Honestly, its hard to remember what even happened this week to blog about! Monday and Tuesday I was back at the same hospital, and by Tuesday we needed to change it up and go to a new place the hospital was too exhausting. Both days I had to take care of the 32wk baby who would randomly stop breathing which was traumatizing. He was transferred to a different hospital where they can take better care of him! Wednesday we went to the Crossworld campus which has turned into a tent city. We were suppossed to see a few people, and have a MD with us. Of course we saw about 150 people and had no MD. So we got to play doctors which is actually not fun; its a lot of pressure and you feel like you are doing everything wrong! But we saw everyone who needed to be seen! Then Thursday we went to a different clinic all day. It was well run, and pretty low key. Its been interesting to see all the types of organizations out there right now. Friday I pulled a double shift at night. So I arrived at work at 5 and left at 9:45 in the AM. It was a long night. It included a women who was miscarrying having a major hemorrhage and almost dying. We had to give her a blood transfusion, something I have not done in the states! Her brother donated the blood, he was a match but of course we had no time or capability to test it for diseases so lets hope his blood was clean. Then later that night one of the babies had three seizures, and was choking. I saw it and tried to suction it out! Not cool at all. But the baby is ok!! Then in the morning my friends who were working in the ER had to take care of the father of one of the volunteer nurses. 67yo man who came to volunteer with his nurse daughter. Friday night he gets a fever of 105.6, can't figure out what is wrong and he almost dies. He was airlifted to the USS Comfort. We don't know what happened. Keep him and his family in your prayers.
And of course pray for Haiti. We have had some rain this week, and you think about those people out there with notihng. More rain is coming, and it will be ugly.
One last crazy note, tonight Sean Penn was walking around our campus. He is living in a tent and working with a program to feed children!! I was too nervous to talk to him, but I did walk past and stare.

Today we had the day off; which was much needed! Yesterday I hit the wall I could not work another day! So my week in review will be short because I can't even remember what happened. All I know is I was the only OB nurse all week with an average of about 9 moms, some laboring, some with babies. I assisted with two deliveries. I am on the unit by myself, no doctors no midwives around. The one midwife on shift is around the building out front in a tent. So I have started prescribing medicines by myself, and also almost delivered a baby by myself. I walked past my laboring patient and saw the head of the baby. Did my patient yell for me? No. Did she make a noise? No. So I see the baby's head and go grab someone to help me. Of course no one is around. Run outside to a tent and ask a peds MD to catch the baby if it drops out while I run to get the midwife. I was halfway around the building when I heard the baby come. Why didn't I send a Haitian nurse to get the midwife b/c the midwife can't speak Creole. The language barrier is really difficult, I'm so glad I can speak Creole but it makes my work twice as hard b/c everyone wants me to translate for them!

If I have a moment of free time I try to help peds which has a Kwashiokor kid, a girl with her eye practically popping out b/c it got hit in the quake and lots of dehydrated babies. One 3mo baby weighing 1.8kg. The scary part is I'm not phased anymore. I just expect it. I always talk about how I want to be a better person. And my goal has been to be a source of joy while I'm here, to go thru the day smiling. But I wonder, am I becoming a better person if I don't bat an eye when I see a kid starving in front of me? And what kind of world are we living in that this even happens?

On a happier note: we are temporarily letting moms stay in tents at the hospital so I don't have to kick people out on the streets, thanks to a Canadian who gave me 8 tents!! Go Canada. I had been keeping track of the moms who had no housing so that I could call all of them when I had tents, which I did!! And I still think the overall mood here is so hopeful, everyone wants to help and is excited! I have not seen the redcross anywhere, nor snakes, nor Anderson Cooper, or Angelina Jolie! I'm still sleeping on the floor, but I did have time to eat lunch one day! Tomorrow I go back to the same hospital since I am the only OB nurse I am feeling like I need to go, but I heard next week more OB nurses come so maybe I will go somewhere else!

Overall the attitude is still so hopeful here! I love being here, I love Haiti, and I love that everyone cares about Haiti now and is soooo enthusiastic!!

Port Au Prince Day 3

I'm here after an 8hr, beautiful bus ride! Beautiful until PAP, its like one house is completely flattened like a pancake the next has no damage. It is so bizarre, I don"t understand it. There are tent cities everywhere, which are made with sheets etc, and smell so bad, I almost get sick and I'm a nurse!!
I'm working at a hospital that is an hr drive away in the back of a pick up. Day 1 I worked peds! My Creole came back quick bc when no one can communicate with the patients it forces you to do all the interpreting. It was crazy busy day 1. Then day 2 and 3 came which was beyond busy. Um I was moved to OB where I am the only nurse working all day, not cool. I usually have at least 3 patients laboring. And at least 4 who just had c-sections. Plus a few extras like the postpartum lady who has high BP and had seizures. Lets just say I don't eat btwn 6:30 am and 6:30pm. I also only sit in the car. Its ok, I came to work and I am definitely doing that. Plus you can't complain or take a break when everyone around you has so many more problems, I can't imagine. I have already had to send three women home with their newborn babies, and no place to live. Not even a tent. We have nothing to give them. My patient today, it was her 11th baby all her kids are sleeping outside and now she takes the newborn to sleep outside too! I let an 18yo new mom stay two extra nights just bc she was scared and had no place to go. If anyone knows of a group sending tents then network for me please!
The hospital also has a lot of kids with dehydration. There are too many tents to count that are filled with post op orthopedic surgeries like amputations. The entire hospital is pretty much mass chaos!! I have to say though the best part is seeing all the teams. Everywhere we drive we pass groups on their way to projects. And we are living with about two hundred volunteers as well! I just have seen so many people really taking care of the Haitians, I have loved that! And I have to say the most impressive so far have been the French, they have done an amazing job at the hospital!! We are working in peds and OB with a group of Americans who are pretty awesome as well! They leave this weekend with no replacements so far, so pray for help!!
Our home is a school with flushing toilets and we can take a 3min shower which is amazing!! The food has been great! No tarantulas have been seen or killed!! The military is also here, we aren't allowed to talk to them, but we all appreciate the water and internet they are paying for!! Its been hard but I've had moments of just pure joy! There is still laughter and love in Haiti! I can make jokes wiht the patients, babies are still smiling!! And my goal is to keep a smile on my face. The last thing I need to do is stress them out more, and we have to have hope for something better.
Just so everyone knows I feel completely safe here!!

Santo Domingo

We made it to the DR! It is beautiful, soooo beautiful! And very hot, but its actually kinda nice, except when I am lugging my 130lbs of luggage! That is like 20lbs lighter than last month, so be impressed people!! We have had no problems at all! Tomorrow we are on the bus, and going to Haiti! Its nice to have a day here to relax, and adjust before heading into the disaster zone! But we are all ready and excited to go to work! I have not cried or panicked, I have a peace, so that makes me feel really good! But still keep us in your prayers! If you want an email update since I may not be able to blog please email my parents at martinwarr@comcast.net and ask to be put on the Haiti update list!! As MJ would say, this is it!

Leaving on a jet plane

Here we go people! Let the chaos begin. I'm leaving Feb. 5th, and heading to Miami, I'll stay the night there. Sat. I fly into the DR and spend the night. Sunday I take a bus into PAP. All with my favorite nurse extraordinaire RYNA!!! Here is the website of where I will be staying: http://quisqueya.org/ I am going with Crossworld. I will be in PAP thru Feb. and maybe longer. I will not have Internet access for the most part, so my blog will be random. But I will be calling my parents and they will send updates. If you want them to update you please email them at martinwarr@comcast.net
Pray!