Bats, scabies and blood

Sorry for not blogging recently, I left Haiti two weeks ago to attend my brother's graduation from Wake Forest which was followed by a family vacation in the Blue Ridge Mountains(where Dirty Dancing and The Last of the Mohicans was filmed)! It was gorgeous and really fun. Of course I did not return to the states empty handed; I came back with ringworm and scabies!! Sorry to all the family and friends I hugged while I was home! :) The good news is Annelies told me that you know you are a good nurse when you have had scabies! Yippee!!
I returned to Haiti last Monday with my brother. It was good to be back and see everyone. Unfortunately, three of our patients had died while I was away. One of them a 54yo TB patient with HIV; who I expected to die. As well as a 14yo girl with TB, who I completely did not expect to die. And saddest of all our little baby Ivnelle who had been staying with us died in his mother's arms. I was heartbroken. Honestly, it feels as though everyone dies. I have questioned if I have that affect, like everyone I try to care for dies. Sometimes it is so hopeless and disc0uraging, it feels like we aren't doing any good.
This was followed by Tuesday morning, a 1yo with respiratory problems died at the hospital. And Wednesday morning I was awoken for an ambulance in which a 14yo boy with diarrhea and vomiting was unconscious. He died within an hour of arriving. WELCOME BACK! It has become heartbreak after heartbreak. I enjoyed being at home and not having to worry about who would die next.
But there is happiness and joy as well! Chaniaca, the 5yo girl with heartfailure is doing much better and will come home on Thursday after 3months! She is a little miracle and victory for us! And I really enjoy all the volunteers that are here with us! They are quality and it is awesome to live in community with them!
Ok patient of the week a 53yo man came in and said he was peeing blood. In reality, he had blood dripping from his penis. He then wanted to emphasize this and squeezed his penis which caused a faucet stream of blood to come out of his penis onto our chair! Sick me out!! By far the most disturbing penis case I have seen, and that is really saying something!!
Animal update: The other day I went to the toilet, and there is a window behind the toilet. I heard a noise and their was a rat pushed up against the screen!! Not ok!! Worst story of all is last night my brother heard a noise in his room (he has been sleeping with the door open). He decided to investigate and saw a BAT hanging down from the bunk bed in his room! He was on a different bed thank goodness! But the bat was eating a cockroach!! Freaky!!! He know sleeps with the door shut!