So I think exhaustion has really kicked in because last night when the generator shut off at 10PM sharp, the chatter nearly completely stopped and I think we were all asleep in minutes. Between the heat, the long and bumpy moto rides and the long clinic hours, it seems we are all truly sapped by the end of the day.
We awoke to the sounds of braying donkeys and roosters today. One more bush clinic and this one we actually travel to by van….bouncy yes, but much less dust!! We may even have air conditioning. Again after breakfast we divided up and then got the word the people were waiting for us and there were many in line, so we loaded up and headed the other direction. Thirty minutes later we pulled through the gate to find a crowd expecting us though NOT rowdy today. This time the clinic was much more open but unfortunately the breeze was blocked by it’s surrounding walls, so the temp rose quickly.
We arranged the rooms to accommodate as many patients as possible and believe it or not Kiki and Lindsay demanded to staff the pharmacy again…they now have a system. Today we served nearly 110 patients between 10 AM and 2 PM…we were told by the regular nurse that serves in these remote clinics that we work FAST. We hope we are serving WELL too, given the inherent limitations.
As we packed and prepared to depart for home we noticed the local wildlife within the gates and walls, and for those who may have doubted me in 2012, I now have photographic evidence that there are indeed wild turkeys in Haiti. Once outside the gate and headed for home we were again treated to another very bumpy ride and all I could think was this is just a small sample of the road home tomorrow….at least I won’t be bouncing directly on the “jewels” for 3 hours straight.
Once home we were treated to another tasty lunch. We then sorted meds for the last time in preparation for our trip home tomorrow afternoon and our visit to the Leogane Orphanage on Saturday. We look forward to this new stop and are excited to see so many children in one place. I will be able to be a real Pediatrician for at least one day…hurray!!
Now we enjoy an ice cold beverage with our fast friends at Clinic Jolivert and watch a beautiful sunset as our last night at this wonderful place is coming to a close. We will certainly be thinking of our return as the night progresses and we drift off to sleep. Tomorrow we have a short clinic, packing and then the road to Port au Prince one more time. St Joseph’s will be calling and I expect some raucous card games before lights out tomorrow.
More to tell tomorrow night for sure!
Love to all,
Adam