The Invisible Architecture: Wake Up Call

The morning was off to a bad start. It had rained heavily the night before, making our steep backyard more slippery than usual. It's slippery to start with because the soil is loose, and crumbles beneath your feet. No one else really attempts to navigate it but Eric and I, to walk our dog Lady.

While Eric was walking Lady yesterday morning he slipped and fell. This wouldn't be out of the ordinary, except for the unexplained appearance of a floor lamp in our trashy backyard. Eric landed on the heavy metal base with his side, fracturing some ribs. Lady, our loyal dog, promptly ran off. Lassie, she ain't.

Who, me?

By the time I came downstairs, Eric had managed to get back in the house and was sitting on the couch. He was thinking about going to the hospital. For us, that typically means the Jenkins-Penn camp hospital because it's closest and provides prompt, free care. When I suspected I had strep throat, I was diagnosed and treated at the JP camp. However, today, we thought we should go to Medishare Hospital Bernard Mevs, which is further away but housed in an actual building. They can treat more serious injuries there. As it turns out, it is the only critical care facility in Haiti.

Our emergency planning did not go as planned (surprise). Our available driver didn't know where the hospital was, he doesn't understand much English, and the map to the hospitals no longer lived in the glove compartment. I came with to provide moral support and as it turned out, my beginner Kreyol. "Lopital!! Eric malad! Aack!" I did manage to explain in Kreyol that we needed directions from our more experienced driver.

Street outside entrance to Medishare

Medishare is quite a ways away from our house, but eventually we got there over many a bumpy road. The entrance is tightly hemmed in by market stalls, and the taxi in front of us let out a woman carrying a limp toddler (diagnosis: malaria). Treatment here is also free and there was no wait. Unfortunately, there was no working x-ray machine either. We ended up going later in the day to JPHRO for a symbolic scan. Symbolic because it doesn't actually change the treatment... really strong ibuprofen and time- 8 weeks to be exact. The pain meds are to prevent a lung infection from shallow, cautious breathing. Deep breaths actually cleanse your body, after all.

Lesson learned from today: Have your plans laid out for when an emergency occurs. The next key bit is what we forgot- check and update your emergency materials regularly! Directions get lost, a new driver gets hired, it's the middle of the night, if you are really ill or injured, you are in no state to think.

Lastly, thanks to all the volunteer doctors and technicians at both the JPHRO Camp Hospital and Medishare for your prompt and kind attention. Medishare provides excellent care for anyone who is carried in, even in the face of equipment shortages and failures: 1 oxygen tank, 5 carbon monoxide poisonings from a indoor coal fire? An entire family saved with a jerry-rigged 5 way splitter. You can donate with confidence and our blessing to either organization at their websites.