Below are excerpts from a journal Anne Camelio wrote in the evenings while in Haiti.
Day 1 in Milot
Feb.20, 2010
After reaching Milot we received our assignments and mine was to work in Tent #6. This tent was a female tent and was comprised of 30 women, all earthquake victims.
I speak no Creole and they no English, but they soon learn my name and I theirs as well as key words such as good morning, good afternoon and pain (often needing help with pronunciation).
I am working with an MD from the South and his translator and an RN from the South who quickly orients me to the needs of the patients in the tent. Must shoot from the hip, as practicing medicine here is so very different from home.
The patients are kind, gentle and very gracious and with all their pain, suffering and trauma they are grateful for the help.
Feb. 23, 2010
Its been so busy, 16-hour days that I have not been able to journal. My first day here when touring the pediatric unit, I met James, a 20-year-old who was visiting his 8-year-old cousin who now has one arm due to an amputation. James is drawing pictures for his cousin and singing to him, songs he says he learned in Church.
Since that day James comes to visit me in my tent each day, checking on his American Mom, as he likes to call me. Today he brings me a doll he made for me with a letter he wrote and with it he included his picture.
I learn he speaks 3 languages and has hopes of going to the university to study Engineering. This really made me smile as both my Husband and Son are engineers.
Feb. 25, 2010
Today I hit a wall both physically and emotionally. Seeing these people with mechanical hardware holding them together, amputees, burns, crushing injuries staying in a tent, sleeping on less than a cot — and knowing the emotional pain they endure as many have lost their whole family, homes and friends is incomprehensible to me.
Knowing they are here alone, yet not alone, as total strangers, Haitians from Milot come to feed them, bathe them and comfort them. At first glance you think they are family and find out they don’t even know the people they come to care for.
Physically, the long days in 100 degree temps (hotter inside the tents) walking on gravel and working sixteen hour days is beginning its toll. I cannot complain about myself though, when I see the people with one leg, using a walker with physical therapy, walking in the hard gravel wearing flip flops for shoes and smiling at their success.
Sadness hit me today as I realize I will not have much more time to care for the people I have come to care about so deeply.
Feb.26, 2010
Today I spend some time with a young 17-year-old girl who suffered severe burns to her hand and arm, requiring skin grafting. She sits with her mother at her bedside and holds onto her Teddy bear.
Her name is Etienne and she looks young for her age yet has seen what many can not imagine. She gives me a hug and tells me she loves me, making me feel like I won the lottery!
Again some sadness as I know tonight will be my last night with my new friends in Tent #6 which the patients now call their “neighborhood.” Lots to do, wound care, managing pain, treating/preventing infections. Some are ready to go home but no place to go, no family to go to. Looks like its going to be the beginning of refugee camps as many patients face the same issue.
One patient Macula, was so happy to be discharged- she has a sister who took in Macula’s son and will now take in Macula since she is ready to go. I get a picture with Macula giving thumbs up that she will be leaving soon.
Feb.27, 2010
Last night, it was close to Midnight when I left the tent and it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do! I said goodbye to each and everyone before I left, hugged and cried with each person I had to leave behind.
I know they will receive good care after I leave, I have no doubt they will love and be loved by their next caretaker, but I can’t help feeling like I am abandoning them. I passed out lollipops to all and held on tight as I hugged each one.
I feel so blessed that I was able to come to Haiti and help out, but honestly I feel I have been given so much more in return from these amazing, gracious spirits.
They all have a very special place in my heart and I will never forget my experiences with them. I will also never forget my colleagues who all chipped in and helped each other out-definitely renewed our spirit and all the surgeons who performed surgeries under sub par conditions for their work.
I will keep them all in my prayers.
