Rounds

Bonswa!  Didn't get a chance to write yesterday--it was a very full and productive day.  Time seems to flow differently here--every day feels like a week!  We went to grand rounds at the hospital, worked a full day at Hanger clinic, ate lunch, walked to L'Escale (the place where patients live 1-2 weeks while getting their new limbs fitted and doing therapy, more on that later), quick swim, and then dinner with Sean, the PT coordinator.

We joined in on surgical grand rounds.  Most of the communication is in French or Kreyol, so we were fortunate to have a general surgeon from Boston and a PT that is fluent in English translate for us.  I saw some stuff that was really fascinating, and some stuff that I NEVER want to see again.  Some of the injuries were related to the earthquake, and some were not.  One guy went to a local healer, was doused with flammable liquid, and lit on fire.  He sustained burns to 40% of his body and will need extensive debridement and grafts.  Another lady sustained a small laceration during the quake, but because she was diabetic and the wound had poor healing, it became infected.  She underwent extensive debridement, but it was found that the gangrene was down to the bone so she will need an amputation.  I was shocked to know that many of the surgical procedures occur without anesthesia, or with mild pain medications, such as Tylenol and Motrin.  In spite of the incredible pain that I have no doubt that people were enduring, patients were mostly stoic or smiling and chatting.  More about my day to come.