Wow. In only one day I will be on a plane heading for Haiti to help provide prosthetic care for those affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the country the afternoon of January 12, 2010.
Life forever changed for so many in such a short time. I cannot begin to imagine what living through that would be like. Nor could I imagine surviving such a horror, only to be told hours, days, or weeks later that my injuries would result in amputation. But, I have the amazing honor to be able to make a difference to those dealing with limb loss in Haiti, thanks to the Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation.
One thing I will miss is my regular letters back and forth with my grandmother who lives in California. She's a spry 94 years old, plays piano for church as well as a local choral group, and walks at least a mile a day (most days more but always at least a mile). Yep, she's wonder woman!
So, since the internet is much faster than a letter from Haiti, this blog is kind of a way for me to write her. Everyone else gets to eavesdrop :)
Here are answers to some of my grandma's questions:
Who will you be working with?
Short answer: Many talented people who share the goal of providing sustainable, long-term, high-quality prosthetic care and rehabilitation for Haiti's amputees.
A little background for this answer: The Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization that has partnered with Hospital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), the Harold and Kayrita Anderson Foundation, Physicians for Peace, Catholic Medical Mission Board, and Donald Peck Leslie MD. Together, they have formed the Haitian Amputee Coalition. I could go on but the websites are much better at explaining it – plus they have photos. There's a great one of a little boy fist-bumping Kevin Carroll CP – the VP of lower extremity prosthetics at Hanger. And one of a girl smiling. Here's that site: http://haitian-amputee-coalition.org/
This effort is run on donations. It may not be possible for people to go to Haiti and make prostheses themselves, but your donations will buy the fiberglass to take the mold of a patient's residual limb, the plaster to fill the molds, the plastic and resin to make the sockets (the part that's custom-made for each patient to fit their residual limb), and donations send the prosthetists, therapists, and others who have the privilege of working directly with Haiti's amputees and restoring mobility. The Foundation has also hired four Haitians and is training them as prosthetic technicians. One technician is a bilateral amputee (meaning both legs) from injuries sustained in the earthquake. Now, he is learning and helping his countrymen! What resilience!
Where will you be?
The prosthetic clinic and lab that has been set up is located on the campus of Hospital Albert Schweitzer (HAS). HAS is located in Deschapelle, Haiti which is about 60 miles north/northwest of Port-au-Prince. The hospital buildings were unaffected by the earthquake.
What will you be doing?
The same thing I do in the US with the added challenges of heat, humidity, and mosquitoes to name a few. But, it comes with the added reward of helping amputees who live in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, who have come through so much since that January day.
Are you excited?
Yes!
What are you most concerned about right now?
Right now I'm concentrating on packing well and finishing up with patients here in the US so that they have a smooth handover of care while I'm gone. I work with excellent practitioners and staff who are all stepping in to take up the extra load. Thank you Heather, Robert, Hannah, Johnnie, Edie, Jonica, John and Terry!
When do you leave?
This Sat. I'll fly to Miami and Sunday morning I'll fly to Port-au-Prince. So close!
