Saturday afternoon

It was early to bed last night for this tired guy. The wind from the East has picked up and it was a clear night with lots of stars in the sky. The fire on the mountain has gone out, that's a good thing. Today, our 1/2 day, was still busy and we saw 165 patients. Lots of scabies and skin infections. Dr Lucas performed one or two surgeries. Dr Lori, the dentist, sees about 12 patients per 1/2 day and her helper, Mary, and her Haitian helper, Angeline, and my wife Donna keep her busy running from room to room. Dr. Jeremy keeps us all laughing. I had an interesting, 74 year old, patient today who spoke excellent English. He had a sack with all of his medications and we talked about each one. His daughter in New Jersey keeps him in Lantus insulin and Amaryl 2 mg to control his diabetes. I was not buried so we chatted for quite awhile. After lunch, the young man that Father Klamut sponsors came to the clinic with his mother(see picture above). He was healthy and well dressed. His mother tried to speak English and I was rescued by Mario, an interpreter, and Jean Michel, who had brought him to see me. Father sent a soccer ball. I deflated it in the USA and purchased a pump with a needle to reinflate the ball here. Of course, the needle broke off, in the ball, so I again deflated it, extracted the needle with a hypodermic needle, and we found some needles in a drawer to get it reinflated. All totaled, a 1 hour project that attracted every kid in the neighborhood (see picture). Finally we succeeded and his smile was worth all the frustration. I also gave him the pump and needle along with the three tee shirts(Cubs, Cards, Sox) and a patr of shorts. Nice guess on the sizes, Father. They were perfect. Donna was impressed. Today, at the beach, there was no sun and lots of choppy waves. Lots of trinkets and I have pictures of Donna shopping (see picture). There was a young couple and their small child from Madison Illinois. They were on a day at the Cyvadier Platz hotel (above the beach) for her last day in Haiti. She is pregnant and will fly home tomorrow before American Airlines halts flights till after the election. The couple work for a Youth agency and must spend time in foreign countries working with people. Their job has been in a orphanage in Jacmel and also working with the two whore houses in Jacmel. Our founder, Dick Hammel, was unaware of any of those in Jacmel. We'll probably see him next Sunday at the Ambiance when we dine there that night. Today, for lunch, the Haitian girls who work in the living area made a rice-vegetable-garlic dish that was very tasty. We are not starving by any means. Tomorrow is Mass, or a prayer service. Mass is at 7 AM and that presents its own problems with transportation with interpreters. Haitians work on Haiti time which is best described as when ever they feel like it. Time to close and let some one else get on line. I did get a comment on my last posting and I'm having difficulty getting it posted so I'll keep trying so you can all read it. Things still uncertain here about Tuesday, the election day in Haiti. We may be just have a day off due to the elections. No one knows for sure so, we must wait & see. Time on my hands today so lots of thoughts of home and loved ones!