Haiti medical relief: back in Haiti

Sunday, January 17, 2010

back in Haiti

I arrived back here a little after noon today. It's so good to be here...and at the same time this is all very surreal. The past 6 days literally feel like 6 weeks.

Providence Ministries, the non-profit organization I've been involved with for the past 10+ years, provided the funds to send me here and they'll continue to provide ongoing support for the work I'm doing as long as I'm here. While here, I'll be working with Heartline to take care of patients at a newly-established relief clinic.

I'm staying with the Livesays and couldn't be happier!! Love this family.

We have a good stock of medical supplies here, as well as some medications (hoping to get a larger variety and number of meds as volunteers continue to come in). We're expecting to see a large number of orthopedic injuries. We're going on 6 days since the earthquake, so at this point, we will likely be taking care of patients with fractures that were never set back into place, wound infections, and the like.

I've gotten about 3 hours of sleep in the past 60 hours, so I kind of feel like I'm a resident again :) I'm hoping for a decent sleep tonight then we start up tomorrow. More updates to follow.

7 comments:

terri said...: thanks for all the updates jen. i know you've got a million other things on your mind so i really appreciate the time you take to check in. let me know if there's anything i can do.

love...; 10:19 PM
Carmen said...: praying; 5:34 AM
Cavan said...: Thanks for the updates and everything you are doing from all of us at Children's, Dr. Halverson! We'll be sharing your updates with the Children's communities on Facebook and Twitter.

Cavan
-----
Interactive Communications Coordinator | Communications and Public Relations
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota; 2:31 PM
lee ann said...: Dr. Jen, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as you take care of the people of Haiti!

Lee Ann Overman
Stillwater, MN.; 2:39 PM
ManyBlessings said...: God bless you!!!! Give that family all our love and prayers!; 3:22 PM
Amy said...: love you, Jen! you know I'll be following very closely and that you'll be close to my heart and prayers.; 9:43 PM
Isaac said...: Jen, This is truly the Lord's work you are doing. I am so glad that you are able to help in a place you love. We pray for healing and safety in the days and weeks to come.; 9:43 AM

Post a Comment

what I'm doing

I first traveled to Haiti in 1998. For the next 10 years, I visited Haiti once or twice a year, working with various organizations but mainly with Providence Ministries. I finished pediatric residency in June 2007 and spent 9 months volunteering as a pediatrician in Haiti from Sept 2007 through May 2008, then started fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine. I finished fellowship in mid-2011 then started an attending job. My state-side home is in Minnesota.

While in Haiti in 2007-08, I worked at a medical clinic in La Digue, a small village about 30 miles north of Port au Prince. We saw children with conditions common in the developing world, such as malnutrition, malaria and parasites, as well as conditions common in children all over the world, like respiratory and gastrointestinal infections.

Five days after the earthquake in January 2010 I joined a medical relief team at Heartline Field Hospital in Port au Prince. I initially planned to stay 6 weeks but ended up staying for about 5 months total throughout the year, traveling back and forth multiple times in 2010 while running the field hospital. I have had the privilege of providing medical care for some of the strongest, bravest people I've ever met.

In 2011 and beyond my medical work in Haiti has continued, first by responding to the cholera epidemic, then in other areas as needs have arisen. I continue to work with several different organizations in Haiti including Heartline Ministries. I spent over 4 months in Haiti in 2011 and I'm looking forward to several more months in-country coming up in 2012.