Team Renew

The final team involved in Project Haiti will be embarking on their journey this Friday. Please keep this team in your thoughts and prayers as they work along side June and conclude our work in Les Cayes. Team Renew will be traveling from June 1-10. Below are the members of Team Renew...

Jenny Schinke - Physical Therapist

JoAnn Wiley - Physical Therapist Assistant

Megan Schneider - Occupational Therapist 

Geoff Willard - Physical Therapist

 

Team Rehab Day 9

After a delicious breakfast at SEED, Team Rehab said goodbye to SEED, June, and Berkley before taking one last ride in the Land Cruiser to Port au Prince. Leaving June was bittersweet for us because she has been a great mentor, tour guide,and friend. We all look forward to seeing her again. We also are excited to get back home and share our experiences with everyone. Harold, June's driver, navigated the 5.5 hour drive to the tune of Bob Marley playing the horn for us along the way. We even got to experience Harold directing traffic. It was a beautiful drive and we kept ourselves entertained by taking plenty of pictures and videos. After we checked into the Villa Mamika, we spent the afternoon sitting by the pool relaxing and playing games. We also spent time with 2 American physicians returning from another MTI trip. One of the physicians was Donna's daughter and we were able to exchange stories from our experiences at two different hospitals in Haiti. Donna's daughter also helped us get dinner at our hotel. We enjoyed one last Haitian meal together and then went to bed to get ready to start our journey back to Jacksonville at 6:30 am.

Team Rehab Day 8

On our last day at the hospital Team Rehab spent time saying goodbye to the patients and translators we had gotten to know during the week. We also found out at the woman with the gunshot wound had passed away earlier that morning. She serves as countless example of how fortunate we are to have quality healthcare in the United States. We are so blessed! Team Rehab took a few minutes for souvenir shopping before packing up the Land Cruiser and discharging Beneswa to bring back to Les Ceyes. Marvin let us know that there was a line of patients waiting for us at the clinic since 8 am. In Les Ceyes the team split up again and June and Greg worked on admitting Beneswa to the local hospital and paying a home visit to Pierre. Team Revive will be pleased to know that he has followed their recommendations and has cleaned his room and the wounds on his feet are healing. Sarah, Ali D, and Allie spent the afternoon evaluating and treating 17 patients at the new clinic with the assistance of Marie, Kowki, Marvin, and Carmen for translation. Many of the patients were getting a name for their condition for the very first time. In the evening we spent one last time with June in her apartment in Les Ceyes. June also joined us for our final  dinner at SEED. The entire team was excited to have another delicious meal prepared by the SEED cook, Denise. We were all sad to start packing our belongings to prepare for our journey back to theUnited States.

Team Rehab Day 7

After another carb filled breakfast, Team Rehab went to the hospital to find Jimmy and start treating the patients. Greg and Ali D started with getting the 16 year old boy out of bed who's surgery we had observed on Tuesday . It was amazing to see the motivation of a patient 2 days post femur rod surgery to get out of bed with only Tylenol for pain management. He even walked 10' total a with a walker. Allie and Sarah saw a 19 year old with a tibia fracture from a horse back riding accident and taught him to use crutches to increase his independence. The rest of the morning was filled with treating the patients in the hospital. So many of them were grateful for getting out of bed and going outside for the first time in days or months. After lunch at the guest house, the team when back to the hospital with June to see a 50 year old woman who was shot in near her neck the Saturday before in Port Salud. Sarah assessed her swallow and taught June the assessment and provided her with water. We also took a hike down to the bottom of the Reservoir to see the waterfall and relax wading in the cool water and climbing rocks. It was a beautiful view and a great workout. After dinner the team when back to the hospital to check for any increased arousal for the woman with a gun shot wound. When we got to her room her daughter was singing to her. When it was clear there was nothing we could do for her, the family asked June and Sarah to sing and pray for her. The team ended an exhausting but rewarding day playing games with the missionaries at the guest house. 

Team Rehab Day 6

For day 6, we split up in the morning: Sarah and June focused on making a cast for the lady with a nonunion humoral fracture, while Ali D, Greg, and Allie W. treated patients in the hospital. The highlights of the morning: Sarah and June completed the casting after multiple attempts (due to expired materials). Also Ali D and Allie began gait training with a sweet 8-year-old boy that had not been out of bed for months. In the afternoon we went on a walk with other volunteers to Jimmy's house to see his bee hives. For those of you that do not know Jimmy, he is a rehab tech in training at Hospital Lumiere. He also keeps bee hives and bottles his own honey, which we were able to purchase! At dusk we watched June's Advantage Program PowerPoint where we learned the most Haitians earn less then $2/day, goals of Advantage include to empower those living with disabilities on how to be resourceful and successful integrate in the community. In the evening, we returned to the hospital with the other volunteers for singing and devotion with the patients. The day was concluded with a trickle of water for showering and to bed early for much needed rest. Well Greg had great water pressure apparently:) -allie

Team Rehab Day 5

Day 5 This morning we had our last breakfast at SEED until our return on Friday. We packed up our bags to prepare to drive to Hopital Lumiere in Bonnefin. June came to pick us up and we soon found out we would an ambulance (making our own American/Haitian tap tap version) for transporting 3 patients from Les Cayes to Bonnefin. We picked up the first patient at the hospital in Les Cayes. He is a young man (Beneswa) that was injured in the earthquake, had an abcess removed from his knee, something grew back(no one knows), the knee is severely infected and he will probably have to have the leg amputated. We had a cot set up in the land cruiser for his transportation and he and his mother and all his belongings were loaded up. We then picked up at the clinic an older woman with an displaced humeral fracture and her grandson and another younger boy with a leg deformity (a tiny leg with no development of his lower leg and foot who might be getting evaluated for possible amputation). We packed up into the land cruiser, June driving, Donna (a journalist with us for the week) and Sarah up front and Ali D sitting on the cot with the patient (Beneswa) facing Allie with their legs crossing and squished next to Greg who had one of the patients bag of clothes on his lap who was next to the older woman with the humeral fx (who got car sick and threw up) who was next to her grandson who was next to the 3rd patient with the congenital deformity leg who was at the end of the cot where the first patients mom was sitting on the cot with all his belongings in a large bucket. Hope you guys can picture this. We arrived at Bonnefin and met other medical volunteers who where in the guest house. Greg will be staying in the boys room at the guest house for the hospital and the girls and June and Donna were all checked into a Hotel. We toured the hospital, treated a couple patients then had lunch. After lunch, team rehab asked one of our translators (Jimmy) if we could go watch a surgery. Jimmy walked us right over to the OR and we put on masks and hair nets and were walked right into one of the operating rooms. We observed an orthopedic surgery of a 16 yr old boy (Moise) who fell out of a tree and broke his femur. The surgery could be described no other than intense, the patient was awake and given a nerve block and a valium through the surgery for pain. Since there are no HIPPA laws here in Haiti, anyone is allowed to take photos. During the surgery, Allie and Sarah were asked to donate blood and left the OR with a nurse anesthetist. Greg and Ali D stayed for the full surgery and found the other two just in time to take pics and videos of them giving blood. We met back up with June at admissions where June would help check in the patients we brought here. Back home, we think the American ERs are slow, here, there were people patiently waiting days to get admitted. X-rays where read for our patient Beneawa, and June was the one to tell the patient and his mother that the abscess was cancerous and the leg would need to be removed. Stay tuned for more stories of our adventures in the hospital!

Team Rehab Day 4

Day 4 The roosters pleasantly woke us up early and we headed off to the clinic. The four of us and about 8 others moved all boxes and equipment from downstairs to upstairs in preparation for opening day at the MTI Advanage Program Clinic! There were people waiting outside when we arrived in the morning. We treated about 15 patients with diagnoses including: displaced humeral fracture, amputations, malingering, CVA, spastic paraplegia of unknown etiology, pediatric developmental delay, and varying orthopedic injuries.  The clinic's atmosphere can be described as organized chaos, teamwork mentality, and very thankful and kind patients.  Next we visited some of June's past patients, went to Centre Lumiere for local shopping, tried picking mangoes with the local kids by throwing rocks at trees, and videotaped Greg killing a massive spider in the girls' shower at Seed (so manly-checkout video on fb). Needless to say it was a very fulfilling day. We can't wait for our rooster wake-up call and see where tomorrow takes us.

Team Rehab Day 3

Today began with exploring Seed. The grounds at Seed include plenty of mango trees, roosters, goats, and green pastures. June picked us around 9:00AM and we ventured off to church. The  presbyterian church's service can be described in a few words as uplifting, moving, and  in the words of Greg "very powerful." Church announcements lasted a long time because June says that's how the people hear local news. After church we had lunch on June's balcony where part of the food and a steak knife fell off the balcony (no one was injured)! The rest of the afternoon included organizing  DME and medical supplies that was overtaking her apartment and helping clean up her new place.  We took a break and ventured to the wharf for $1.00 coca colas in glass bottles , made with cane sugar. Greg says coke and sprite taste better in Haiti. The day concluded with a housewarming party and hanging out with June and Berkley.  

Team Rehab Day 2

Day 2 After breakfast today and climbing on the roof to get a 360 degree view of Le Ceyes, we went to treat our first patient at the new clinic. We met Larissa, an 18 month old girl, whose parents brought her to Dr. June for her "crooked legs." Ali D and Sarah worked with Larissa, June, and the prosthetists Marvin and Thomás, while Allie and Greg sorted our supplies in the clinic. After evaluation of Laissa, we diagnosed her with pes planus (flat feet) and provided her with donated Nike sneakers and a plan for Mavin to make shoe inserts for arch support. Laissa's family and the team were able to see an improvement in her walking with the new shoes. After our only patient today, we ate a delicious picnic lunch on the balcony. We also helped June create a makeshift closet in her new apartment while Berkley supervised.  Packed up and drove though the mountains with Kayak in tow. To Port Salud. We went to a former airfield to see the rock formations at the beach. The rest of the afternoon was spent kayaking, swimming, sampling Haitian beer, and walking along the beach at Reposoir du Village. The beach was beautiful and we made a new friend with Thomás the CPO from Kenya. He even gave the Allie and Ali team a nickname...the A Team! When we got back to SEED a delicious meal,  but the girls were still locked out of their room from this morning. After a few phone calls we were able to get the right key to open our door after dinner. This is just a glimpse of our awesome experience in Haiti. Even though it's only day 2, Team Rehab knows this is an experience of a lifetime and we are forever grateful. P.s. Just to let you know how much fun we are having. While I type, Ali D is "deeting" a barrier around her sheets while we laugh.

Team Rehab Day 1

Day 1. Team Rehab met to leave Jacksonville at 2:45 am to begin the drive to the Orlando Airport.  We had a challenging check-in experience with the American Airlines Representative. The representative had us checking all of our backpacks and questioned everything while we reorganize our bags and DME to donate. Then we made it to Miami just in time to make our connecting flight to Haiti. In Haiti we arrived safely with all bags and DME in tow. We cleared customs and then came the challenge of finding our MTI driver. We were approached by 6-8 men who were aggressive and highly motivated to to to convince us that they were all our drivers. However,  no one had the key features we were told to look for in our driver. June came to the rescue with one phone call and as it turned out the men were who were harassing  us were actually our drivers along.  We packed up the van with Harold and Kowki for the 6 hour drive to Les Cayes.  Soon we all warmed up to each other when our trip quickly began by playing chicken with oncoming traffic and jumping the median:) The car ride was filled with  delays for Haitian Flag Day parades, Creole lessons with Kowki, Harold's countless games of chicken with oncoming traffic, Harold's horn blowing to the beat of bob marley, and car speeds fluctuating between 0-91 mph:)  We met up with June in Les Cayes and are staying at Seed agricultural organization until Tuesday.  We had a delicious authentic meal prepared for us upon arrival at Seed.  We were exhausted but had enough energy to put up mosquito nets, take cold yet refreshing showers, and laugh not stop while debriefing our first day.

Team Rehab: Bios

Since there is limited wi-fi access in Les Cayes where Team Rehab is staying, I thought I would give a little background info on a couple of the volunteers to hold you over until their next blog post. Sarah and Ali tell below why they wanted to be a part of Project Haiti...

Sarah Olsen, OT

"My name is Sarah Olsen, and I work as an occupational therapist on the Brain Injury Unit at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. I have wanted to be an occupational therapist since I was 8 years old, when my neighbor, an occupational therapist, introduced me to the field and showed her passion for her career. I am excited to be able to share my skills as a therapist in Haiti serving those individuals who have limited access to therapies as they continue to rebuild their lives from the earthquake. When the earthquake happened in Haiti in 2010, I had a friend who was visiting me whose entire family lived in Haiti. I remember feeling hopeless as he waited agonizing weeks to receive any word about his family members. I know that this mission trip will be an opportunity to serve others and grow in my skills as a therapist. I look forward to and feel blessed to be a part of this life-changing opportunity.
-Sarah

Ali D'Alessandro- PT

"My name is Alison D'Alessandro. I began working at Brooks in October 2011 after graduating from physical therapy school in August. As a new grad, it's been exciting to be a part of new experiences. I have always looked forward to having a chance to be part of a medical volunteer experience in another country. I am looking forward to this trip for its unique experiences and to make memories that will last a lifetime. I hope that we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people we will work with."
-Ali






Continue to keep Team Rehab in your thoughts and prayers as they begin the week ahead and travel to Bonne Fin to continue the work started at Hopital Lumiere. 

Team Rehab made it to Haiti safely. Everyone is having a great time. We are staying at another missions agriculture site, SEED, and have limited access to wifi. We have been handwriting blogs for our adventures and will post as soon as we can. Thanks for your continual thoughts and prayers for this experience of a lifetime. Check for day 1&2 tomorrow. ~Sarah

Team Rehab

Team Rehab, the third Project Haiti group, is leaving tomorrow on their ten day trip! Each team so far has had such a life changing experience and I can't wait to hear what is in store for this team. Team Rehab is delivering bags and parcels of donated equipment and supplies geared toward amputee care, pediatrics, and wound care. I am amazed at the amount of donations and equipment that is continuing to come in. Continue to keep this team in your prayers and thoughts as they travel from May 18-27.

Greg Mitchell- Physical Therapist Assistant

Sarah Olsen- Occupational Therapist

Allie Wehunt- Physical Therapist

Ali D'Alessandro- Physical Therapist

Day 10: Team Revive

Our last day in Haiti arrived, we have had a full spectrum of experiences ranging from a sense of achievement and success to despair, but never a loss of thankfulness and hope.
We set off to the airport, it was one of the quickest drives we experienced in Port Au Prince because there was little or no traffic on  Sunday morning, when most were walking their way to Church.
We left the airport in celebrity style  as we posed for a picture with Miss Haiti who happened to be at the airport too.

We made it through the different sections of customs in Haiti and Miami despite customs dogs, bags being checked,  and one bag delivered late from another flight. Nicole drove us back to Brooks were we each picked up our cars, had our team revive hugs and each headed home.
We each determined that we had an adventure experience of a lifetime that is unique in and of itself. We have been enabled to put some things in life into perspective, mature, develop creativity, compassion, understanding, respect and the realization that certain things are beyond human control.
Team Revive would like to thank our individual and Brooks families, friends, June Hanks, and everyone who has been following our blogs; our Brooks Chaplin Bernie who led the daily 8am prayers, and everyone who prayed for us.

~Ola

Team revive could not have made this medical missions trip without your spiritual, financial and moral support and for this we say....

Mesi An pil

Day 9: Team Revive

We were out the door of the new MTI house in the city of Les Cayes by 7 am to drop off June and a few friends at a women's retreat near Coconut Beach.  That left Team Revive, the MTI driver, Harold and Corky, an MTI translator currently taking classes to become a Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist.  On our journey to Port au Prince we travelled through many markets that were filled with people buying and selling local produce, wood, animals, clothing and beautiful handmade goods like baskets and furniture.  We knew there was a small problem when Harold, who usually takes the Land Cruiser from 0-70 in 2 seconds was driving at a snail's pace on the right side of the road.  Yup... we had a flat.  Luckily, we pulled right up to a makeshift garage where the mechanic was able to take the tire off and patch the small hole with rubber and a press that was heated up with a touch of gasoline and a match.  Twenty minutes later, anuwale (let's go)! We were back on Highway #2 towards Port au Prince. We had immunity through the UN/ Haitian National Police checkpoint and we didn't have to stop.  Harold stopped to drop off Corky so he could visit with a professor from his university.  We arrived at Villa Mamika at 1:30 this afternoon.  Once we spoke with June, Harold was off to make the 6 hour drive back to Les Cayes.  We were left to take a dip in the pool and relax until our family style, lasagna dinner at 6:30 pm.  After 9 days, our trip to Haiti has come to an end.  Throughout our time here, our days have been so busy that 1 day feels like 3 and 1 week feels like a month.

On our way to the women's retreat, we stopped in Cadet's town to meet with Jaelyn, Cadet's sister.  Dokte June was prepared to provide her with antibiotics for Cadet.  We were unable to find her and we had no other way of getting the medication to him.  Please continue to send your prayers to Cadet and his family during this difficult time.

-Nicole

So much for the trusty Land Cruiser... all it took was one measly little nail

Fixing the flat tire

Day 8: Team Revive

            Today was an emotional day for Team Revive. We started the day with devotion and then it was goodbye to Hopital Luminere and off on a hunt to find Cadet (whose name, we found out is actually Evanel – his last name is Cadet). Sina, an LPN and our rehab tech for the week happened to live in Cadet’s town and knew where we could find him. We were all equipped with our supplies for Cadet. We were not sure what he would be able to use, as we heard that he had been declining since discharge, but we were ready to help him in whatever way we could. Once we reached his town, we found Cadet’s sister at the market and she led us back to their house. The trip to Cadet’s was over a ¼ mile through large fields of corn and sugar cane and was definitely not very accessible. Unfortunately, when we reached Cadet’s we realized that he was not in good condition. He had pressure sores on his sacrum, both greater trochanters, and his feet, and appeared to be in severe respiratory distress. He was wheezing and you could hear the crackles in his lings without a stethoscope. Doctor June said that he now had pneumonia. We cleaned and dressed his wounds then attempted to reposition him but he became increasingly distressed so we positioned him so that he would be as comfortable as possible. We educated his sister as best we could and provided her with wound care supplies. Cadet would need IV antibiotics from a hospital for the pneumonia but at this point it was unlikely that he would be able to make the trip. It seemed that all that was left for us to do was gather around and pray at Cadet’s bedside. We prayed that God provide Cadet and his family and friends with strength and peace and that Cadet could be made as comfortable as possible. I have never experienced being with someone so close to passing and I pray that I never have to experience it again. We left Cadet’s home with heavy hearts and a new appreciation and understanding for how dire the need for supplies, resources, education and sustainable improvements in medical care are here in Haiti.

            After that home visit, we all really needed to relax and clear our heads so we went to Coconut Beach.  The view was beautiful and exactly what we all needed. After the beach, it was back to Les Cayes for some moving, dinner, showers, and bed.

We also got to see Sina’s home today and meet his wife and beautiful 5 month old daughter. Sina has a great heart and love for his family and was so proud for us to meet them. We are really going to miss him! He will make a great PT one day.

-Valdora

Team Revive with Sinah and his family

Coconut Beach

Day 7: Team Revive Continued

Continued…

            You know you are a true medical professional when you go hiking in scrubs. This is what we said to each other as we hiked half a mile down a very steep mountain to reach a beautiful river and waterfall.  The waterfall was near the water reservoir for Hopital Luminere and was a refreshing way to end our busy day at the hospital. After a couple near slips and a few falls from Nicole, we made it to the bottom of the mountain. The river water was crystal clear and the perfect temperature to cool off. After being tempted by dipping our toes in the water, we got up the courage to roll up our scrubs and wade across the river and up close to the waterfall. It was gorgeous and quickly reminded us how breathtaking this country can be. While we were enjoying the view, a local Haitian man and his 4 cows came down for a drink.  It was amazing how agile these cows were on their way down the mountain.  One cow had no problem stepping right over our bags and into the water next to June and Nicole. Nicole’s face was priceless as the cow began to moo loudly. She managed to speed out of there unscathed and without falling into the river…for a second time.  We all made it out without a stampeded and began out 15min trek back up. Climbing up was less balance challenging but much more physically exhausting. I don’t think any of us remember the last time we sweat that much! We were exhausted by the time we got back to the missionary house and were ready for dinner and a good night sleep.

-Valdora

Ola & Dokte June giving thanks for a safe arrival at the waterfalls

Valdora, Nicole & Anita in front of the waterfall in Bonnefin

Day 7: Team Revive

Bonswa! It's our second and last day treating patients at Hospital Luminiere. We all felt much more refreshed this morning in comparison to yesterday. Ola and Nicole made a list of all of the patients we treated yesterday. We then divided the patients among the four of us along with which translator/ rehab tech would be with us. Our main focus today was teaching Jimmy and Sina how to transfer patients as well as different therapeutic exercises/activities to perform with patients following a stroke. Sina asked very informative questions regarding cognitive and functional limitations individuals have following a stroke. Ola even led an educational session for both Jimmy and Sina on CVA.
If you have been following the blog, the judge's father is improving, and he is going home tomorrow. He requires less assistance to transfer and stand; however, his history of elephantitis continues to limit his functional mobility.  Nicole also instructed his caregivers, with the help of June translating of course, on how to don/doff a Giv-Mohr sling to support his left arm while standing.  
I do not want to leave Bon Fin. The trees and mountains are absolutely beautiful, the temperature is cooler, and the mosquitoes are not attacking me. We have important work tomorrow though, we are off to find Cadet!

Bye Bye,
Anita

Day 6 Team Revive

... ring ring was the 7 am call to a warm and tasty breakfast. We had the opportunity to visit with a couple of retired administrators from IN & IL who are @ the Hopital Luminere to help with the revitalization plans. Then we went to the Chapel for morning devotions during which one of the administrators we had breakfast with had a town hall meeting with the staff.... sound familiar :).
We had a couple of disappointments with 2 of the patients we had planned to see. One had been prematurely discharged. We refocused and deliberated on the next plan for a home visit with the young SCI patient. Then it was marching down the ortho and medical wards to get patients out of bed and to the gym "Brooks Style" however I was reminded that we are now in Haiti and things can be done on Haiti's time, so things slowed down a little. Anita said our productivity is not being measured... phew what a relief. Valdora & Nicole had a great time making AFO's and treating the newly admitted child with  CP. Other patients treated were  CVA X 2, humeral fx X1, AKA +dementia X1, complicated hip ORIF  X1, multiple trauma & other ortho patients. We saw 13 today. The emphasis of our initial patient contacts was to determine their therapy working hypothesis as some did not have an MD diagnosis or update in their chart. We had help from June, the translators and the therapy aide the process was slower than usual when  communicating via a translator but for the most part it has been effective. The sweet young girl Kaitlyn that we met yesterday was sick today. Her parents are concerned because the last time she was sick, she had meningitis and had to be flown back to the states, so please join us in praying for her.

We are all lined up on the only wifi site bench, with the mosquitoes  having  us for dinner, so it's bye for now and stay tuned. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers ... they are being heard.

Day Five: Team Revive

Team Revive with Pierre

Today started with the sounds of pouring rain at 5 am.  We knew that meant the roads to Bonnefin would be flooded and we would not be able to travel to Hopital Luminere.  Instead, we searched through wheelchairs previously donated to Medical Teams International for the perfect fit for Pierre.  When we visited with him yesterday, we had taken measurements of his hips, upper legs and back height.  Pierre has a very narrow doorway and limited space in his room for a turning radius.  We used these measurements to carefully select a wheelchair, footrests and custom cushion we had created using a pediatric Roho cushion and foam.  Pierre was able to transfer himself from his high bed with a hospital cushion over to the wheelchair.  He needed some help to negotiate through the tight doorway but with some practice and determination, he will be able to do it on his own.  Anita and Valdora padded the footplates with some foam and duct tape to protect Pierre's feet which are fixed in plantar flexion.  Pierre sat out on the porch with us for 30 mins learning about skin management, pressure relief techniques, wheelchair safety and how to care for the Roho cushion.  After we left Pierre's house, we ate lunch and then packed up the Land Cruiser so we could make our trip to Hopital Luminere in Bonnefin.

Dr. June, Anita, Valdora and Ola showing Pierre how to use the footrests

Ola & Anita with Pierre's finished wheelchair

During our bumpy ride to Bonnefin we had to stop at a difficult crossing while waiting for a dump truck to pass.  A group of men pulled a palate out into the road and would not allow us to pass unless we paid a "toll."  This toll however, was cheaper than it costs to go over the Throgs Neck Bridge so we paid it and kept on our travels.  We were able to reassess a few patients at Hospital Luminere before we had to return to the guest house for dinner.  After dinner,  June and Valdora went tarantula hunting on our walk up to visit with an Apostolic family with five beautiful children.  Once we introduced ourselves the very clever 11-year old girl named Dr. Kaitlyn said to Ola, "Ola, you don't even have to say Hi!"  She also told Anita that she was pretty neat.  We played Skip-Bo and listened to some more silly jokes before we had to head back to the guest house.  We are looking forward to starting off our morning with a devotional and spending the entire day at Hopital Luminere.

-Nicole

Day 4: Team Revive!

Number one rule in Haiti: be flexible...To start things off, Valdora was sick all day, no bueno.  We were supposed to drive to Bonne Fin for our first day at Hopital Lumiere, but the road was washed out, which ended up being a blessing in disguise.
We had some labor intensive moments: moving crutches and wheelchair accessories from one room of the MTI house to another, moving supplies from the MTI house to the new clinic in town, as well as moving our bags to travel to the hospital in and out of the trusty Land Cruiser.
We even saw some patients, 6 in all!  One of the two year olds we saw, Frantz, did not want any of us to touch him, but when he left he gave us all a hug, and even gave me a kiss.  We visited Pierre, a young man with spinal cord injury after falling out of mango tree.   We gave him the Lakers stocking and Kobe Bryant Jersey that Team Restore wanted for us to give him. He put it on, and even let his brother try it on.  For the most part, he has spent the last five years in bed, and all he wants is to get out of his room. I don't blame him. "Dr. Ola" explained to Pierre (with the help of our makeshift translator for the day, Marie) that our goals  would be to attain a wheelchair with a Roho cushion for him, progress to him leaving his room, and then his house.
In the afternoon, we walked down the road to the Bernice Johnson Center, which provides training in crochet and embroidery for young Haitian women both with and without disabilities.  The skills these women will learn will enable them earn money for themselves and survive on their own.  There was a large lawn, that we all just wanted to take a nap on under the giant mango tree, and the buildings were immaculate.   The crochet and embroidery work sold in the boutique was beautiful, and inexpensive compared to the same quality of goods you would find in the States. We each had to exercise some self-restraint.  Ola decided to pick up some early Christmas gifts, and ended up using June's tab.
Our days here feel like 3 days in one, and it's difficult to describe everything that's happened. Life is hard, and Haitians can definitely attest to that.

-Anita

Day Three: Team Revive

Today was a full day with lots of exposure to Haitian culture. We started our morning off with church. The service lasted two hours and was filled with praise and worship. The people of Haiti have so much passion and joy for worshiping the Lord that it is infectious. When we first walked in, I felt like there were more eyes on us than the pastor but it did not take long before the singing and praise from the congregation had me captivated. We were not able to understand anything that they were singing or saying but we quickly found ourselves clapping and swaying along with each song. The music was by far my favorite part. It was upbeat and there were multiple drums and guitars. It is clear that the people of Las Cayes love the Lord and love to share that joy and faith. After church, we were met at the MTI house by a German missionary who had been in a motorcycle accident 5 weeks ago. With excellent teamwork, we were able to perform a thorough neurological and vestibular exam on June's front porch. We diagnosed her with VOR hypofunction and were able to provide home exercises and an explanation of her diagnosis. She was so relieved that we were able to provide some answers and relieve some of her concerns. I know that she will be just one of many that Team Revive will be able to help this week. The remainder of the day was reserved for an adaptive sporting event. We picked up several members of June's advocy group, "our voices," and headed to a local school. Unfortunately, the rain had cancelled the event, but in true fearless leader fashion, June brought everyone (and then some) back to her house for an impromptu adaptive event. We filled the dining room with 20+ people of various cognitive levels and disabilities. They started out with a devotional session which ended with everyone saying their personal prayers all together but aloud. I was moved by their connection to the Lord during prayer and to hear all the different conversations going on with him all at once. Next came volleyball. This started out as a friendly game in a circle and quickly led to a heated match between two sides. The passion that we witnessed at church this morning definitely carried over into their game playing. The night ended with us returning everyone back to their homes which involved multiple dependent transfers into and out of the truck. It was eye opening how many of the girls had wheelchairs that were simply not adequate for them. It was difficult to think how much more these women could accomplish if they had adequate equipment. The most amazing thing for me today was to watch how some of the participants had mastered mobility. One man, Maxime has bilateral long leg braces and is ambulatory with forearm crutches. Watching him transfer into the truck with no assistive device or knee flexion was amazing. The same with Mary-Joe. She has a bilateral below knee amputation and was able to hoist herself into the truck with ease. She also had amazing trunk control and balance reaching to the extremes of her limits of stability to hit the volleyball. She even balanced on top of a rollator to reach higher. She was a truly amazing individual. As our trip continues, I pray that God will continue to use us as he intends and provide many more opportunities to help the people of Las Cayes and allow them to teach us as well.


-Valdora

Snapper for lunch. In true nerd fashion, we even dissected the brain!

Volleyball...before it became intense

Day Two: Team Revive

Our day started with Valdora waking Nicole and I up, that we overslept because we thought Les Cayes was an hour behind but it wasn't. We (I) was almost disappointed as I thought I had missed out on the house cooked breakfast, alas, she waited for us and we had a great one. As we finished eating, our team O.T. consultant Nicole was called to give her professional opinion on a below the left elbow amputee. He had brought his Xrays, a translator and June gave a summary of the presenting condition, limitations and future goals. Nicole was able to discuss his needs, take measurements and make recommendations for the future. We are all very proud. Marie, was so sweet to come in on her day off not just to cook breakfast but to take us on a tour of the area, we visited the local market, church, hospital and saw the house of the housebound paraplegic we intend to visit on our way back from church tomorrow.  We met June's carpenter a young dashing paraplegic who uses his long leg braces with a swing through gait for functional community ambulation.... you should see his muscles... the guy is dashing & ripped :)

Then we all we helped load June's truck with some things that needed to be moved to the new clinic and residence, we toured the new clinic and discussed plans to organize, the clinic, orthotic and storage areas.  

We came home had some homemade pizza and headed out to the beach ..... long, rocky, narrow, road.

We got there, it stopped raining .... Anita lead the way by taking the first cliff dive, then a second... followed by Valdora, Nicole and ..... I took pictures. Sorry, ya'll I know you were hoping .... but I didn't .

We then swam, ate and watched the sun set. 

So far the experience has been one of reflection of priorities , appreciation for we take for granted, cultural diversity & learning how to relate appropriately with discernment and  learning creole. It's getting late and must now say ... BONSWA.

-Ola

Port Salut Sunset 

Day One: Team Revive

Team Revive met Ashley this morning @ 4:30 am so she could drop us off at the Jacksonville International Airport.  The American Airlines employee checked in all of our baggage and over sized luggage for free!! We knew then that it was going to be the start of a good trip.  Valdora was nominated to ride in Cadet's wheelchair through the airport.  We were glad to find that TSA was very courteous and helpful to people going through security with wheelchair and other adaptive devices.  We hit a little bump in the road when a TSA agent kindly informed us that the hybrid (80% gel and 20% foam) cushion did not meet TSA requirements.  For some reason, they let it through and recommended traveling with a cushion composed of different material next time.  Then it was on to Starbucks and boarding our flight to Miami.

Once we landed in Miami, were wondering how a person in a wheelchair would walk down the stairs of the plane to get to the tarmac.  We then found an American Airlines employee who was looking for Valdora.  She was prepared to assist her with a transfer from with airplane seat, into an aisle chair and then use a lift to get her down the stairs.  Even though we did not need her services, the very kind woman led us to the gate where we were to board our flight to Haiti.  At the Port Au Prince airport we were greeted by a Haitian band performing at the door.  We retrieved all of our baggage and set out to locate the MTI driver, Harold.  Once he arrived, the real adventure began.

Driving in Haiti is a very different multi-sensory experience.  There are motorbikes (with un-helmetted drivers and passengers), cars and trucks everywhere.  All of the bikes and automobiles use horns to let you know they are passing or going through an intersection because there are no traffic lights or signage.  I would have definitely passed my road test on the very first try in Haiti because you are able to drive/pass on both sides of the street, and even up on the sidewalk.  While stopped in traffic or slowed for uneven roads, the car was approached by people trying to sell bagged water or bottled drinks.  The smell of burning garbage containing rubber and plastic filled the air.  Driving through the mountains there was the occasional whiff of fresh air which turned to the smell of rain.  As we arrived at the MTI house, we were welcomed by Berkley and June.  We had a delicious dinner and started to learn a little bit about the Haitian culture.  We are all looking forward to going on a tour of Les Cayes on foot in the morning.  Thank you all for sending your love and prayers.  Keep it coming!!  Until tomorrow...

-Nicole

Two of the many tent cities we drove past

Cadet's Wheelchair

Cadet's Sweet Ride

If you have been reading our previous posts while we were in Haiti, you might remember Cadet, the 16 year old who touched our hearts so much while we were there. We have been trying to think of a way to get him the equipment he needs in order for Team Revive to deliver it to him on the next trip. Well our prayers were answered today! Jeff, our go-to wheelchair rep from Fletchers, donated a brand new sport wheelchair that looks like it was made for Cadet! It will fit his needs and allow him the freedom to get out of bed and be more independent! And... to top it off, a gel cushion was donated and Marcia was able to make Cadet custom leg straps! I can not tell you how amazed and thankful I am for the support that has been provided to this project from everyone! It is truly unbelieveable! Now... how to get Cadet to Brooks for rehab... Hmmm :)

-Ashley

Team Revive

Team Revive is getting ready to embark on their ten day trip to Haiti this Friday, May 4th! They are taking two full bags packed with donated splinting and medical supplies, as well as parcels of walkers, canes, and adaptive equipment. We can hardly wait to hear all about this group's adventures and see if it is similar to Team Restore's experience. They will be able to continue working with most of the patients Team Restore was able to treat during their stay and bring them the needed supplies that were missing during the last trip. Below are all the members of Team Revive. Please keep each of them in your thoughts and prayers while they are traveling from May 4-13.

Ola Iyewarun: Physical Therapist

Nicole Morfis: Occupational Therapist

Valdora Martelli: Physical Therapist

Anita Kari: Physical Therapist

Hopital Lumiere

Below are some pictures of Team Restore's time at Hopital Lumiere. Many of these pictures include patients who were mentioned during our previous blog entries. Enjoy!

Team Restore

Therapy Gym

The Judge's Father

Operating Room

Our makeshift step aka cinder block

Callie's cast cutting skills

Cadet