Day 5 - cows and roosters

Today was such an incredible day. I saw most of the same patients that I had seen the previous 2 days and so when I showed up at their tents this morning, they called my name and would say "bon jour!." It was also nice because I had spent yesterday teaching many of the patients how to do their own pin care (there are SO many things to do that we're trying to let patients do as much of their own care as possible) and found that they were all doing a great job. I also organized our wound bag - a huge duffel bag we drag from tent to tent with all our wound care supplies - and so I was able to find things much faster than the first day. A group of badly needed physical therapists came yesterday and have been extremely helpful in getting patients out of their tents and moving.
We have patients continually arriving from Port-au-Prince by helicopter. Most of them are casted. Some of the surgeons in Port-au-Prince have written instructions on the casts of what surgical procedure was performed, when the cast is to be removed and even a diagram of the fracture. That is the extent of information that we receive on most patients who arrive. Most of the patients have their name and age written in magic marker on their arm, or on a piece of tape wrapped around their wrist.
Today a patient arrived by private car from Port-au-Prince. He had had an arm facsiotomy a couple of weeks earlier, but most of the tissue on his arm was dead and he had no sensation or movement. When the surgeon told him he would have to amputate, he refused and said he would wait and see if it would heal. He was told that it was already infected and he could potentially die from it if he didn't have the amputation today or tomorrow. He still refused, and so we're giving him antibiotics in the hope that he won't become septic - until the inevitable amputation.
It was a little slower pace today because it was Sunday. A local Haitian religious leader came and they had church under some trees. It was so touching to see the patients make their way down the row of tents with their walkers, crutches and stretchers so they could attend. They thanked Jesus for making the trembling stop and for helping so many people survive the earthquake. It was truly inspirational.
The Operation Smile team is really awesome. Everyone works so well together and is always willing to help with anything. None of us knew each other before the trip, but now it seems like I've known them all for years. Another orthopedic surgeon and anesthesiologist arrived yesterday. So we have plenty of doctors, but could use about another 20 nurses.
It's been brutally hot, but I'm almost getting used to it. At least it cools down enough at night that it's easy to sleep. I don't know what it is about Haiti, but you hear roosters ALL night and then here in Fond Parisien, there seems to be an insomniac cow that moos all night as well, which even my ear plugs can't completely block out.
Another very great day.