD - orthopedic surgeon w/ pediatric training
Krystof Neumann MD - anesthesiologist
Cyndi Babcock - CNRA (certified nurse anesthetist) 
Rachelle Nesbitt - RN w/ ICU&trauma focus
Bill Willett - PA
 
A special thanks to Craig Hawkins who came on very short notice and stayed for 2 weeks.  He finally goes home.  He was a constant and helped greatly with not only transition of the teams but to the field hospital.

As you know the surgical teams work with the medical teams which are coordinated by World Wide Village via Chris and Ginny. Recently one of their docs - Brett Hendel-Paterson - had a very nice video documentary published by a Minnesota newspaper.  It shows the work being done by Bret and his group while at the original LSTH.  It also highlights the people we serve.  I have mentioned waking up in the early hours to singing by those homeless  living in front of our facility.  This is beautifully portrayed.
 
 
I add new names of those interested in these updates.  Please note older updates are at www.InterVol.org
 
As always - more to come.
 
Ralph
 
     
 
UPDATE 21
 
Haiti Update  2-16-2010
 
Filed Hospital - Hospital Sainte Croix officially opens
 
On Sunday Feb 14 the docs, nurses, staff started moving into the new field hospital donated to World Wide Villiage which will be named Hospital Sainte Croix.  Two cases were done in the new operating room.  12 -15 more were scheduled for the next day.  Attached are photos courtesy of Kara Talesmanick.
 
This is a major step in our efforts to provide care But we still have a long way to go.  The current structure is a shell which needs to be outfitted.  Some of the basic things needed are:
 
-water supply (running water not from buckets)
-latrines
-oxygen source
-equipment for the operating room -  operating room table(s), delivery table, anesthesia machine, monitors, sterilization equipment and supplies, etc
 
This is to mention just a few.  But one should realize and take thanks that we have come a long way in the past 4-5 weeks.  When  working out of Leogane Shock Trauma - the nursing school -  the number of patients seen and operations performed was miraculous given the circumstances,  the fact we started with nothing,  had to bring all supplies in and recruit docs/nurses/support staff on practically no notice.  Over 7,000 patients have been evaluated and treated, over 250 operations performed and we are averaging 2-3 deliveries per day, many by c-section.  Incredible is an understatement!
 
We must keep the effort going and try to remind others the need is still great.  The Olympics will distract most of the world from the continued need.  As we start we the rainy season - a whole set of problems will start.  Please share these updates with as many as possible to keep the interest.
 
Please look for anyone interested in donating needed equipment.  Full needs list to come.
 
Ralph
 
     
 
     
  
UPDATE 20
Valentine's Day Haiti Update
 
This will be my shortest update to date.  A much longer one will be coming out within the next day.
 
I wanted to devote this update to say "Many Thanks" to all the spouses, significant others, family and friends who have supported the volunteers working both in Haiti and back in the States (or elsewhere).  Although the volunteers have put in countless hours, days and sometimes weeks, they couldn't do it without the support of family and friends.  I just wanted to recognize their contribution - which is only appropriate for the Valentine's Day update.  Again many thanks!!
 
Ralph
UPDATE 19
  2-12-10
-Field Hospital Update
-Field hospital Name
-Team Marty to Leave
-Team Chuck Staying on
 
 
The generator for the field hospital has been delivered and they are working on setting it up.  A well is being dug for a water source.  Overall thinks are progressing and maybe the facility can be used this week.
 
Ashley Aakesson (Children's Nutrition Program of Haiti)  was happy to report  that Bishop Duracin has given his blessing to name the field hospital  "Hopital Sainte Croix"  under the leadership of World Wide Village until a new permanent facility is built.  This is really great new for those you familiar with local politics and allows the group of NGOs who have working hard to continue with community support.  We will never forget "Leogane Shock Trauma Hospital" , our home for the first month after the quake.  This is where all came together for one purpose, worked together under extreme circumstances even though we came from different groups (NGOs) and parts of the US.  It is something I will never forget.  The name may change but  the spirit and cooperation will continue.
 
Marty Dineen leaves today.  I have to say a few words about his enormous contribution.  He joined us on 1 day notice and has stayed an extra week to help transition the surgical teams.  Although he does talk my ear off (he is Irish and gives my partner a run for his money), you just have to love his spirit, willingness to help and hard work.  Marty has many firsts - first graduate of the LSTH Plastic Residency Program, LSTH Poet Laureate and now he has written his summary of the InterVol/ND team 3 week of activities.  He interviewed the members of this team and asked their thoughts about this journey.  It is very insightful and a pleasure to read.  I would encourage others to put their thoughts, emotions experiences in print as they happen.  It is not only therapeutic but helps others understand what we experience.  I have taken the liberty to mildly edit  some of this manifesto and will share it over the next few days.
 
Marty's Report:
 
 
 
February 6, 2010, Leogane, Haiti
Dr Ralph the rest of the RGH gang departed on the last Tradewinds Caravan flight out yesterday at 4 p.m. from the now world renown Leogane International Airport complete with curbside service, luggage pick up, overhead dusting by UN helicopters, and perimeter protection by US Marines who are happy to be here rather than Afghanistan.
We keep hearing that it is the last but “fluid” has become the operative word and who knows – maybe the PR generated by the video clip will allow them to fly a few more flights. Perhaps the insurance companies back home who are alleged to be the guilty parties for putting a stop to this may change their minds and allow more flights.
February 12th, Leogane Haiti
I had promised Ralph that I would be his eyes and ears on the ground once he was gone and would be an “Alfred” to his “Batman”. Daily I was to write stories of all that was going on and forward them to our rather extended Notre Dame family so all could keep abreast of what has been going on. Sadly I have failed miserably to do this. I wanted to operate more than administrate. However….
This morning 6 of our people left Leogane for Jacmel and as I write this they are over the skies of Haiti in little flour seat aircraft heading toward Santiago, DR and from there to JFK and onward to Rochester New York (From +95 degrees and relentless sun to -95 degrees and no sun). 
Prior to leaving I asked each of the six last night and this morning what they remember of their trip, high points, low points and points in between. I thought I would let their brief comments speak for themselves.
  
Gloria Berent – Director of Nursing at Rochester General Hospital (I wasn’t to ask for how many years but she admitted to being a Mom to a 22 and 19 year old). Upon arrival
she spent three days organizing boxes of operating materials playing “Radar” to our respective “Mash” characters and then became the scheduling board “witch”. Actually in these days of political correctness we cannot publish what she really called herself. You can use your imagination. (We don’t believe that witches have any political standing at the moment and feel safe with that moniker). She came here looking for something “bigger” than herself – can’t really explain it—just something from within.
 Most rewarding she found teaching the Haitian nurses to teach other Haitians. With amazing ingenuity she had to make do with what we had. She tried to teach sterile technique. We used the little plastic sheets that came with pre packaged spinal kits someone donated to our anesthesia gang as “sterile drapes”. We operated through the little holes. Anesthesia kept thing sterile in other ways. These sheets then became all the more a challenge as instruments would slip off and on to the floor. Believing they were a help the nurses would often pick these instruments up and put them back on the drape (5 second rule?). So much for sterility!! As surgeons we try anything to get out of wearing a gown. So when Gloria announced that we had to choose between using the gowns to cover our selves or as sterile sheets over the patient, well…… (I think we thought that at 110F the sweat that rolled off of us sterilized itself on the way to the floor if it didn’t drop on to the patient first – all except for Tim O’Connor (Irish refugee and the only person older than Ralph) –we figure he generated 120 degrees from body mass alone and thus rendered his sweat not only bactericidal, but fungicidal, sporacidal and viracidal as well – his spirochetes were resistant however). She organized the PACU and would troll the outside tents sorting through literally hundreds of patients requiring some sort of surgical intervention tasked to our group. Leaving the pure medical needs to the tune of 150 to 300 patients a day to our brethren from World Wide Village (University of Iowa and others).
Gloria found hardest turning away those with huge hernias and horribly disfiguring/disabling hydroceles that just aren’t safe to do now. It is our prayer that Notre Dame can continue this work under sterile conditions in a few months' time. Gloria and others would clean wounds and dress them only to find them crawling with maggots the next day which for most tends to ease off one’s appetite (except for mine (aka Dr Big Tummy) and Dr O’Connor’s). It turns out that there are good maggots and bad. (Funny -- the things you learn here). The good maggots tend to clean the house and make for a tidy wound. The bad maggots tend to bury down deep within the wound prior to departing this earth and make for a mess in their quarters. Damned if I can tell the difference. That said, we have the bad maggots.
Speaking of nursing students most were staying here at the school on the day of the quake. Many don’t know yet the fate of their parents or siblings. Several live far away and with no phones, no mail, no communication, well…. (some of these sentences are just too tough to complete without tearing up). At the end of the day they go home with a small ration of food (rice +) and return the next day ready for work looking better/cleaner than most Americans. How they do this is amazing to all of us who feel like we have been at Camp Tapakegabeer for a week (or Notre Dame for a semester in the 70’s) and have yet to see a shower (even though we have access to one). Martha (28 years old) was the valedictorian of last year’s nursing class and has stayed to help Hilda (Dean of the Students) with the needs of the students. Her English is excellent and she routinely makes fun of my Creole (essentially non – existent). She runs around our make shift OR helping our DON’s (in this case Gloria) translate our needs to the students. One night I asked Jean Marc Brissau where he was off to. He said he was giving Martha a ride home. Thinking that could be miles away I asked where that was. “On the street like everybody else.”
Anne Marie Blanchard. Works at Clinton OB-GYN. She received a call from Cindy – volunteer coordinator for Intervol who put out the word for a PA in OB. A need to help, a special time in her life, a VERY supportive husband (leaving him with their five kids ages 13 to two) brought her here with 36 hours notice.
      The fortitude of the people was most amazing to Anne Marie. A lady would have her baby and within 15 minutes and be heading back to her shack/shanty/tarp, etc. She did one C-section with Headlamps (coal miner lights) sewing a torn urethra literally standing on her head. She went on to deliver 12 more children with what she describes as the best anesthesia team in the world. Although grateful to have been part of a great team and to be able to do what she could she was frustrated that she could not deliver better care because of a “lack of sufficient/proper medicine”. While “going to a place that is going to tear my heart out” she went on to describe a baby that couldn’t breast feed but was sent home anyhow. She describes that some nights “you just want to go back and cry your heart out.” 
Yet she went on to describe a vaginal delivery with no fetal heart tones. They were able to intubate the child and found a facility in PAP to accept the child in transfer. Stuck in traffic they ran out of oxygen. Realizing the baby surely would die without the oxygen they had no choice but to extubate the child and let God’s will be done. Evidently His will was done and now two days later we have heard that the baby is alive and well. She believes that things hardest in our lives probably become the most meaningful of experiences. We are not asked to carry a cross heavier than we can handle. She feels that none of us have been able to do enough but is most proud of fixing up the OB room to the extent she was able leaving it in good shape for the crew arriving tonight. No matter what you read or hear in our news media the Haitian people are grateful that we are here. “Did you really leave your family to help us?”
 
Marty's Report - to be continued tomorrow.
 
Final note on Craig Hankins.  Over 1 week ago we were short an orthopedic doc for a few days.  Marty made one phone call and within 24 hours on the last flight into Leogane International came Craig Hawkins.  You knew he had to be a friend of Marty - even if he is a Gator - to come without any notice to help.  And in Marty's tradition - he is staying on another week to help transition our new group  :
 
 
Bill Willet PA
Rachel Nesbitt RN (trauma/icu)
Cindy Babcock (nurse anesthetist)
Krystof Neumann MD (Anesthesia)
Gary Tebor MD (ortho incl pediatrics)
Johann Piquion MD (OB/GYN)
Jean Joseph, MD (urol)
We are very fortunate that Jean, Johann and Rachel are all from Haiti.  They now live and practice in Rochester, NY.  I wish their team the best.
 
As always, more to come tomorrow.
 
Ralph
UPDATE 18
Haiti Update 2-10-2010
 
It has been a few days since returning to Rochester.  InterVol/ND team 3 is doing very well.  Working along with the WWV (World Wide Viallge)/Uni of Iowa docs (who are also rotating teams of docs/nurses) they continue to see over 100 patients per day and perform 10-15 operations per day and 2-3 deliveries per day and c-sections.  All fairly amazing since they are still operating out of make shift facilities.  One good note - one of the new docs brought an electorcautery unit.  This one machine will greatly expand our surgical capabilities allowing us to do more complex procedures and cut down on some the operating times.
 
I have started to refer to the two rotating teams InterVol/ND and WWV/Uni of Iowa.  This is to keep logistics simple as we coordinate travel groups.  Many docs are from other areas and hook up with these 2 groups.  All efforts are greatly appreciated and these groups are not restricted.  Quite the opposite - we welcome all.  As a matter of fact Marty Dineen -full time urologist, recent grad of LSTH Plastic Residency program is now trying to be the "Poet Laureate" of the LSTH.  He wrote an ad which I modified slightly that  we can use to get more docs as we look to fill the spots for the next 4-6 months:
 
 
Dear Fellow Doctor,
 
Are you doing anything next week? You have been looking a
little run down lately and need a break.  What would you say to putting
your entire life on hold, canceling your office and coming here to
Haiti. Most of the world has no clue or won't believe you as to what it
costs you to do something this crazy BUT I can promise you only what
will probably have been the most rewarding -devastating-eye-opening-life
changing experience of my life. 
 
I know this is short notice, but I only got
about 48 hours notice myself -- you could come to Santiago Friday or
Saturday night out of Miami and we could probably get you into Jacmel,
Haiti from there and we would pick you up there and drive you here to
Leogane.  You would be a "guest" at the Notre Dame Filariasis
Residence.  (Complete with your own chance to catch filariasis, dengue
fever, malaria, etc.) 
You'll go home sweaty and exhausted but no nurse
will tell you your H&P isn't done, you haven't marked which side you are
operating on, you didn't dictate your op note and you don't have to
worry about any lawyers.  Just a group of incredibly grateful and strong
people who have nothing but an amazing faith, a will to live, and
literally the cloth on their back.  They live in tents and little huts
made of corrugated metal and wood pulled from the rubble.  Besides it
will give you a chance to brush up on your Creole.  We have amazing
people on the ground in the US who are able to help you get here to us. 
We need you now and in the next few months.  Please help!

Sincerely.......
 
I couldn't sum it up any better.
 
I want to thank the current InterVol/ND team 3 group for giving their time on very short notice.  Most had to cancel work, patients and family activities.  I can tell you that your patients are proud to have doctors who give, and our institutions - Rochester General Hospital and all its affiliates- has rallied behind you and continue to support us both emotionally, financially and with great pride.  These folks include:
 
Bruce Kleene - anesthesiolgy
Bob Young - anesthesiology
Tim O'Connor - Plastic Surgery
Rocco Perrone - Plastic Surgery Resident under the Plastic Surgery Group of Rochester
Gloria Berent - operating room nurse
Ann Marie Blanchard - PA Ob/Gyn
 
 
The next team leaves on 2-11 from Buffalo and will arrive 2-12.  Since the Leogane International is closed, they will fly to Jacmel and ND folks will pick them up and transport to Leogane.  More to come on this group later.
 
Ralph
 
UPDATE 17
Haiti Update 2-5-2010
 
-MSF  Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
-First Preemie Delivered at LSTH
-Final Prop Plane Leaves Leogane International Airport
-NY Times article and video
-InterVol Team 2 comes home
 
 
Friday was another day of excitement, international cooperation and sadly InterVol/ND Team 2's last day.  But it was adventure packed.
 
Dr. Benjamin Gold is a Swiss doctor working with MSF who had a small field hospital in downtown Leogane.  He stopped by and asked Andy an I to help with a 6 yo child with significant blood loss who lost his all her forehead skin down to exposed bone 3 weeks earlier during the earthquake.  They had no access to plastic surgeons. Then word filtered out about the two at the new LSTH.  He stopped by and asked if we should come by and consider operating at their Operating Room - outdoors but still very hot.  We went by this morning and received a brief interrogation by their anesthesiologist Joe from New Orleans.  I guess he thought we were a bunch of yahoo plastic surgeons and was very worried we would get into too much bleeding and leave him in trouble.  We kept our cool and said we thought we could perform the surgery (large scalp flap and full thickness graft) with blood loss less than he expected (which is always double of what surgeons say it will be).  He was unsure but agreed to proceed.  All went well.  They had 2 things we didn't.  An anesthesia machine (which made us realize how good our guys were doing) and an electrocautery - ah the smell of burnt flesh was never so good.  Half way through the case, with bleeding much less than predicted,  he said his initial impression of us was wrong and that we were pretty darn good.   Now, when Andy and I took off our gowns, the sweat poured out from the inside.  It looked like we jumped into a pool - see photo - look at lower legs - only thing dry (this is the fluid reference from yesterday).
 
Having brought the north and south back together with the aid of a Swiss General Surgeon, we returned to LSTH only to find that our anesthesiologists  and medical docs relived a preemie after mom literally showed up at our front door and delivered.  The baby was estimated to be around 26-28 weeks turned blue with respiratory distress.  Jeff was able to get a few breaths in with an ambu bag larger then the baby's head.  the team then got an ET in and started an iv.  Now what does one do.  The USNS Comfort was full and doesn't take anything less than 30 weeks - lesson learned - always lie about the age.  While various docs continue to hand ventilate we were able to transfer to children's hospital in Leogane and the Japanese Military team took the baby there.  Not bad for teamwork on all sides.
 
Team 2 then got ready to leave.  There were mixed feelings but it had been a long 8 days and most needed a break.  we headed off to Leogane International Airport to catch the last Tradewinds Caravan Prop plane back to Santiago.  For insurance reasons, Tradewinds was forces to stop their heroic and life saving flights.  Doc, Nurses and pilots were willing to risk their lives to land on this piece of road over 60 times.  But the risk assessment folks and the lawyers decided it was too much of a gamble for the insurance company.  I could express what I think but have to keep this a PG rated page.
 
We had 8 that went out on this last plane and I felt I was in a Bogart movie - Casablanca.  When we got to Santiago we all thanked and congratulated the pilots.  We had 6 hours before our red eye left to JFK.  I guess because we looked pretty bad and smelled worse they offered us their hotel rooms to shower.  We didn't pass it up and had diner and drinks after.
 
Earlier in the week the NY Times sent a reported and videographer to do a story on these plane flights. It appeared in print and on line at
 
 
The video connection is on the left partly down the page.  For all the InterVol volunteers in Rochester, NY who spent many nights packing medical supply boxes, for RGH who donated much needed equipment and for those who collected so many crutches in the past and wondered what we would ever do with them - check out the video.  In the hardest of circumstances the little guys came up big for a little town.  Again kudos to Constellation Brands for giving us 4 trips on the corporate jets and Tradewinds for the air bridge to Leogane.
 
A new InterVol/ND group has taken over and joins the docs/nurses/etc teams coordinated by World Wide Village and the docs from University of Iowa to continue giving care.  The walls of the field hospital are up.  We have a long way to go.  Share this with friends and other colleagues - we will need their help to continue for at least 6 months.
 
I will continue to provide updates from the folks on the ground but every day.
 
Ralph
 
     
 
     
 
UPDATE 16
Haiti Update 2-4-2010
 
-Other Vols activity outside of Leogane
-Central Supply
-Field Hospital Update
-InterVol Team 3 Arrives
-Plastic Surgery Studs Raise Money
 
I have yet to talk about what Bill Joyce, EMT and InterVol veteran of many trips (Africa, Haiti, Belize) has been doing.  Bill accompanied Save the Children mobile clinics.  The US Marines went out to remote villages mostly accessible by 4 wheel drive and/or foot path.  They then reported back to various NGOs who sent mobile medical teams.  Bill went to villages with Save The Children.  They were located 4 and 6 km from Jacmel or about 2 hours by 4 wheel vehicle.  At one they treated over 100 patients and the other 25.  Most of the wounds were similar to what was seen at out makeshift hospital in leogane - lower extremity and scalp wounds - none treated since the quake.  They also provided basic primary care needs (see photos).  Again, much destruction of simple buildings.  At one village many of the children had not seen a Caucasian before.  Bill certainly scared the hell out of them at first but then won them over with his charm.
 
Emmy Branigan - (or Capt Branigan because she runs a tight ship) is another InterVol veteran nurse.  She coordinated all the surgical supplies that were sent down, did inventory and set up the surgical supply room  After the first week things got sort of distorted and she straighten things right out.  She was able to keep the surgeons happy with their various equipment needs.  Fortunately, she had very low need and demanding surgeons (if you believe any surgeon is low maintenance then I have a bridge to sell you in NYC).
 
Our anesthesia team - Paul Cross and Jeff Wasserman have been outstanding.  There wasn't a case they couldn't tackle.  They worked as a team and they were always one room ahead of the surgeons.  They had to deal with everything from preemies to new born to children to adults.  All without an anesthesia machine.  One thing for certain, they have now set the standard for what I expect at home - 2 anesthesiologists for everyone of my cases.  if they can do it at LSTH, then they can do it at RGH.
 
Jeff has also been the victim of many pranks.  The best was when I told him the hospital lwayer called and said the insurance deal feel through.  He was whining and miserable for hours.  I was just waiting for him to call Lyle back at the homestead but phone connections were not good.  Finally I couldn't watch him suffer anymore and told him the truth.  I know I 'll get mine.
 
Field hospital walls going up today.  Hopefully will move in soon.
 
New InterVol team came today via Leogane International Airport.  They arrived at the same time the top UN General and USMC General were leaving from the helicopter landing zone after a meeting.  There were USMC soldiers and UN soldiers all over our airstrip.  At first I thought it was the new security system for our new airport.  The I realized they just wanted to impress the Newbies.  This group includes:

Gloria Berent -    OR Nurse
Bob Young -     Anesthsiologist
Anne Marie Blanchard -     PA OB/GYN
Bruce Kleene -   Anesthesiologist
Rocco Perrone   Plastics Surgeon

 

Tomorrow Marty Dineen's buddy comes in to help with ortho - Craig Hankins.  We had one plastic surgeon who couldn't make it.  Tim O'Connor to the rescue.  He will arrive Monday.

Finally Andy Smith and I decided to raise money by posing for SQ - Surgeons Quarterly (similar to GQ but for surgeons) and PlaySurgeon magazines.  Attached is our above the neck shot.  Wait until you see the whole body shot tomorrow - it is very fluid.  The money will be used to help with our ongoing relief efforts.  For autographed copies at 100 dollars - just let me know.  It's a good cause.

 

Ralph

 

 
     
 
     
 
     

UPDATE 15
Haiti  Update 2-3-2010
 
- First Pt Transfer to USNS Comfort
- LSTH graduates first Plastic Surg Resident
- Update on Filed Hospital
 
Another busy day.  Patients continue to come in large numbers.  We are now seeing our first post op check on the many full thickness skin grafts.  Haitians are amazing.  Most of these wound reconstructions would be admitted if done back home.  They were sent home which is usually a tent, usually they had to walk there on crutches.  So far - we have had good take on all grafts.  The complex facial closures are also doing well.  We continue to various surgeries in addition to wound reconstructions and facial trauma.  We have had a number of interesting tumors and even a large sliding inguinal hernia.  My hat off to Marty on this one.
 
Speaking of Marty - he graduated last night .  We had a small graduation ceremony at the Notre Dame Residence complete with diploma (see photo).   Our guest speaker was going to be President Obama (after all he did one  for ND)  but they couldn't land Air Force 1 on the Leogane International Airport runway.  We offered to fly him on the Tradwinds Caravan Prop but the Secret Service nixed the idea due to no in-flight meal service.  Ahhh - there is always next year.
 
We had a very sick 5 year boy who was septic with an infected knee.  Wit no inpatient capability except for a tent we decided to call the Comfort.  The Navy boys came through in a big way.  We used the newly decided LSTH ambulance (aka ND pick up truck) to transfer to the LZ (landing zone - see I am really becoming a logistics person).   Navy helicopter picked him and transferred him.  All done within 2 hours of calling them.  Not bad service at all.
 
The field hospital is becoming a reality.  The flooring was put in today.  The layout is 6 pods, each measuring 20 by 32 ft.  We are all working on how things should be laid out.  One downside, no water, latrines but better than what we have now.  There are container units that can be purchased that have fully plumed bathroom facilities.  Anyone know a donor who like to purchase one?
 
Our group is eagerly waiting for the next InterVol group to show tomorrow.  More about that later. 
 
Ralph
     
     
     
UPDATE 14
Haiti Update 2-2-2010
- International Cooperation
-ND Haiti Program’s new ambulance service
-Leogane Shock Trauma initiates Plastic Surgery Training Program
-Field Hospital Update
 Oh so much to write about. Yesterday was a very eventful day. It started with an incident with the UN Sri Lanka which I can’t write about. Let’s just say we ended up with the Canadian Military and US Marines visiting the ND residence. By the end of the day all things were settled but we instituted new rules for all working here. 
The day started early with patients lining up at daybreak. Over 200 patients showed up today and were processed by the triage team of docs and nurses (see Morning line up)
 The surgical team started another day of wound reconstruction of extremity injuries using the LSTH protocol of full thickness skin graft from the lower abdomen (patients get a free tummy tuck). We also did a median nerve reconstruction, forearm tumor, complex scalp and facial  wounds on kids, etc. We are still seeing wounds from earthquake over 3 weeks ago that have not been treated.  (See photo child head injury, operating rm 2)
Presently we have 2 plastic surgeons (Pennino and Smith). We have no replacements in the near future so we decided to start a training program. It is called the LSTH Plastic Surgery Residency. It is a brief 1 week intense program covering the basics of wound reconstruction. Andy Smith is Program Director.   Marty Dineen, MD (ND ‘74) is the program’s first resident. He has previous background in skin harvesting ( circumcisions). He is now expanding it to cover larger wounds
We also have been getting many OB referrals. Dr Chris is now our lone OB/GYN doc and seems to have a few deliveries per day (see OB Room) . Yesterday was very different. Late morning one pregnant mom developed a toxic pregnancy. We are not equipped to handle this situation.   The only unit in the area with a ventilator was the Cuban Medical Mission on the outskirts of town. We quickly mobilized the ND truck which was transformed into Leogane’s new ambulance service . Talk about international and inter religious cooperation. Where else would you have a Jewish doctor on a Catholic pick up truck taking a Haitian pregnant mom to a Cuban medical unit. Later that day a similar event occurred. This time Pat Riggs jumped into action as paramedic for the trip . We all learn to adapt to whatever is needed to care for the patients. The hardest part is our lack of medical assets. This group of docs, nurses and allied medical has done remarkable things with few assets. Things will hopefully get better when the field hospital gets finished.   Today they brought in truckloads of gravel for the base. This was quickly leveled. They are to put the base floor in later in the day. They say it may be done by the weekend, just in time for the new surgical team.
 Present plans call for us to return home this weekend. InterVol working with our partners is trying to coordinate a new surgical and anesthesia team. This is in the works and as always – very fluid.
 More to come.
Ralph
 
     
 
     
   
UPDATE 13
Haiti Update 2-1-2010
Dermatomes and Canadians
New Field Hospital
 It was a very eventful   day. It started with the usual singing from the refugee camp and ended with a Canadian special observation unit spending the night on our roof checking things out.
The mornings are very peaceful. The air is much cooler and tolerable. The roosters are all doing their thing and we can’t figure out way they haven’t become diner. Singing is followed by sunrise. This morning the lines for the clinic started early and stretched from the nursing school (AKA Leogane Shock Trauma Hospital – LSTH) back to the Notre Dame residence. By the end of the day the medial team had processed over 300 patients with various problems. As I noted prior the doctors and nurses are from many areas in the US working with various NGOs such as World Wide Village and the University of Iowa group, Children’s Nutrition Program, Save the Children and InterVol through the Notre Dame Haiti Program. All are working well together because our end goal is the same.
Our group is mostly surgery and anesthesia. We got a good workout yesterday. It was would closure day. Most wounds have followed a very similar pattern. They are big, located on the lower extremity outer leg or dorsal foot. Back home we would simply use a dermatome and harvest a split graft. It would not take long. We have no dermatome so all grafting was done free hand taking full thickness grafts. This is a laborious and tedious process due to the size of the grafts we had to harvest. Most had to be taken from the lower abdomen and when we closed the donor site it looked as if we did abdominoplasties on our patients. It wasn’t so bad for the older women who multiple pregnancies but was a little unusual for the children and teenagers. Our biggest concern is post op healing. We have no inpatient capability and patients are sent back home – aka refugee camp – to return for post op wound checks.
 LSTH has become a referral hospital. Word was out about our 3 makeshift operating rooms and ragtag team of surgeons, anesthesia, nurses, ER docs, primary care, EMTS, pharmacist, etc and many other groups are sending patients to us to treat. We had 3 patients sent from a Canadian Field Team for skin grafting. The Canadian Military has set up a mobile 100 bed hospital about a 10 minute car ride from the ND residence. Since they are new , they are mostly empty (that will change). We were visited by their docs and asked if we could admit our post op patients for proper  care. Their docs had no problem with it but we had to get an OK from the administrators. This has yet to happen.   Hard to believe – we are working in a school with no place to put patients, while this air conditioned field hospital sits almost empty. What the hell gives! If I had a bus, we would move the patients and get squatters rights. Hopefully this will change today.
 We don’t need access to their unity for long. A benefactor donated a 50 bed field hospital with 1 real operating room to World Wide Vision. Their president Randy Mortensen was on site yesterday trying to get it set up for our combined group’s use. The problem – we needed bull dozer to prepare the site or there was a chance they would pull the unit which is being delivered in over 50 large crates. My first trip to Leogane was over a week ago and despite the 80-90 % destruction I have yet to see a bull dozer. A strange thing happened – a bull dozer appeared in the early evening and graded the field.
 We had an urologic emergency this morning requiring the expertise of the 8th member of our group who is from Florida and a fellow domer (class of 74) – Marty Dineen. We had an older gentlemen with present with severe abdominal pain , swelling in the lower abdomen and an indwelling urinary catheter that was clotted. Marty quickly analyzed and treated the patient but the we still couldn’t answer the long term question - where does he go for further treatment . This is becoming more of an issue as access to health care facilities is little or nil in areas affected by the quake.
 That evening we were visited by a Canadian Observation Team who spent the evening on our roof to observe the community and various refugee areas. They were a great group of guys who let us look through their night vision and thermal camera equipment. It is amazing what you can see in the dark. They left in the morning and were replace by another unit which spent the day. This type of company we don’t mind.
 Side note – Our water system
 After the quake safe drinking water was an issue. The first InterVol group working with Jean Marc and the ND Haiti Program was able to bring in 2 reverse osmosis units which now provide clean drinking water at the ND residence for all the groups working together.
 More to come,
Ralph
UPDATE 12
Haiti Update – 1-31-10
It has been days since I last wrote and much has happened.
The first group of docs we brought to Leogane last week has done an incredible job working with the other docs from One World Vision, CNP and ND Haiti Program. They have made a make shift hospital at the nursing school situated next to the ND Resident house. Within one week they had set up 3 operating rooms with bare essentials, pre op, post op and phase 2 post op. Now don’t get any glamorous ideas that this is similar to home – it isn’t but it works. There is a triage area for new patients coming in run by ER docs, primary care, etc. All are working together. 
InterVol sent a second medical/surgical team of Rochester General Health System physicians and nurses, along with badly needed medical/surgical equipment to Leogane, Haiti last Friday. Much of the surgical equipment was donated by the Rochester General Hospital and its affiliates, along with other Rochester community organizations, was transported from Rochester to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on two Constellation Brands planes. Constellation Brands has again generously donated the use of its planes for this humanitarian mission. These planes has transport over 7000 lbs of supplies, equipment and food along with 2 teams of docs and nurses. Once in Santo Domingo the docs and supplies were transported by prop plane to a road in Leogane (the new Leogane International Airport with curb side plane service – see video at www.intervol.org) which is serving as an air strip. This group will stay until Feb 6 or there about. I haven’t figured our exit strategy yet but as always we have many options and the situation is fluid.  The group includes:
 
 
Ralph P. Pennino, MD, plastic surgeon
Andrew Smith, MD, plastic surgeon
Patrick Riggs, MD, vascular surgeon
Jeffrey Wasserman, MD, anesthesiologist
Paul Cross, DO, anesthesiologist
Emmy Branigan, RN, Rochester General Hospital operating room nurse
Bill Joyce, InterVol volunteer EMT
 
We have affectionately named the new facility Leogane Shock Trauma Hospital –LSTH - with a very impressive staff. We have had many deliveries at the LSTH in many different ways. We have the usual child birth, emergency C-Section and a dramatic front seat of a car delivery this morning in front of the residence. They got here a little too late. All are well. 
The group has done over 120 cases to date ranging from fractures to would care issues, skin grafts, etc. Part of the problem is these open fractures are now over 2 weeks old. They need multiple debridements, and then wound closure. Where possible (and if available) they have used external fixation devices. It is an incredible site to see patients walk home on crutches with their ex fix. There is a small capacity for overnight stays in a tent which has been erected outside the ND residence.
 
There is also a unit from Japan’s Self Defense Unit. They have some nice equipment and have been sharing the use of their x-ray (using film processing- not digital so a little slow, but better than nothing).
More to come later. I have many photos to share but the upload speed is too slow at this point.
 
Ralph
 Background Information Regarding Leogane, ND Haiti Program and InterVol:
The ND facility we are staying at is called Residence Filariose. Notre Dame Program has over 10 year history working with other groups (CDC, Etc) to prevent Lymphatic Filariasis. This is a parasitic disease that is transmitted by mosquitos.
Quote from NY Times:
Don’t feel too bad if you don’t know what lymphatic filariasis is. Commonly known as elephantitis, it is one of a suite of lesser-known ailments that includes schistosomiasis, trachoma, leprosy, and soil-transmitted helminths, which affect billions of people in South America, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Elephantitis is among the most grotesque and terrifying of the diseases, though relatively easy to treat and prevent.
 
The ND Haiti program has been working on prevention and also helping those afflicted with the secondary effects – elephantiasis and hydroceles (swelling of the scrotum) which can be as heavy as 30-50 lbs. ND alumni doctors and their colleagues have had medical/surgical missions to treat those affected. It has been estimated there are over 200,000 hydroceles in Haiti.
InterVol has been working with ND to help coordinate the efforts of these docs. Joey Leary put off medical school for one year and served as InterVol’s volunteer Haiti coordinator and arranged these trips. One such group of docs from around the country was scheduled for 3 weeks of care/surgery to begin on Jan 22 until Feb 14. Our efforts changed to help with the relief after the earthquake.
 
UPDATE 11
Hello to all,
 
Since returning I have acquired the needed surgical equipment form Rochester General Health Systems and others in the Rochester Community including electrocautery, suction, jet lavage, surgical instruments, etc.  Constellation Brands has generously offered the use of their aircraft again to get these urgently needed equipment to Santiago, DR along with a new team of doctors from RGH. They will give a well needed break to those who are there.  We plan on leaving Friday but as always - this is fluid.  We will use the same air bridge using Caravan Prop to Leogane.  This is a joint effort by all those groups - Children's Nutrition Program, Save the Children USA, Go Ministries, ND Haiti Program, One World Vision  - who are working on the ground.
 
On my last trip I shot video and digital photos.  With the help of Constellation and a local video producer they put together an informational video about the trip, conditions on the ground and our efforts to help.  Please follow the following link.
 
 
More to come...
Ralph
UPDATE 10
Haiti Update
Jan 22
 
Hello to all from Leogane,
 
In Brief –
The Good - The group of docs and supplies (over 3000 lbs. medical supplies, meds and food collected by InterVol) have all made to the ND residence. 
The bad – Leogane is as bad if not worse than what is reported.
Our new favorite word is “fluid”.  Our trip preparation and final means of transportation illustrates this point.  Originally the Constellation Brand planes (2) where to fly us to Santo Domingo and the military was going to helicopter us into PAP then ground transport to Leogane.  On the night this was planned we could not get final confirmation from South Com and were on a standby basis.  We have been networking with other aid groups who are working in Leogane.  They set up an air bridge from Santiago, DR to Leogane using Caravan prop plans.  The problem was there is no airport in Leogane.  Jean Marc working with the UN and other aid agencies (more about that later) blocked  off an initial section of a road – 1200 ft – cleared trees and shrubs, etc and now you have instant airport.  They are running 3 shuttles per day of 2 plans each.  Each plan can take about 2-3000 pound of weight.  Our landing was better than any Disney ride I’ve been on.
 
Jean Marc has been doing a great job working with the other aid agencies on the ground and with the UN who was here locally before the quake.  He is notified by the flight crew when the planes are to arrive.  He then coordinates with the UN troops who block off the road and provide crowd control.  There is a small refugee adjacent to the landing site and crowds of very hungry people come out looking for food and water.  The supplies are then loaded into 3-4 trucks form the ND house and Hospital St Croix and transferred back to the residence.
The trip to the residence took us through central Leogane.  Pure devastation!!  No earth movers or search groups seen, yet hundreds of collapsed buildings and you know there are people in them.
 
The field in front of the ND residence is now become a small town of either homeless people living in tents of small make shift shelters.  Most are afraid to sleep indoors.  We had another aftershock last night.  We are all meeting inside the residence.  I didn’t know some of my friends could run that fast to get outside.  One of the vols told us about the 4 second rule – you have 4 seconds to get out or ?
Most impressive is how all the local aid groups who have been working in Leogane for years are now coordinating efforts to work together.  Jean Marc and the ND Haiti program folks have really excelled.  The ND residence is used for coordination and communication – internet.
 
Next to the residence is a nursing school which is still standing.  A group of docs working with World Wide Vision, Save the Children,  Children’s Nutrition Program turned it into a make shift hospital.  They had one surgeon – Craig from Wisconsin – a spine surgeon- among the group of docs and he made a makeshift operating room form a dorm room.  The conditions are rather primitive by any standard but he made it work.  The nursing students are helping.  They have set up a triage station and pharmacy with a pharmacist from Iowa who has database and inventoried the meds coming in and used.  Actually there is a small group from Iowa.
After being here only a few hours Craig came over and asked for help on a complex hand injury.  Patient had an avulsion injury to his wrist with nerve and tendon injury.  The wound was already 8 days old with little aliens moving in. 2 of us in the group do hand surgeries and we have 2 anesethiologists who brought some of our favorite drugs for iv sedation and we went to work.  He not only lost skin but lacerated his median nerve and 4 flexor tendons.  Something we routinely do in the States but under these conditions.
Later that night we all got together to talk on how we can we can coordinate efforts.  Even though it over a week since the quake there is little that has made it to Leogane, let along the outside smaller communities.  People have no means to get the injured to our make shift hospital, so they are sending group out to bring them in – usually by carrying them in a stretch of blankets.  It should be noted that while we need doctors and nurses – it has to be the right ones or they will only burden the overall effort.  This is little to no infrastructure and one has to provide everything.  Many want to help, but it has to be organized with the right people.  The various groups on the ground are trying to do this.
What is critical is getting food and distribution.  Unfortunately much of the food is not getting to those who need it the most.  Jean Marc is working with the local UN contingent to explain how it should be done.
There seems to be medical supplies starting to come in and the other groups have access to more.  What is needed now:
-electorcautery
-suction
-narcotics
-Anesthesia meds – Diprivan, fentanyl, versed, morphine, toradol, ketamine
-Ortho surgical instruments
Jan. 23
Am – Left on the 7:30 prop plane that brought in more of the InterVol supplies (5th plane load) from Santiago.  We arrived in Santiago and picked up 8 Haitians- 4 adults and 4 children- who were flown out of Leogane the night people.  This was also arranged by Jean Marc.  The Constellation Brand plane’s pilot offered to fly back anyone who we could evacuate.  These folk lost their home and had family back in the States.  We had a little issue with customs in North Carolina but worked it out.  One of the children was a US citizen.  We brought them to a private area upon return to Rochester (word leaded out to press) and Ginny Clark from Constellation (who was with all the way to Leogan) arrange transportation to their family in Brooklyn.
Got a report that the remaining docs on the ground did 11 surgeries in the make shift OR today.
Much more to come.
Photos will come in 2 emails.
Ralph
UPDATE 9
Posted: 19 Jan 2010 01:42 PM PST
“I feel like I have my second life,” said Rev. Thomas Streit C.S.C., founder of the University of Notre Dame’s Haiti Program.
Father Streit was at a meeting in Port-au-Prince’s Hotel Montana with Notre Dame colleagues Sarah Craig and Logan Anderson and post-doctoral student Marie Denise Milord during the Jan. 12 earthquake, which collapsed their hotel. All four were standing on open hotel balconies and rode the building down as it pancaked to the ground. They sustained only minor cuts and bruises.
“The building around us came down and we were all thrown to the ground and we held on to literally nothing because we were on a tile floor,” explained Craig, manager of the Haiti Program. “The building below us just collapsed and we could feel it going down each floor until we ended up somewhere between the first and second floors with the rubble beneath us.”
The four were in the nation’s capital city to attend the semi-annual partners meeting for the Neglected Tropical Disease Initiative, along with some 25 Haitian colleagues. After the meeting had concluded, the group separated into different areas of the hotel compound.
“The Notre Dame people split into different groups and when the earthquake hit, we were all on different rooftop terraces,” said Father Streit, who had been standing below another terrace but managed to step out from underneath seconds before the collapse. “All of us went down at least two floors. One of our staff people had a double fracture to his leg and some from our meeting were buried in the building for a few days but were found unhurt. Everyone that was associated with the meeting and our partnership has been accounted for, except one, so we are praying for that individual.”
“I remember seeing Father Tom right after,” said Anderson, the program’s financial manager. “He was the only person I could see other than the three people who were on the terrace with me, so that was a pretty big relief. We made our way down and found our colleague who had broken his leg. I was thinking this is something I see on TV, not something I experience.
“Sarah (formerly an emergency first responder) went right into first-aid mode. I took off my shirt and we started tearing it up into strips. We found two sticks and I helped hold [my colleague’s] leg while Sarah splinted it.”
After helping carry injured people from the hotel and assisting with first-aid, the four found a grassy spot to rest and spend the night, if not sleep.
“I could hear people praying and chanting,” Anderson said, “and also the sounds of more buildings coming down during the aftershocks. You could just hear thousands of people screaming. That will stay with me for awhile.”
The next day, U.N. troops arrived at the hotel and the four walked with them to the U.N. Embassy, then to the American Embassy where they spent another night. Craig, Anderson and Milord were flown home, while Father Streit remained behind to help his Haitian colleagues. All now are back at Notre Dame.
For Father Streit, the “horrific” experience also was a testimony to the spirit of humanity.
“I saw people with limbs torn from their bodies screaming in pain,” he said. “I saw children wandering about who had perhaps just lost their parents, bodies stacked up four and five deep, and the churches were all gone…all of them…places that mean so much to the nation’s people. That was their source of hope. And yet, the people at night were praying and singing. They were holding hands as perhaps the only thing they could do without food or water. They turned to God.
“I came away with an experience I would not have wished for,” Father Streit said, “but one that has shown me the strength that we have in the human spirit and that spirit is so clearly sustained by our belief and our faith.”
Notre Dame’s Haiti Program, based in Léogâne about 30 kilometers west of Port-au-Prince, has worked since 1993 in conjunction with Hôpital Sainte-Croix on a major initiative to eradicate lymphatic filariasis, a debilitating mosquito-borne disease that affects some 120 million people around the world and manifests itself as elephantiasis. For now, the program’s focus will shift from public health to relief.
“Haiti needs our help now more than ever,” Craig said. “Our program is a mainstay in the community and we need to make sure we help where we can. After we help get the community settled, we can then address our global health program.”
“There’s a Haitian expression ‘pa za pa’ (step-by-step),” Father Streit said. “We’ve been set back quite a bit, so we need prayers, financial support and involvement. The people of Haiti really depend on their faith that has gotten them through 200 years of difficulty, so I would urge anyone planning relief efforts not to forget this important element of nourishment for the Haitian psyche and spirit…that is faith.”
UPDATE 8
All University of Notre Dame students, faculty and staff known to be serving in Haiti have survived the Jan. 12 earthquake and are in the process of returning to the United States.
The staff of the Notre Dame Haiti Program also has learned that all of the facilities with which the program is affiliated remain standing.
As part of the University’s response to the disaster, a Mass and a relief fund for those affected by the earthquake are being organized, with details forthcoming. Updated information will be available on the Web at http://haitidisaster.nd.edu.
Staff members, who include Rev. Tom Streit, C.S.C., program director and assistant professor of biological sciences, were informed that while the sites are intact, they are surrounded by collapsed buildings. Conditions in Léogâne, where the affiliated Hôpital Sainte-Croix is located, are particularly desperate.
University faculty, staff and students in Haiti when the 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit include Father Streit and:
  • Sarah Craig, Haiti Program manager
  • Logan Anderson, assistant program manager
  • Marie Denise Milord, a post-doctoral student
 
A Notre Dame junior participating over Christmas break with a University of Miami program in Port-au-Prince also is safe.
Notre Dame’s Haiti Program is based in Léogâne, about 30 kilometers west of Port-au-Prince. The four faculty and staff members were in Port-au-Prince at the time of the quake.
The Haiti Program works in conjunction with Hôpital Sainte-Croix on a major initiative to eradicate lymphatic filariasis, a debilitating mosquito-borne disease that affects some 120 million people around the world and manifests itself as elephantiasis.
UPDATE 7
Hello to all,
 
Below is the first update on conditions in Leogonne from Joey Leary.  There is much to do but now we have a first hand report that I would like to share with you. 
 
My name is Joey Leary I have lived in Leogane since August 11th. I am intimately acquainted with the Leogane community as I have many contacts and speak Kreyol. I was airlifted out of the country this morning after a brief visit to the US embassy in Port au Prince. I spent 6am to 6pm on Wednesday working with USPH nursing students to provide emergency medical care tohundreds of critically injured men women and babies. Gangrene, sepsis, and impending kidney failure will surely occur in half of these patients if further medical assistance is not provided. I am sending this information in an attempt to expediate the provision of aide to my friends and colleagues in Leogane.
 
 1. Where?
 
-Leogane
 
2. Where in Leogane?
 
- BELVAL PLAZA (UNPH Nursing School, Notre Dame Haiti Program) - 400 displaced families - 100 critically injured, dying
 
-CAVALY SOCCER STADIUM - unspecified
 
-HOSPITAL SAINT CROIX (has been closed for the past two years but still is standing after the earthquake) - has 100 empty rooms. If safe, could be turned into a military hospital.
 
3. Possible Access Points?
 
- I was able to drive unimpeded from Leogane to the airport on Thursday Jan. 14. We took the route that remains closest to the sea and takes one through the Oil Refinary. (old route has a sink hole and is inaccessable)
 
-Ca Ira is 1 mile West of Leogane on the beach. Aid that lands in Ca Ira could be transported on the road that dead ends into Belval Plaza.
 
4. Important to Note
 
- 100 residential nursing students (army of healthcare workers) living at Belval Plaza.
 
- NO MEDICAL SUPPLIES!
 
-Hospital St Croix, UNPH Nursing School, and Residence Filarose have functioning generators for electricity.
 
-With the generator Hospital St. Croix can pump clean water into the compound.
 
- Based on my walk from Champ de Mars to Leogane on Tuesday night, the destruction in Leogane was equal or worse than that in Carrefour.
 
5. Hospital St. Croix Contacts
 
- Americans (Suzie and John Parker) have opted to stay behind at Hospital St. Croix to direct relief (contact them at hscguesthouse@gmail.com and 3.582.1664)
 
- Belval (Residence Filarose, Nursing School contact) -> Jean Marc Brissau (jbrissau@nd.edu) 3.557-6424, 3.818.2410
 
- Leogane Physician Contact information: Dr. Luccene Desir (3-555-5246)
 
--
Joseph M. Leary
Notre Dame '09
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine '14
joey.leary@intervol.org
UPDATE 6
Hi All,

As of this morning we are streaming the full version of our documentary film for free at The Road to Fondwa at http://www.Fondwa.org in order to raise awareness and support for earthquake relief efforts on the ground in Haiti.  We made this film in 2006 and it has since screened in several festivals and become the highest-rated film about Haiti on both Amazon and IMDB.  The film is a hopeful tribute to the resiliency of Haitians.  In this time of great need we have turned our full efforts to raising funding for relief efforts and we hope that you will join us in spreading the word.  Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
-Justin Brandon (ND '04), Dan Schnorr (ND '05), Brian McElroy (ND '05)
UPDATE 5
FYI
 
A mass for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti will take place at 5: 15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18 in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., University president, will preside. Rev. Richard V. Warner, C.S.C., will give the homily.
 
Follow other developments about ND's response to Haiti's earthquake at http://haitidisaster.nd.edu/
 
 
Gail Hinchion Mancini
Director of Internal Communications
525 Grace Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
574-631-4314
UPDATE 4
Do you know anything about Sarah Craig?
Stacy
 
She got out 2 days ago.
Ralph
UPDATE 3
Brief update:
 
Joey was airlifted out by the US military from the US Embassy late last night.  Fr Tom and another ND student will hopefully get out today.  Fr. Tom is safe at the US Embassy.
 
It is a long incredible story.
 
Ralph
UPDATE 2
We just got work today that Joey is in Leogonne.  He separated from the group to help Jean Marc, one of the local docs with the ND Haiti program get to his family.  I have no idea how they did it since most of the coastal road between PAP and Leogonne was washed into the ocean along with many towns.  He is trying to get back to PAP and get to the US Embassy.  I pray he doesn't miss the evacuation of the ND group.
 
InterVol is putting a container of supplies together for Haiti.
 
The following is from Jean Marc's email:
 
"The town of Leogane is pretty devastated, only some home are still standing.
What we are facing now is MEDICAL materials and soon we will face food shortage.
The help is concentrated in PAP and cannot reach Leogane yet. Please pass along this message............ People are dying because of antibiotic. Even our gloves are out. No hospital can provide care for anyone.
Hospital Sainte Croix that was providing care for some patients are overwhelemed........too many demands and no materials..........no food.....

Please, please pass along the message.

Leogane is located at about 25 miles south of PAP."
 
 
InterVol is collection donations to help ship this container.  We want to get it to Leogonne if possible.  We have already received many donations from the Rochester Community.  If anyone is interested please visit our web site www.intervol.org
 
 
I'll keep you all posted.
 
Ralph
UPDATE 1
Hi Don,
 
Currently we dealing with 2 issues.  First is we have many ND family on the ground in Port-au-Prince.  As you know Joey Leary (class 09) had put off med school for 1 year to work with the ND Haiti program.  He is sponsored via my nonprofit - InterVol.  He and Fr Tom Striet and the rest of the ND Haiti program (all where in Haiti for a meeting )   where in Port-au--Prince in a car when the quake hit.  We have initial word that they are all alive but we do not know their location.  There is limited or no communication.  We are all working together to find them and get them out.  ND is on top of it.
 
Secondly, Joey had set up 3 consecutive weeks of ND alumni docs and other to visit Haiti for a medical/surgical mission.  This has been planned for over 6 months.  The focus was to operate on the most complex hydroceles.  Most hospital have been destroyed and this mission is obviously not going to happen.  However, all docs want to help in the relief effort.  I've been in contact with US Southern Command  who is organizing the military relief effort.  They are going to send the hospital ship USS Comfort to Haiti within the next week.  They maybe looking for civilian docs to help as the need is overwhelming and the military docs are already stretched with 2 wars, etc.  They will let me know within the next 1-2 days.  If they need docs the Dooley Society should get out the word and try to mobilize those who want to help.
 
I'm sorry I don't have more information but the situation is very fluid.  Haiti was a disaster before the quake. There is little government present, no infrastructure, and still haven't recovered from the storms of 2008.  This quake has put them in the stone age.  It is hard to believe that such a place can exist 2 hours from Miami.
 
Don - I will add you on to our mailing list of docs working on this issue.  Please forward future emails to the rest of the board to keep them informed. I don't want to add too many more names to the present email list.
 
Thanks,
 
Ralph 

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