The Haiti Team traveled in two waves, and all too soon, some of the team members are headed back to the U.S. Here is a note from one of them:
We leave to return home tomorrow morning. It will take us all day to get home, due to long layovers, buses, and transfers. We had hoped to finish a bit earl today, but that was not to be. The clinic was overrun with gynecology patients and other surgical needs.
One of our patients, a blind women, was escorted by her husband and they arrived around 1000 today. Peasant farms, they traveled on foot four hours to the hospital where this frail woman of 98 pounds desperately needed medical attention and a hysterectomy. Only 45 years old, she had five children ranging from ages 3 to 27 and had been bleeding for 4 months. She looked so very tired and fragile. We were able to complete her surgery by noon as well as 5 other procedures this day. We also cared for another 20 gynecological patients, treated 20 other patients in the clinic and made post Op and hospital rounds. Whew!
This had been an amazing team to work with. Every year the cohesiveness is incredible with everyone looking out for each other, as well as the patients. One goal, one mission. Amazing! From our youngest to our most senior participant, everyone contributed 100%, every day.
Tonight we will visit a local beach resort. Some well-earned food, drink and a dip in the ocean and a pool. Many of us leave at 0800 tomorrow, some of us will not see each other again, but for the moment we are all planning on uniting again in Haiti next year.