We have moved our Tzu Chi free clinic all the way to the National Soccer Stadium in Haiti for the rest of our time here in Haiti. Right now it is just right by the tent camps, but starting later this week, it will be fully functioning outside the stadium tent areas, but still within the boundaries of the walls. It is a very exciting time because Dental services will be offered, as well. We are expecting more than 1,000 clients to be seen when we do expand out to the greater community.
Today was the clinic's first full day of services. We started out by passing out numbers for each patient and lining them up by peds/maternal, acupuncture, and general family doctors. It was super sunny and people were getting a little bit riled up, but overall things were manageable. We were trying to put together some tents, which ended up being a comedy act all together. How many volunteers does it take to put together a 18' by 18' tent without a manual? The answer is none. Actually it only took one 12 year old little Haitian boy to direct everyone. This little boy was like a pro. He started to piece it all together without any real effort. Many children in Haiti are experts at constructing anything they can get their hands on, because the material and toys are so minimal that they are forced to stretch their imagination. Entertainment for the children's pastimes consist of kites, four wheel carts, and various balls. Materials consist of plastic sheets, plastic balls, cotton clothes, strings, milk jugs, and mud/sand. It is really impressive what the children can come up with for toys and to occupy their time with.
There were many different stories that really resonated with me throughout the day. One story in particular that really stuck out was little Jennifer's story. Jennifer is a 10 year old little girl who lives in the tent right next to our mobile clinic in the National Soccer Clinic. She lives with her parents and her younger brother. I first got notice of Jennifer when she was carried into the clinic, unconscious, by three workers. She was draped over and completely out of it. Today was super hot and humid and we have been seeing so many different people fainting due to heat strokes. It was a really hard sight to see, especially when it is a small little girl like Jennifer. First she came by herself and all the doctors were working on to wake her up. She woke up in complete terror because she did not know where she was at. Later when she came to, her mother came rushing in. Her pregnant mother had apparently just returned home from work. Jennifer was slightly stabilized and we started to feed her re-hydration fluids to help her heat stroke. Then we found out that she has a history of epilepsy, so the pieces started to be put together. From talking with her and her mother, whom does not speak any English, I learned that Jennifer had lost her younger sister in the Earthquake. The mother started to tell me that her younger daughter, who was 6 at the time of the Earthquake, was really close to Jennifer. When the earthquake happened, Jennifer and her little sister were at home playing by themselves. The house completely collapsed on them, pinning both sisters on the ground. They managed to stayed holding hands for three days, but the little sister's grasp started to loosen day after day. On the third day, Jennifer was pulled out of the rubble, but her little sister was not so lucky. When the mother was talking about all of this she broke down completely and Jennifer immediately fainted when her mother started crying. I tried to reassure the mother and told her to let it out. When I was holding her I felt her pregnant belly. I was trying to distract her and asked her about her pregnancy. I asked how far along she was and she responded that she was 10 to 11 months pregnant. I thought that I heard wrong and asked again, but got the same answer. I thought that maybe numbers in Creole were different and asked again, still got the same answer. I thought to myself....that is not possible...I asked her when was the last time she felt the baby move...she responded for about 2 months....which would be before the earthquake. We asked the mother to go on the examination table for the doctors to listen for the baby's heartbeat. She laid there, I had a really bad feeling about all this. I held her hand and started to talk to her about all the positive aspects in her life. The first doctor started to listen to the heartbeat, I saw that he had a very gloom look on his face. I just kept on talking to the mother, while a second doctor came in, and then a third doctor came in. They all felt around her stomach and said in Mandarin, "The baby is right here. He is not moving. Not pushing back. No heartbeat. She needs to go to the hospital to get an ultrasound to be 100% sure, but it does not look like there is any chance the baby is still alive." I was trying to hold back the tears and still held the smiles on my face. The mother was still very happy and smiling at me while telling me all about her volunteer experience with the soccer leagues here in Haiti. She told me that on the day of the earthquake she was at the hospital trying to get an ultrasound, but had no luck. She escaped the hospital and ran home to her children, only to find her home completely collapsed. I reassured the mother, told her she was a great mother and did everything she could for her children and that it wasn't her fault. She left thanking me and I told her that she needed to go to the hospital. Jennifer was in and out of consciousness, so we transported her to the hospital along with her mother. I told the mother that she can get an ultrasound while at the hospital with Jennifer and she smiled and thanked me. I waved goodbye to Jennifer and her mother with such a heavy heart. She has been carrying a dead fetus inside of her day and night for two months now with the hope that the new baby can bring her happiness. The baby needs to be taken out, either by natural birth or C-section, but either way she would have to go through the whole birthing process. The big difference is the box the baby will be in will have a lid...what a nightmare.
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