Haiti Journal – Episode 5


Haiti Journal – May 30 – Evening

Another clinic day. Pharmacy is cranking. We have a system, we have a process. I write labels, Chemi and Melissa fill perscriptions. Carrie QC’s and gives guidance, and John works on whatever he thinks needs doing. Eventually in the afternoon he wandered off with Elizabeth to play with kids at the orphanage.

At one point, we had a urinalysis to do on a guy. I explained that he should pee in the cup, and he stood up and unzipped. I protested and pointed (I thought) to the outside. He headed for the corner. I had to grab one of the translators to explain things.

Clinic dragged on for a long time. We say 109 or so. They just kept trickling in. At one point, Craig wandered into the pharmacy with a thousand yard stare. I asked what was up, and he said “they just keep coming.” He had been on his knees for two hours taking vitals and the line had doubled in length. We gave him a break, then sent him out again.

Jen went on a house call, a 3.5 hour walk into the mountains to see five women who are shut in or unable to make it to clinic. She apparently did fine.

I went to the orphanage. I don’t know what I was expecting, really. Something out of Dickens, maybe. Instead, it was an organically growing concrete building in the jungle, reached by a tiny foot-path. Something like 50 kids came out of the woodwork as we approached.

I wound up beatboxing on the roof, with Craig rapping. The kids were dancing. It was really cool.

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