In the several months leading up to moving to Haiti I had for the most part stopped exercising. My days were filled with trying to wrap up the last 7 years in Texas, sell a house, leave a job, church, friends, family that I loved, and just prepare for the new adventure God had me on. It felt like I was being pulled in a million directions and there were just not enough hours in the day to stop and exercise.... or so I thought. For me exercise specifically running has always been an outlet and way to process all that is going on around me. It has been a way to challenge what is physically and mentally possible and a way for me to just get quite and enjoy a conversation with our creator while taking in the beauty around us.

When I moved to Haiti and met Jeanie she was equally full of energy and shared a similar passion and need for exercise however she was much faster. So I quickly had to start getting this old self back into shape if I was going to chase after her. We started doing some basic runs around the compound but quickly learned running the same loop around the same 5 acres was not going to get it. Part of the cool part of running is exploring your environment and here we were in a completely new country, where we didn’t speak the language, and knew very little about our surroundings but had this desire to just explore. Many told us it was unsafe and not smart as two white females to just go running off in Haiti. First of all many Haitians don’t understand the point of running just to run. I mean if you are chasing a chicken or goat that is one thing but to exercise just to exercise does not make a lot of sense to most. Secondly we understood you have to be smart and aware of your surroundings but you can’t live in fear. This was going to be our home for the next 15 months so it was time to start exploring a little bit at a time.

After learning some basic Creole and getting a very basic sense of our surroundings we slowly decided to venture off of our 5 acre compound and run around our neighborhood.  For the first time we were out truly experiencing the culture, seeing how people lived, how they ported water, and the different ways they travelled. We were fully immersed without any barriers hearing them sing, watching them washing clothes in buckets, cooking in small pots over coal, carrying large objects on their heads, watching them dance, passing children as they chanted “blan”, watching the men play dominoes, smelling the burning trash, dodging the motos and tap taps, watching the farmers work with machetes, hearing them preach in church, being cut off by cows/goats/ or dogs and just meeting people where they were at.  It was eye opening because every run was full of the unexpected, we never knew what we were going to encounter or where the run was going to take us.  Sometimes it even took us into the homes of our patients we would pass in the street.

Our hearts and minds raced as we tried to process it all but this had become our outlet.  It was the time in the day where we could just go, let our minds get lost in our new reality, and experience the complex beauty that was around us. It was this beauty that made me fall in love with Haiti. Its simplicity yet complexity. Its magical mountains and surreal beaches. Its people that despite their circumstances were not only surviving but in many ways happy. The people demonstrated such inner strength by the way they cared for their families and strangers with such resilience and grace despite the challenges of life in a place where it can be a struggle just to provide very basic needs.  It was unlike any other place I had ever been. It challenged me, stretched me and made me question what really matters in life. I wanted others to be able to experience this side of Haiti and not the hopelessness and desperation that is shown in the news. So this is where the idea started in December when Jeanie asked wouldn’t it be great to run across Haiti and make a documentary to share with others the Haiti we have come to know and love. The school of Haiti that has in many ways changed our lives.

So on March 29^th we set out a as group of 7 to run across Haiti. Five guys and two girls. Five of us that had spent over a year in Haiti and two that were fresh off the plane experiencing Haiti for the first time. We all came from very different backgrounds for different reasons but each shared the love of running and desire to share in this epic adventure. We also had with us Ben our photographer and John our videographer that were there to help document this journey.

Day one: The Urban Assault. We started at champ De Mars in Port au Prince across from a large tent community and fallen palace. This for me was the most challenging day secondary to the air quality and constant alertness you needed to be in dodging the tap taps, buses, motos or whatever else was coming your way at the time.  Despite the traffic we manage to make our way through the busy streets of Port au Prince and Petonville before ending in the mountains of Kenscoff.  The incline was gradual but constant as we climbed 5700ft and transverse 16.5 miles. The traffic was a challenge but it was nice to reach the mountains where the views were incredible and the air was crisp and clean. We were finally out of the dust and exhaust of the busy streets of the city. We enjoyed sharing stories the rest of the day of our run, ate a couple good meals and got some rest in preparation of the next days mountain climb, we knew it was going to be a challenge.

The highlight of day one was picking up a new teammate Astrel. He just so happen to be the fastest man in Haiti and was out for a run that morning. When he blew passed us Olaf went chasing after him to find out his story. It turns out he shares a love for running and after hearing what we planned to do over the next couple of days he decided he was up for the challenge. “Pagen pwablom” he would say meaning “don’t have problem”. Astrel was amazing he runs with such ease making even the toughest climb look effortless. He hardly ate or drank but was like a machine when it came to running. What an inspiration he was to all of us.

Day two the Magical Mountain. After trying to run all the inclines the first day I quickly learned from my teammates the value of walking the steep slopes to preserve some energy and allow muscles to work in a slightly different way.  Day two consisted of winding up several thousand feet of steep, rocky, rolling trails high into the mountains of Seguin. The views were breathtaking and the women just amazing as they trucked up the winding mountain trails effortlessly with large bundles of fruits/vegetables perfectly balanced on their head.  The trek at times was brutal making it difficult for even our ATV to make the climb without 4-W drive. Haitian 4-W drive equals manually pushing on foot and that we did as our ATV got stuck throughout the climb. We had locals jump in and lend us a hand and one even helped pull me from the tire as it was rolling back after taking a spill. Day 2 ended at Clayton’s school after 17.8 miles of running up over the pass, through what remains of the pine forest and then winding along single track trails. We were greeted with about 100 kids smiling faces. They sang us songs, danced and shared a wonderful meal with us. It was the perfect way to end this incredible day. Our bodies were tired but our souls were being filled with a new kind of energy. There is something about those mountains that breaks you but also puts you back together.

Day 3 the final descent to the surreal beaches of Caye, Jacmel.  18 miles of straight steady down hill trails and then another 7 miles of pounding it out on the hot pavement roads before crashing into the waves of the Caribbean.  We all woke up with little aches and pains but were excited about finishing this AMAZING adventure. Knowing this was going to be a mile short of a marathon (which to that point was the most I had ever run) my strategy was to just take it slow and easy.  Jeanie had been struggling with some stomach issues and was forced to slow down so there we were together running for the first time side by side step for step.

I certainly believe everything happens for a reason and found it very fitting that on this day like so many of our other Haitian experiences we were going to run through this together.  15 months prior we had come to Haiti not knowing each other or this beautiful culture that we had now grown such a love for.  We had been challenged, inspired, humbled, and stretched in ways we did not think possible. As we came down the mountain we took in the views, engaged with the people, ran with the children and just tried to take in every minute. We knew quickly not only this run but our time in Haiti (or at least this chapter) was quickly coming to an end and we wanted to savor every moment we could. We had been changed by this school we call Haiti. 

The guys had waited along the beach shoreline as we came into town. Together as we had started the 8 of us ran the last two miles. Such emotions whirled around inside: relief that we were almost there, sadness that this part of the journey was coming to an end, overwhelmed knowing we had all been changed but finding it hard to explain how, and excitement that we had completed such a great feat. Finally we reached our destination and were greeted by all our friends who had anxiously been waiting at Surf Haiti. It had been 3 days 59 miles transcending over 10,000 ft.   I must say it felt good to hit that Carribean blue water and take it all in. We had completed the journey we had set out on but in so many ways it felt like it was just the start of a new journey.  If this is something you think you are crazy enough to try I welcome you to join us next year for the Haiti Ultra Marathon January 2013. Details to follow……….

So today was a rough day. We went to the funeral of one of our young patients. Levonsline was a little girl about 6 y/o with physical and developmental delays that had been coming to therapy for about 6 mos. When she first started coming to therapy we she was not able to walk or talk and had significant behavioral outburst. She did not like to be touched but would happily crawl on the floor and play until you tried to get her to do something and then she would throw herself down on the ground and hit and scream. We knew there were significant behavioral and sensory concerns that needed to be addressed but all mom wanted her to do was to be able to walk so she could go to school. So that is what we decided to address despite thinking there were much greater concerns to address first.

I am still baffled but after 3 months or so of therapy Levonsline was able to walk. God had decided it was time because I myself would have never guessed it would have happen that quickly. It was not always a stable walk but she managed to get from point A to point B and had a smile on her face. She even had started to repeat a few words, engage with other children appropriately and sit and attend to a task for several minutes. This was huge because before she was always like a ping pong ball all over the place, unable to focus or attend let alone sit for any length of time. Her body was always in constant uncontrolled movement. 

Last Wednesday her and her mom had showed up to therapy. She busted on into the gym with a big smile on her face looking to see what she could get into. Afterwards I remember watching her walk away over the rocks and gravel with ease thinking how AWESOME is that…. she once had no control of her body and is now navigating over the dirt and rocks with no problem.  We do serve an AWESOME God.

Thursday morning her mom showed up and stated she almost died in the night. She did not know what was wrong but when Jeanie saw her she was not herself. It took Jeanie and her mom to hold her down while they put an IV in her arm before transporting her to the local Children’s Hospital. We got word the next morning that she had died of cholera. Something that is so preventable but has taken so many lives here. 

This morning Jeanie and I set out to the Children’s Hospital to go to what we thought was the funeral service. I figured the hospital must do something for the families when they have little money. After waiting with 4 other family members for 2 hours we finally got shuttled outside into a tap tap. In the tap tap were two other people one small bag marked universal precautions and a cardboard box shaped like a small casket. I quickly realized we were transporting two small bodies with us to what I now assumed was the burial sight. I have used cardboard and duck tape to do a lot of things here in Haiti but the sight of the cardboard coffin will not quickly be forgotten. When we arrived to the old funeral ground outside PAP the 6 of us that knew Levonsline and the other two that must have known the child in the cardboard box filed out and stood by the gate. After a few minutes a gentleman who looked like he had been digging dirt walked past us out to the tap tap and threw the plastic bag with Levonsline and the cardboard box with the other child on his head and started off walking to the back of the cemetery. No one said anything but just followed. I will never forget the sound as the guy just dropped the two bodies to the ground as if they were a sack of potatoes and picked up his pick ax and started digging. Next to him another man had a shovel and was digging as well.  In my mind I was trying to process what was happening as no one said anything.  As I prayed I felt a peace knowing Levonsline is now in Heaven where she can walk and talk and have full control over her body.  I believe God has a connection with these special children that come to teach us so much even though they can’t talk or process things as we do.  I believe what was in that bag was not Levonsline as she is in Heaven, but it still hurt to see someone just disregard what was a person and throw them around as if they were nothing. After about 5 mins of watching these men dig without saying a word everyone began to leave.

Jeanie and I rode with the father on the moto home as he took us by Levonsline’s mom’s house. She had not attended what I guess you could call the funeral. There she sat in a dark room on a mattress gesturing for us to come sit. Between her tears she just kept repeating she is dead ,she is dead, she will not walk or have therapy again. She is completely finished. My heart broke because at this moment I questioned if her mom believes in God or heaven.  Where do you find that peace when you don’t have God to believe in. Is it just over in her mind? I did not know how or what to say in the moment but instead just sat comforting and listening to her. Before leaving we asked her to come by the clinic next week and see us. Not sure if she has left the house since Levonsline’s death. It was one of those days where you know you are in the right place but have no idea why you are there. I am not sure what the lesson is in all of this but it is one day I know Jeanie and I will not forget. 

Well we actually did pull it off our first St. Charles Clinic 2k Run but it truly was Haitian style. Often in life as hard as you try to plan things they just don’t go as expected, but usually the detour is full of lessons and unexpected blessings.  Our 2K run prove to be no different. For months we have been working with our exercise group talking about the benefits of exercise and healthy nutrition. We have watched many who have never exercised let alone run in their life grow an appreciation for movement. It has been a time to come together, to laugh, to do what they often perceive as crazy movements and even get their heart rate up a bit. Most of our class had never even attempted running and to do for sport was an even more foreign concept. I mean if you were needing to run to chase say a chicken for dinner that was one thing but to run just to run does not make sense to most Haitians. By the time the race started we had not only convinced over 40 adults and 60 plus kids to run but they even paid to sign up. All adults paid equivalent to 50 cents each and all kids paid about 8 cents. We had to stop the registration a half hour after the race was planned to start so we could actually get started.

Now in the states when you sign up for a road race it is common knowledge that you will have a starting line, finish line and marked out course that you need to follow to complete the race.  What is that saying you should never assume anything? Well despite our attempts of designing a course, marking with cones/arrows / people and having me on a bike leading the way we still only had one racer complete the whole thing in its entirety.  After the first turn the game quickly changed from a runner following a course to spot the “blan” on the bike in the bright shirt and sprint to her no matter where you are. My first instinct was wait “no no” they are not doing it right this is not how races are suppose to be but really when I just let it go and gave in to what was happening I realized all our objectives were being met. People were running, getting exercise, having fun, dancing, and feeling good about what they accomplished.

The theme of the race was “Running to give Life”. We see so many strokes here in the clinic and many of the risk factors are difficult to control here. Our goal in working with this population is to help them see the things they can control such as monitoring their BP, taking meds if needed, eating healthy, and exercise. It was AWESOME to see so many here getting excited about exercise. We had participants of all ages some ran some walked. We even have a photo of nuns on the run. Yes, even they were getting into it. 

The photo above I think captures the overall excitement of the day as everyone came together for a photo with his or her certificate for completing the race. Looking around after the race when we finally were able to take a deep breath and process the morning, we noticed not one single certificate was thrown on the ground. In Haiti this is significant because most just throw trash to the ground without thought. After soccer matches you can always find cups, wrappers and other papers on the ground everywhere. The certificates were just Xerox copies on regular paper but to them they had meaning. They had all paid what they could to participate, they had worked to accomplish a task and they had a reason to be proud. 

I think there were lots of lessons in this. Often when we walk out on the streets Haitians young and old will ask us because we are white to “give them something”. Sometimes it is food, money, clothes, I have heard it all. My time here in Haiti has helped me learn that really what they need is for more of us to come along side them and empower them. Show them they don’t need a hand out they are smart, able and have more than they realize to offer.  They all paid something (what they could) to participate in exercise to help their health and they had fun doing it. It was a great way to see a community of many different cultures (when you throw in all the volunteers) coming together in fellowship for a good cause. I hope and pray more things like this can be done to help not only encourage healthy living but also help prevent all the strokes we see on a day-to-day basis.

Well time certainly seems to be flying bye these days but lots of exciting things to report. If some of you have not heard from my facebook page Beetlove finally took her first steps two weeks ago.!!!! Now she is walking the full length of the gym with very minimal assist using a walker. You will have to check out the video under videos on my website. This is something doctors told her would not happen but she has persevered and is inspiring us all along the way. She still has a dislocated left hip and will need a surgery as she gets older, but for now she is not in pain and happy to be standing and taking steps. It has been AWESOME to watch this young lady that came to our clinic last April unable to talk or even sit up now talking, walking and even going to school.  We serve an amazing God!

We are still diligently working on getting all the kiddos at a local orphanage seated properly in wheelchairs. This has been a project we have been working on for months but things are finally coming together. We are working with a group called AFYA that has 4 Haitian rehab techs and 7 Haitian carpenters working with them.  We have been working with the rehab techs to teach them how to properly assess posture and place children with disabilities in good alignment. We also have been working with the carpenters to teach them how to build custom wood inserts then place foam and straps to help position the children. It is my prayer that this ministry will continue and lead to a small business for these Haitians. Adaptive equipment is much needed here and allows individuals with disabilities to have more independence, but you can’t just call up your local DME and order equipment. Everything is made by hand which takes time, but I have so enjoyed figuring out how to make something out of nothing. It has not always been successful but we have learned a lot along the way and now are getting an opportunity to share what has worked.

Our stroke and exercise classes continue to be packed every week. We plan to have our first 2 mile run/walk race in the neighborhood March 3^rd.  Our exercise class is all excited about it and up for the challenge. We have opened it up to any that want to come run or walk and hear more about how to eat healthy and prevent hypertension. We have even promised the therapist will give two minute massages to each finisher along with a certificate. It has been so fun to see how dedicated they are each week to coming together in fellowship to exercise. Last week one of the employees from the orphanage we volunteer at came up to me after class to tell me how good she feels now that she is exercising. I thought she was going to karate kick me right then and there.

Our patients have inspired us so Jeanie and I have a running challenge of our own to complete before we go. It is so sad that all the images you see from Haiti these days in the news are of collapsed buildings and sad desperate faces. Yes, there are images here that I know I will never forget but there are also so many beautiful things about Haiti, especially the people. When I think of Haiti I don’t think of desperation but of hope, resilience and beauty.  This country has so many beautiful places and our Haitian brothers and sisters have so much to teach us. This is the Haiti that we have come to know and love and this is the Haiti we want to share with others.

 Over our holiday break Jeanie mentioned to me in a phone conversation “wouldn’t it be cool to run across Haiti and do a documentary to share the beauty we have experience here.“ Well long story short this once abstract idea has turned into an epic run that will take place with 4 other friends. On March 28^th we plan to set off from the destroyed palace (what would be like our white house) in Port au Prince and run 15 miles straight up into the mountains of Kenscoff. The next day we plan to continue our trek up the mountain that is only passable on foot or moto another 15 miles to Sequin (which is the second highest peak in the Caribbean). The third day we plan to finish with a 26 mile run down the mountain into the beach city of Caye Jacmel. We will have a videographer with us capturing the beauty of the trip and sharing stories of the people we meet along the way. We also plan to highlight many of the cool ministries that are doing things to help empower Haitians. Our hope is that in the future this ultra marathon could become a race that would attract more people to Haiti and help boost the eco tourism that is much needed to supply jobs. It is going to be a big challenge both physically and mentally but an amazing way to wrap up this experience here in Haiti. If this is something you would like to support both financially or prayerfully (we will need both) it will be greatly appreciated. All proceeds will go to Haiti Medical Missions of Memphis to help fund our clinic. You can find out more about the race and see pictures on our facebook page Run: Haiti Ultra Marathon. 

Well I am getting tired just thinking about all we have coming up but as always thanks’ for all your love, prayers and support. May God continue to bless you and guide you on your journey. 

Hard to believe it has been over a year now that I have been able to call Haiti my home.  It is amazing to think of a place I knew nothing about that seemed so different to anything I have ever known can now feel so much like home. It has been an incredible year filled with many challenges, blessings and heart/mind opening experiences. I have met so many wonderful people and had a chance to actually sit and get to know them. It is amazing what can happen when we take the time to actually truly be in the presence of others and share our life stories.  Though each of us have experienced very different paths we have so much to offer each other.

Everyone seems to want to know what the plan is for the next year and God is slowly giving me those details. I plan to be in Haiti through April and then move back to the states for at least a few months. I have committed to help work in a clinic in Richmond just for the summer to help a dear friend. I am excited to learn a new therapy technique and to be able to spend some time with some old friends and of course my family. I certainly do not feel this is the end of my travels overseas but this will be a time to recharge my batteries and see where God is leading me next. It is always an adventure when we follow His lead. 

That being said we have a lot going on in the clinic. Two weeks ago my physical therapy student Sam arrived.  We were able to work it out so he can do his 8 week clinical affiliation here. Have already put him to work learning how to wash his clothes by hand (good ADL skill) and helping me build a platform to attach to a walker for a stroke patient with a severe hemi paresis that is starting to walk. Never fails to amaze me what you can do with a little duck tape, PVC pipe, hardware and wood.  Made a contact last week with an organization called AFYA and they have several Haitian rehab techs and carpenters that are open to being trained on all the adaptive equipment we have been making. Very excited at the thought of being able to share that info so they can learn to build and continue to help their community in a way that is greatly needed. Plus this could create a source of income for them.  Jobs are so needed here.

We also have started a new stroke class as we continue to educate about ways to decrease the chances of having a stroke. Our patients continue to amaze us with how some are recovering but we continue to see several new stroke patients a week. We are having success in therapy returning patients to some level of independence but we all sense the need to focus on prevention as well. It is not going to change over night but this is something we feel passionate about. There are many factors we can’t change but we can educate about monitoring blood pressures, taking medications, eating healthy, and doing exercise. Jeanie has even been working with Hyam (or new rehab manager) on developing a cooking tips sheet to promote tips on how to eat healthy given the foods that are commonly available here.  The patients seem to love the class and are helping each other out sharing tips and stories. It is in a lot of ways a support group as well. People helping people it’s what it is all about.

As always I thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support. God continues to do so many cool things through this ministry. I am excited to see what He has planned for this next year. A new year always gives us time to reflect. Take time to enjoy the amazing beauty and people God has placed around you. I am certainly thankful for all the people in my life and this amazing journey God has me on. Blessings and love to all of you!

Since moving to Haiti I have learned to expect the unexpected because you never know what the day is going to bring. Jeanie and I celebrated 9 months here in Haiti by becoming temporary foster parents to a child that was abandon in our clinic several weeks ago.  (Don’t worry the little one has found a home in an orphanage with some caring sisters). Carlos (we later named him) was left on the small couch just outside our clinic with no information just a blanket and extra diaper. He looked to be around 8, did not speak, walk or do much movement at all. He was very thin and somewhat malnourished but could sit on his own and appeared to have some autistic like qualities.  It was easy at first to think who could possibly abandon their own child but after more thought I realize that I have never walked a day in a moms shoes.  Or was it even his mom that brought him that day?

The more time we spent with Carlos we began to wonder what life was like for him. It took us over an hour to feed him and he could only have somewhat thick liquids. Everything else looked like it was heading straight to the lungs or was coming right back out at us.  His mom probably had a much better way of feeding because after all she had kept him alive all these years.  Why did Carlos never cry or seem to have difficulty transitioning to a completely new environment and unfamiliar people? Had it just become too overwhelming for his mom? Was she unable to work and provide for the family because she needed to look after Carlos during the day? That is a common struggle we hear from many of our single moms with children with disabilities. I often wonder what would I do in that situation. You are a single mom with several kids including one with significant disabilities living in a place that has absolutely no support for people with disabilities and no Medicaid or government help. In fact children with disabilities are often hidden away from society out of fear that they can give what they have to other children or that a curse has been placed on them. There are no disability protection acts and nothing in society is wheelchair accessible or made for people with a disability.  No form of public transportation that someone in a wheelchair can access, and only the really wealthy have access to cars. What kind of future do they really have??

There is only one special needs school that I am aware of in the whole country. After all less then 50% of all children get to go to school here. I think of in my own country where everyone gets to go to school including the disabled and yet we have many that skip school or throw away the opportunity without putting forth any kind of effort to learn. Here there are kids that can only hope for the opportunity to go to school. Some families only have the ability to send one child so often it is the boys that get to go to school. I have also spoken to some children that were going to school and then had to stop when they could no longer afford it.

We did celebrate a victory this past month when Beetlove a child I previously blogged about got to go to the school on the compound. A child going to school in a wheelchair here is a rare thing but that she did. It took a team effort and a very passionate caring Haitian teacher to allow this little miracle to happen. Beetlove finally has a purpose to her day and it has carried over into her motivation for therapy. She is now transferring herself in and out of her wheelchair and independent in most mat mobility and transitions. She even attempts to push her own wheelchair short distances and stood for the first time in a walker with support and knee immobilizers the other day. This is the first time she has stood outside a stander since her hip dislocation and cast placement. You certainly have to celebrate the small victories or you can be overwhelmed at times by the challenges of life here.

My whole life I have been around children with disabilities My mom at a young age would take us to work with her or help watch children when families needed a little respite care.  I have always been drawn to working with these special children and God has given me the ability to see past the disability and see a child or person that has so much to offer. Some of the greatest lessons I have learned in life have been from individuals that can’t necessary walk, talk or even move as I do. I love that everyday we get to work with individuals that have some form of a disability but there families are willing to bring them out into society and come to therapy.  Which here in Haiti is a big deal. Together we get to celebrate the small victories as they learn to hold their head up or use their hand again or even for the first time.  Often the progress is slow and the challenges are big without the outcomes that some families want to see but together we are learning so much from each other.  It is all part of the journey. I do pray there will be a day that people with disabilities here in Haiti will be seen as the people they were created to be, not cursed or outcasts and all will get to experience the love they have to offer.

As always I continue to thank you for all your love, prayers and continued support. It has in a lot of ways been a challenging month but God continues to show me He has an even greater plan for each and every one of us. Blessings!!!!

Okay time for another update. We have been blessed the last 5 weeks with an OT student Rachelle. Rachelle is originally from Haiti but moved to the states 8 years ago and is now in her second year of OT school. She wanted to come back to Haiti for the summer to visit her family and volunteer. We were able to teach and share therapy techniques with her while she was able to help us with our Creole and teach us more about the Haitian culture that we so desire to learn and understand. So awesome to meet a Haitian that has a love for learning and desire to become a therapist.  We really miss her and her smile around the clinic but know she has a bright future ahead of her.

Our stroke program still continues to grow. Rick our rehab RN has started to facilitate weekly stroke prevention classes. We plan to add an exercise component to the classes in time. We continue to see new strokes every month but are getting many within a week of the stroke so it has been fun to watch them progress. We had a pleasant visit from one of our former inpatients Lyciano who was also seen as an outpatient. We remember the day we had to have a discussion with Lyciano about safety and using a walker not knowing if the day would come when he could walk unassisted. Well he surprised us a few weeks ago when he not only walked up without an assistive device, but came driving himself in a stick shift car. He was so proud to tell us he drove here and was wearing of all things a referee shirt.  Appropriate given the crazy roads here.

The same day we were celebrating Lyciano’s accomplishments we had another former inpatient return secondary to a second stroke. Simeon is only 40 years old and now has suffered from two strokes. He literally was doing everything that was asked of him taking medications regularly, watching his diet, and exercising but they were still having difficulty controlling his blood pressure.  Many days he would get frustrated that he could not do therapy because his blood pressure was too high but we were trying everything that was possible. This is such a problem here. We knew he was at risk for another stroke and there was little we could do. Fortunately we have received a grant that has allowed for a variety of additional hypertension medications. We are glad to report that Simeon returned back to therapy with a great spirit after three weeks of different medications that seem to be controlling his hypertension. His goal is to return to his functional independence pre stroke.

We continue to be a full service rehab clinic willing to do what we can to help our patients return to whatever level of independence that is possible. We have made home visits to stroke patient’s homes to assess needs when it is too difficult to transport them to the clinic. We have been able to help show families how to assist with transfers and daily activities while learning a thing or two ourselves from families about how to adapt things.  We have provided leg lifts or supports that have assisted many with walking. My favorite was an 84 y/o old gentleman that came in just asking for a new crutch tip for his beat up crutch that did not even have a handle. We noticed he had a huge leg length discrepancy after a tibial surgery and were able to use old tires (thanks to our prosthetic group) to make him a shoe lift and give him a pair of tennis shoes. When he tried on his new kicks he got a big grin on his face and tossed his crutches aside and took off walking for the first time in over a year without a crutch.  Then just this week we got to see Michelle our patient that arrived being pushed in a wheel barrel 5 months ago walk in a walker adapted with a home made bag to port things (Thanks Jeanie) and her own personal cup holder. It takes her a while but she can now go get herself a glass of water and bring it back herself without assist. She was so proud. We even got to see a brief smile on her face.

We ask for your continued prayers and support for the upcoming clinic fundraiser September 30^th- Oct 1^st in Memphis. As our health and rehab clinics have grown so has the ministries financial needs. Haiti Medical Missions of Memphis has fund the clinic the last 10 years by the 24 hour Tour d Esprit Race/ Auction held every Fall in Memphis. If you would like to check out more about Haiti Medical Missions of Memhis and the Tour d Espirit feel free to check out the new website at www.haitimedicalmissionsofmemphis.org We really believe in this ministry but can’t do it without the faithful support of so many.

God continues to use this ministry to touch our lives and the lives of those we encounter everyday.  It certainly has not been without challenges but far more blessings. I continue to thank you all for you love, prayers and support.

I figure it is about time I give another update on all that has happened since my last post. On Father’s Day I became an aunt once again when Asher James Cottos was born weighing a little over 5lbs. He got off to a rough start having to be placed on a vent and chest tube day 2, but pulled through well and was able to go home by the 4^th of July. Chris and Andrea are both very proud first time parents and doing so well with the little man. I hear he is eating like a champ and even learning to take good naps between feedings. Can’t wait to hold him for the first time and not just see him through pictures. Times like that are really when it is difficult being so far from home.

I did recently get to go back to Texas for two weeks for a friends wedding. Got to catch up with a lot of people and enjoy some wonderful food. Nice contrast to the usual rice and beans that have become staples with every meal. It was wonderful to be back at my home church St. Mark’s and to visit everyone. It was also nice to see some of my old patients and co-workers at the hospital. I continue to be overwhelmed by everyone’s love, generosity and support of me and the work that God is doing in Haiti.

Now that I am back things seem busier then ever. We are starting to really work on developing our stroke prevention and education programs. The other day I saw 8 patients and 6 were strokes. There is a definite need for this kind of education. We also currently have three orphanages that we are working with. We have committed to partner with the Haitian rehab techs that are currently working in the orphanages. We are really trying to come along side them and teach them some more therapy techniques and the rationale behind it as they share more with us about their culture and way of life.  What an incredible learning experience for all involved.

In my last blog I shared with you about my friend Jon that taught me so much about overcoming the obstacles that are placed in our lives. He had such a beautiful spirit that radiated God’s love and joy into everyone he met. Now I want to introduce you to another one of my friends that also has such an amazing will to survive and love for all those around her. We first met Beetlove in May when she came carried into our clinic by her mom.  At the time she was skin and bones. She could not sit up well independently or even talk. Her right arm just hung off her body and her legs were curled up under her and she would scream out in pain at any attempt to try and straighten them. Mom explained to us that Beetlove was a healthy active 13 y/o until she collapsed Easter weekend and needed to be hospitalized. She apparently had a small infection in her foot that went septic throughout her body including into her brain and heart. She had five operations including one to the brain and one to the chest and was in a coma for 8 days before waking up. To survive all that alone in Haiti is nothing short of a miracle. Beetlove spent a month in the hospital doing very little movement until mom decided it was time to take her home since they were not doing enough to get her moving. This was when mom found the clinic and was referred to therapy.

Beetlove’s mom is a single mom with three other children at home but she still managed to bring Beetove everyday to therapy. Every afternoon I would look forward to Beetlove rolling up on a moto side sitting in her mothers lap sandwiched between her mom and the moto driver.  Here we see patients that can’t even sit up on the back of a moto (motorcycle) all the time. That is the only way for them to travel without a car because they can’t get on and off of a public tap tap.

Slowly over time Beetlove began to sit up, talk and even was starting to tolerate some supported standing.  This little girl who had lay there in such pain with just a blank stare across her face was coming back to life just before our eyes.  She would try to dance and even started singing before talking. She is just so motivated especially to walk again. She was sure to learn each of our names and brought each of us a gel bracelet. Most kids here have very little especially of their own so to give each of us one of her bracelets meant so much to us.

Just before I left to fly back to Texas we started to get worried about her left hip. She was starting to have more and more pain and upon assessment her hip appeared to be dislocated. The x-ray confirmed what we had suspected her hip was dislocated and was going to require surgery. Surgery #6 was done the day before I flew back.

She was placed in a cast that started at her chest and goes completely down one leg and half down the other with two large bars across the middle to keep the legs spread. Now imagine having that large of a cast on, unable to bend to sit up, in 100 degree heat with no ac, laying on the dirt floor in a small one room house without electricity for 6 weeks. But there she lay with a smile on her face allowing us to sign her cast and just laugh and joke with her. The Haitian people just blow me away with how resilient they are and there will to overcome. I know for so many it has to do with their faith. We have since taken off the back of a wheelchair and rigged up a frame to support her and her large cast and finally got Beetlove off the floor and outside for the first time in a week. We will continue to check in on her several times a week until we can get her back in therapy. 

I once again want to thank everyone for their continued love, prayers and support of this ministry. As you can see we are making a difference in the lives of those we meet as they are often making an even bigger difference in our lives. We have so much to learn from each other when we truly take the time to just be in each other’s presence. God is good!!!! Blessings and Love form Haiti.

About 6 weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting a young man named Jon. He had come with his mom to our clinic after a dog nearly ripped his right eyelid off.  You see Jon was about 13 y/o and had cerebral palsy. Cognitively Jon had no deficits that I could notice but he was trapped in this significantly contracted body that left him with no independent movement other then his ability to smile, chew, speak, drink and turn his head. His arms were stuck in a position up by his head (hence the nickname angel wings), his legs were curled up under him and his back was twisted in ways I could not imagine a person could be twisted. He was defenseless when the dog came for him but was well aware of what was happening. I could not imagine that feeling. The doctors did not think he was going to loose his vision and did what they could to stitch his eyelid back on.

I remember thinking the first time I met Jon that he was a special kid. As I looked at him in his wheelchair with his head hooked on the back of the chair, his eye patched and his incredibly contracted body preventing him from even getting into a somewhat seated position, I could not believe the smile he had on his face. His frail, run down, soft-spoken mom stood next to him with this look of complete desperation and need but there he sat confidently with such a beaming expression on his face. This too Jon had overcome. What a lesson I thought in perseverance and just taking what life throws at you and making the best of it. His smile was just contagious.

The next several weeks we worked hard as a team trying to adapt Jon’s basic wheelchair so he could at least sit upright in a less painful position and his mom could push him without having to tilt the chair back on its back wheels. This proved to not be an easy task when you are trying to support such a contracted and curved body with just foam, wood, duct tape, straps and whatever else we could fine. Jon would patiently lay on the mat for hours while we problem solved occasionally needing to transfer him back and forth from the chair. Occasionally he would state he “was ready to go home” but he always kept that smile on his face and tried anything that was asked of him.  We thought we had successfully found a fix to his chair as pictured above but Jon some how found a way to break the thin board we were using to support his legs so we were once again back to the drawing board. He was scheduled to return to the clinic this Monday morning but did not show up. We found this odd since he always came to his appointments. Then Monday afternoon the mom of one of our other patients came in and told us Jon died Sunday. She did not have any more details.

I was completely speechless and shocked to hear my Zanimi (friend) was gone. I praise God that Jon is now free of his contracted body and officially has his angel wings. It does however make me sad to think that no one else here on earth will have the opportunity to meet this young man and be blessed by him as I was. I wish I had the Creole to hear his story in his own words.  His smile was contagious and brought such hope and joy into this world. It is so easy to let the trials of this world get you down but Jon was such an example of someone that not only overcame obstacles but made you a better person just by knowing him. Thanks Jon for the blessing you are to so many. May you rest as Jeanie said relaxed with that smile upon your face.

Last week started off literally with a bang. We were very blessed no one got hurt when we had a gas explosion in our clinic. The gas fridge where we house all our vaccinations caught fire causing the vaccinations to explode. Fortunately it was not a day that we do vaccinations. Otherwise the room would have been full of women and children and the fridge would have been unlocked which would have easily spread the fire. We had about 100 people in our waiting room at the time that of course ran when they heard the explosion, but again we were very blessed no one was trampled in the process.  We lost a couple thousand dollars worth of vaccinations, all our vaccine records and other supplies but in the end everyone chipped in and we were able to get the clinic up and running a day later with no injuries just loss of stuff . God is good and was certainly looking out for us on this day.

Jeannie and I got to make a very special home visit this week to bring one of our “ti mouns” children a bucket seat that we built.  Slyder is a little guy ~18mos old that has been coming to therapy for a couple months. He is significantly low toned (floppy) and has difficulty keeping even his head up. He spends most of his time either on his back or being held. He needs to be upright to work on his head control but gets very little practice since he can’t sit on his own and requires so much support. His mom has mentioned on several occasions it is important for Slyder to be able to do more on his own or her uncle that they live with will throw them out since he requires so much care.

Mom has to support the family so she works as a saleswomen at a street vendor and has to leave Slyder with his 8 y/o sister to care for him during the day.  This is also very common here to see kids that young as care providers for family members. Mom and sister have done a great job trying to practice activities at home and Slyder is making progress. It was AWESOME to see him sit up in his chair with his head upright taking in his environment. He even very briefly held a homemade rattle in his hand on his own with his head up. 

Here in Haiti you have to build or make almost all your adaptive equipment.  It is amazing what you can do with a bucket, plywood, duck tape, velcro,, screws and a few straps.  In the same day we also were able to help a 37 y/o women that has been sick for some time ~10 years. She came over to us being pushed by family members in a wheel barrel. She was very frail, uncoordinated in her movements and overall weak. To walk she required the assist of two and had very little awareness of where her feet were in space.  Her main goal is to be able to walk safely again.  We were able to set her up with a wheelchair to replace the wheel barrel and even were able to get her to ambulate very short distances with the support of a walker. We also were able to supply her family with a bath/toilet chair so they no longer have to try and balance her on a bucket to go to the bathroom or bathe her on the ground. We are so thankful for the donations such as toilet chairs and wheelchairs. They truly make a big difference in the lives of those with disabilities and their care providers. Could you imagine as an adult having to be pushed in a wheel barrel or bathed on the ground? I have to give family’s credit they do what they have to care for their loved ones but it is awesome to be able to come along side them and help even if it is in just a small way.

I continue to be blessed by all the beautiful people I am meeting.  Every day is a learning experience. We look foreword to watching this ministry grow as we find new ways to come along side our Haitian brothers and sisters and learn from each other. 

A Run in Haiti

The other afternoon Jeanie and I went out on a run as we often do around our neighborhood.  We never know what to expect when we go for a run here. Often we come back with a story to tell, because this is one of the ways we get to really experience their culture and life outside the walls of our compound. This run was unlike others.  Just as we made a turn off our street we ran into a group of people that were trying to assist this lady who had taken a “tonbe” fall. She was a thin frail middle-aged lady who looked scarred to death in her confused state. She had two large gashes on her forehead and could not stand on her own as her extremities trembled and her eyes just glazed over. The group of people around her stopped us looking for help. In our broken Creole we were able to understand that this lady had taken a fall in the street. No one knew her name and there was no family or anyone around that could identify who she was or where she lived. She appeared to be having a stroke, which is all too common here and instinctively we stated she needed to get to a hospital. Calling an ambulance was not an option. It is a family’s job to get loved ones to the hospital, and as we have learned for some they don’t even have the funds or means to get to the hospital even if they wanted to. In this case no family or friends were around.

Here there is also very little they can do once you have a stroke other then give you medication to try and control your blood pressure. There are no CT’s to try and identify the bleed or anything that can be done if a bleed is discovered but this seemed a better option then out on the street.  Fortunately a sister driving by stopped with her car to try and figure out what was going on. As we explained what little we knew she stated she could take her to the hospital. So we loaded this half unconscious lady into the back of the car and one of the total strangers that found her in the street jumped in the car to go with her. As they pulled away so many questions were rolling around in my head. What is the fate of this lady? Could she die at the hospital and her family never even know what happen to her? Why do we see so many strokes here and again that frustration of helplessness? Did we do the right thing sending her across town to the hospital if there is little they can do?

As we continued our run we got our usual shout outs as “blans” questioning are you running for sport? In a place where many lack the nutrition to spend doing such activities as running it is not a sport that is well understood. Why would you be running they wonder but to us this is the very outlet we need to help process all that we are experiencing and release those feelings at times of frustration, confinement and helplessness. As we proceeded back up one of the main streets to our compound we came up on a gentleman that had two large rocks in his hands and made a motion like he was going to throw one directly at Jeanie but then stopped his arm in mid motion. This stopped both of us dead in our tracks as we thought why why would you do that. Jeanie turned to him and stated “pa bon sir” no good. There hands met as he exposed the large rocks. Quickly we realized he was not trying to throw rocks at us but rather throwing them at the large mango tree above us. We both regrettably realized in our high alert state we had mis judged this mans intentions and in that instant he saw how his actions had been interpreted wrong. He then gestured for us to follow him across the street to give us each a large mango. These were the only two mangos we saw he had. Who knows how long he had been chucking rocks up towards the large mango tree to get them. We knew it would be an insult to refuse a gift we also knew how treasured a good mango here can be.  We thanked our new friend repeatedly and in the Creole we knew stated happy to meet you. Again on an emotional roller coaster we set back off on our journey home again trying to process what had just happened.  We were both reminded that things are not always what they seem.  I am so thankful Jeanie had the courage to stop and question this mans intentions. Otherwise we would have never known the truth and once again left wondering why sometimes people do or say the things they do when they see others that look different.

This whole experience continues to teach me so much.  Until coming here I had never experienced what it is like to be judged by the color of my skin.  On this night we were wrong and mis judged this mans actions, but at other times it has been very clear how some feel about “rich white people” coming to their country. It has been good to see things from a different perspective and reminded how powerful words and actions can be. Fear in the unknown or in what is different can cause us all to react in different ways. I do pray the day will come when we can all see each other as the brothers and sisters we are called to be and not judge each other by the color of our skin or our cultural differences. 

Sorry not sure how time gets away from me here and I realize it has been a while since I have blogged. Sometimes it is hard to find the words to capture all that I am seeing or experiencing but let me give it a whirl. Since last post we have had to let go of one of our rehab techs due to funding issues. No doubt God will open new doors for her but has put others on edge wondering what is to come with the change in funding. We recently got a volunteer kinesiologist and OT from Chile that will be here for a year so that will help. Ultimately our goal is to help train local Haitians to help carry over the work we do, which is difficult with limited resources. Haiti Medical Missions of Memphis does one big fundraiser a year that funds the clinic and rehab. We do not charge for services or medications so we will never be a self-sufficient clinic.  As we grow we have more expenses and this has forced our ministry to make some difficult decisions. We are working hard at finding new funding sources.

Such a difficult dilemma where NGO’s provide the bulk of the healthcare, but at times you wonder if they impede the Haitian physicians/healthcare workers that are trying to make a living off their profession when all these NGO’s have volunteers doing the same thing for free.  Yet so many can’t pay for services so the local doctors that are trying to make a living only see patients that can pay for services. There are not remotely close to enough Haitian healthcare providers to care for all the sick in Haiti so many would suffer if all the NGO’s up and pulled out. The question is how to make that transition so as a country they are not dependent on NGO’s.  Imagine living in a place that had no healthcare system, school’s are limited to only those with money, no public water/waste/ electrical system.  Families have to make decisions on who gets to eat at night . It is not that people are not hard working or willing to work the system is just broken and people do what they have to do just to survive.

We have had the opportunity now to get out in some of the tent communities with community agents to look for children that are malnourished or others that could benefit from therapy. What an eye opening experience to see what life is like in a tent community. Often we are met with skeptical stares as to why these “blans” whites are in their community. Usually once they see we are there to help many will flock out of their tents to share their concern to see if they can get a script to come to the clinic. On our last trip we saw lots of kiddos with ring worm, distended bellies, and others with the signs of malnourishment. We were able to write them scripts for rendezvous (appts) in the clinic. Still looking for the little ones that would benefit from therapy, but often they are the ones hidden back in the tents since it is harder for them to get out and play.  My personal favorite was this little 3 year old boy that was completely buck naked sporting his candy necklace. Before we left we had a group of kids that joined Jeanie and I in a game of soccer with a soda bottle. Got to give them points for creativity. Kids will find a way to play with what they have.

Things in the clinic continue to fluctuate. We have crazy packed days and others that are a bit slower. Got to fit our first little kiddo with a custom wheelchair adapted with foam, duck tape, straps and a bio hazardous bag to make the foam cushion pee proof. It is a fun challenge to try and make the resources we have work.

 We have also been working hard on getting our stroke populations BP’s under control so we can exercise. Since we have started taking BP’s every time they come in we have realized many have BP’s 210/118 or even higher. We are working hard with the docs on educating on the importance of taking meds regularly so they can have an active life post stroke. We are also working on starting stroke prevention program and then having a support like group for those that are post stroke. At times Jeanie and I are like drill sergeants getting after them about meds but we are bound and determine we can help make an impact on this growing population. Probably 1 in 5 of our patients are post stroke and half of those are in there 40’s.  Kind of cool the other day we had a current patient bring a friend that was several days post stroke. He knew we work with stroke patients and wanted to get him help quickly so he just brought him to the clinic. We sent him back to his doctor who sent a referral and now we have another connection outside our clinic for referrals. Let the networking begin.

The other big news is a group from Spain has started a prosthetic factory on the compound. We hope to partner with them to make it easier to get our patients prosthetics since they can be measured, molded and fitted there. We then can do the follow up therapy necessary to get them up and going.  They have hired a former inpatient of ours that also lost his leg and has gone through the therapy. They are teaching him how to adjust and make prosthesis so he can in turn help others to walk again. We got to see a 10 year old boy the other day take his first steps with his new leg post earthquake. All three of his brothers were killed in the earthquake.  His dad stood there with tears in his eyes as he watched his son take his first steps, it was a neat moment to be a part of. We hear stories time and time again about that day. It was a day that impacted everyone and everyone has a story to tell. In time I hope I can hear more stories and more importantly see the healing process continue in the many that have suffered a loss.

I continue to thank you for all your love, prayers and support. I recently had a wonderful trip home to Virginia to see my family for a week. I truly feel blessed to be where I am. God is certainly opening my eyes and my heart as I learn to fully trust in His plan.

I guess it is about time I sent another update from here in Haiti. It some ways things are really starting to pick up in the clinic. There are days that we see 30-35 patients and others that seem really slow allowing us to get caught up on our ever growing to do list. To be honest I love the days that keep us busy but sometimes at the end of the day you are left wondering did I really make a difference when it all just seems a blur.  God is slowly reminding me that even if we can’t bring the quick miracle healing they are looking for there is still something powerful about truly listening to someone and allowing them to express their pain/loss of function/or difficulty in movement and have someone listen.  Even when we don’t have the easy answer we can at least help them process what has happening to them and refocus on what they can do and how to make that easier.

Tomorrow the last of our 7 inpatients will be going home. Due to a loss in our funding we will not be able to keep our inpatient program going for now so are focusing our efforts on the outpatients. In a way this is very sad because there is great need in Haiti for more inpatient facilities and in so many ways the patients have become like family. When you live and work with them everyday it is hard to not get attached. They have loved and welcomed us like family, helped teach us Creole and some how managed to keep a smile on their faces even when we are riding them about being late to therapy, taking too many rest breaks or just plain making dumb decisions that could get them hurt.

Each of these inpatients have blessed me in different ways but one in particular has reminded me of the power of prayer and given me hope in what is sometimes a hopeless looking situation. Benny is a 23 y/o that was in a car accident last year resulting in a T10 spinal cord injury leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He  was never able to have the spinal fusion that would immobilize his very unstable back due to the lack of neurosurgeons, sterile surgical environments and no birth certificate to get a medical visa to have the surgery outside of Haiti. He also has two slowly healing wounds on his rear that would most likely kill him if he was living in a normal Haitian environment out on the streets.  Benny also recently lost his father figure, was abandon by his unstable mother, struggling with the fact that he is suppose to be the man of the family and can’t even provide for his younger brother who has also been abandon and left to be his care provider at the young age of 14. Here two lives completely altered by one accident.

As I got to know Benny I discovered his gentle spirit hidden in this long lengthy frame.  He has this huge smile, soft spoken voice and big brown eyes that scream for acceptance.  Benny loves to work and would do anything that was asked of him to the point we had to force him to rest in therapy. When we needed help moving boxes, rearranging crutches, fixing bikes or just cleaning windows Benny was there to help even if it meant  having to push a box across the floor with his wheelchair. He wants so bad to stand and walk again which was something we could not promise due to the extent of his injury. To him that was his only chance at being able to provide for his family or survive in a country that is not accessible or accepting of people with disabilities. I can only hope in our time together we helped change that perception at least a little.

 With the inpatient clinic closing we had no idea what the future held for Benny or his brother Fabrear, especially in a country where there is nothing but obstacles for people with disabilities or limited choices due to lack of resources and opportunities.  It is hard to see someone hurting and feel helpless which can be a common sight here.  The need is always far greater then our ability to provide.

Thankfully we serve a loving and faithful God that has a plan for each of us. We were able to find a clinic that would accept Benny and his brother and on top of that they have a neurosurgeon that comes in every 6-8 weeks and can do the surgery that will stabilize his back. Both Benny and his brother still have an uphill climb ahead of them but at least they have hope in a future that they did not have last week.

 None of us really know what our future holds or what God has plan for our lives. If you asked me a year ago I would not have thought I would be living in Haiti but I am sure thankful this was part of God’s plan for me. Each day still has its ups and downs but I am learning to appreciate the water stops along the way and seeing things in a different perspective then ever before.  It can be down right humbling at times. As I was reminded the other day you often have to step out of your comfort zone to grow and that is never easy to do. In what ways are you being called to step out of your comfort zone and see things from a different perspective? Until next time love and blessings!

This weekend officially marks one month in Haiti.  It is weird here the days can seem long but the weeks seem short. Not sure exactly how that works out. This week we had a conversation with Reme one of our translators from the clinic and he was so curious why Jeanie (OT) and I would come to his country. The whole idea really puzzled him but we could both say with certainty we know we are right where we need to be. I think God has many reasons for bringing me here and I am sure there are many reasons I have yet to discover. I know for one I am here to learn and that is definitely happening on this journey.

It is interesting that though parts of our culture can be so different (which we are still discovering) there are also many similarities. For example music and laughter are a great way to break the language barrier.  Children no matter where they live love to play and have a innocence about them. The importance of family and relationships is very evident here. It is amazing to see what families will do here to care for a family member. We have an 8 y/o boy that carries his 3 y/o cousin who is blind and has difficulty walking ~2 miles each way to therapy every week without an adult. We have seen patients that can’t walk sandwiched on the back of a moto so they could get to see a doctor or therapist and then patiently wait for hours.  I met a 75 y/o lady this week that had a stroke in October and she can no longer walk or use the left side of her body. Her family lives in a tent and they have to carry her ~200ft just to go to the bathroom but they willing do it.

This week was a big week in rehab because we got to discharge two of our inpatients. They both were so excited to be able to go home and return to their family and friends. It has been fun to watch them achieve some of their independence back and help show their family how they can best support their loved one.

We have also had to have some tough conversations this week with some patients and families. Many don’t understand their injuries or even why they are in therapy they just want to get back to the way they use to be and can be willing to do anything. (Including putting something in their veins because someone told them it will make them better) We are doing our best to help teach them you have to learn to sit before you can run again and that they may not be able to use their arm or leg as well as they use to but they can still find ways to get things done.  This is where we get to get creative.

In some cases it is just helping the families understand the injury their loved one has suffered and how to best care for them and keep them comfortable.  Can you imagine your elderly parent suffering a stroke with no awareness or movement of one side of their body. Medically nothing they can do here other then try to control the blood pressure and you live in a tent and they have to sleep on the floor. It is difficult to even roll without pain so your loved one has to spend most of the day in bed on the dirt floor. That is where they have to eat, sleep and go to the bathroom.  This too is a reality here with so many strokes.  There is so much you want to do but all we can do is teach them how to transfer their loved one and make sure she does not get pressure sores by helping them learn how to reposition and keep them comfortable.  It is comforting to see the joy and pride that they take in caring for each other even though you know it can’t be easy.

On a lighter note we finally made it to the beach last weekend and it was beautiful blue blue water with mountains in the background. It was a little weird sharing the shore with donkeys and goats but hey that is all part of the experience.  My other big highlight was finding a hardware store. We got to get some wood and supplies and I am anxious to start building more adaptive equipment.

I continue to thank you for your prayers, love and support. I feel so blessed to be here and learning so much.

Well we had our first big adventure off the compound last weekend. We had plan to go to the mountains to enjoy a picnic and waterfall but plans changed when the car clutch went out while driving through the mountains and a different kind of adventure began.  We ended up manually pushing the car up over the hills (in my flip flops) and then jumping in to coast down before coming to a complete stop once the road leveled out.  We took the opportunity stranded along the road to catch some sun and practice our Creole awaiting a ride. We did pass a few goats and donkeys but decided to wait on alternative transportation. We finally were able to hitch a ride to a Haitian like McDonalds. I must say a burger, fries and soda at that point tasted pretty darn good.  (Don’t worry mom the food was safe)  Nice variety to the rice, beans and plantains that we have almost daily. We then had to heel toe it back to the compound managing to not get robbed or lost so we must be gaining some street sense.  All in all it was a good adventure just not as relaxing as planned. Learning here in Haiti to expect the unexpected no day is the same.

 Things in the clinic are coming along as we are slowly learning the language and trying to discern how we can best use the skills we have to offer. There are times when it is hard to see past the barriers that so many have to overcome just to survive. As a therapist we want to improve the quality of life and provide as much independence with function as possible but that is challenging here with such limited resources, inaccessible buildings/roads/living environments, and perception of people with disabilities.  Most our patients are so motivated and such hard workers with smiles on their faces. That is what keeps us going when we get overwhelmed by the obstacles. 

We are learning to celebrate the small victories. This week I got to assist a little 3 y/o with severe malnourishment take her first independent steps. We helped an older lady post stroke learn to carry a water bucket on her back with a home made camel pack (out of a sheet) and begin to learn to wash her clothes again with a rigged up brush attached to her leg.  Jeanie my OT cohort is awesome. We also enjoyed playing a game of soccer (using only UE) with our inpatients (several strokes, spinal cord injuries and femur fractures). It was so much fun watching them  be so competitive forgetting for that moment that they have an injury. Even Aloude  an older lady post stroke was getting into it using her one good arm to catch and throw the ball from her chair while talking smack to the young ones.

I am learning so much and am just thankful to be here experiencing so many new things. Keep praying for the people of Haiti. It has been a crazy week with the announcement of the election candidates. The government here is so unstable and in need of leadership. Just yesterday 6 people were killed in port au prince at a protest.  Not sure if they even knew why they were protesting or just standing out there because someone paid them to do so.  There are so many unnecessary deaths here everyday but all hope is not lost and that is what people hang onto. God is at work in the midst of all that is going on here.

So hard to capture all that I have experienced in my first week in Haiti. Friday in our health clinic a lady came in who was having a miscarriage and as the doctors were trying to arrange transportation to the hospital for this patient she stopped breathing and needed to be brought back to life. No crash cart, limited meds but they did it. The family had no money for transportation but we were able to get a  compound truck.  You see here in Haiti if there is an emergency you can’t simply call an ambulance they are just not available. It is the family’s responsibility to get you to the hospital.

 A few minutes off the compound the lady once again stopped breathing so they needed to pull over so they could at least try and hear vitals over the bumps and noise of the street as they worked to resuscitate her.  They had no oxygen and only a bag and once again were able to bring her back to life. When they started to pull back on the road the car did not start so they were stuck in the busy streets of Haiti which, as I mentioned before are crazy with no real driving rules.  Just the bigger the car the more right of way you have. No lanes just cars, people, bikes, motos  doing what ever necessary to get where they are going complete chaos. No cars were stopping to help not even the police. They were now forced to try and consider sandwiching this half unconscious lady on the back of a moto (motorcycle) but then were able to flag down a tap tap. These are trucks with benches in the back where they cram 10+ people on. Usually they are so packed people are literally hanging out the back.

 Finally they were able to get down the rocky road to this hospital and talk there way passed the guard out front. They then needed to carry her up several flights of stairs because there was no elevator to get her into the room where they were met by a nurse.  They explained the urgency of this ladies condition and had anticipated heart monitors being placed and a doctor coming in but nothing happened. They were thanked and had to leave not knowing if all their efforts really saved this ladies life. Most likely this hospital did not have a cardiologist or even the equipment to find out what is going on. They had overcome every challenge that was thrown at them but still left with little hope that this young lady who earlier in the day lost her baby would live.

This is the unfortunate reality of the healthcare system and lack of resources in this country. Over time I could imagine it would be easy to loose hope surrounded by so much unnecessary loss of life, lack of education, lack of food/clean water and over all basics just to live. Yet I meet so many with such beautiful spirits and smiles on their worn down faces and know that God is at work. As I walked pondering all that I have seen and experienced since I have been here I came across a feather which always reminds me of Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

It is still hard to believe that I am finally here getting to experience new things everyday.  The compound is really beautiful and peaceful which is kind of crazy when you think of the chaos it is surrounded by. When we landed and started driving through Port au Prince I could not get over how many people were everywhere just walking and standing in the streets. When it comes to driving here there are not many rules just the bigger the car the more right of way you have.  I felt like I was on a roller coaster as we were zipping through the streets trying to take it all in. In some ways there was such brokenness of the faces of those that we passed but then at the same time people with such smiles on their face.

 Friday we got to go into the rehab clinic for the first time and meet some of the patients. It was a little overwhelming trying to get a feel of how things work but then already have people looking to you for advice on how to start running things.  I guess there is no other way then to just jump in with two feet. I am sure in time things will all fall in place.  I feel very blessed to have Jeanie the OT here with me to help try and figure this all out. I can’t wait to learn more Creole.  It has been challenging running essentially therapy triage without being able to communicate. Thank goodness we have started lessons.  The patients love it when we try and speak their language but it usually results in lots of laughs. I just need to get use to keeping my mouth open when speaking.

Many want to know about life here on the compound. I will include some pictures for those that are interested when I can. This morning I got to wake up at 5:45 to a baby rooster trying to learn the cock a doodle do but is apparently still in the awkard puberty phase because he does not have it down. I then enjoyed a run around the compound where I got to see the sun rise over the mountains. Finally as I was running back to my room I could hear the seminarian students in worship singing in Creole. It was a wonderful way to start the day. More next time I have to go practice my Creole.

Wow hard to believe my departure date is only 8 days away.

I wrapped up the sell of my house on December 17^th. What a blessing to have that all done. Woody and I then headed across country in the Penske truck getting to stop in Baton Rouge to visit with some long time friends. Then it was on to Virginia for Christmas with my family.  What fun it was to decorate ginger bread cookies with my niece and nephew and track Santa on the radar.  My niece definitely keeps her Aunt Monkey on her toes.

Then it was off to Richmond to visit some of my good friends from PT school and bring in the New Year. It’s always fun to catch up and recall the good ole days during PT school.  Then mom and I were off to Atlanta to visit my brother and sister in law who are watching after my Woody while I am gone. Woody has enjoyed hanging out with his cousin Dublin and even helped him celebrate his 10^th birthday with some frosty paws.  I am sure going to miss my baby but know he will be well loved while I am gone. Best news from Atlanta is the announcement that Chris and Andrea are expecting their first little one July 21^st. So excited to be an Aunt again.

My shots are done, flight is booked and bags are starting to get packed. The official departure date is January 13^th.  I can’t wait to get this adventure started.  Thanks to all for their prayers and financial support. I feel so blessed to be loved and supported by so many. Haiti here I come!!!!