Dr. Jerry is an American doctor who has spent many months in Haiti down through the years. He is currently serving the hospital in Dessalines and sent this letter regarding the cholera epidemic sweeping through Haiti.
Dear friends and family,
Sometimes you learn the most when you go through the most difficult times. That is the way it has been this week. Wednesday started like any ordinary day here. Little did I know how drastically things were soon to change. Crowds of people descended on the hospital carrying their family members who were terribly sick with severe and I mean severe diarrhea and vomiting. Some were in shock and unresponsive. Many had already died in the area where this epidemic started. Soon IV's were going everywhere ,all beds were filled, and we were running out of floor space. The people were terrified because this disease struck so quickly and severely and everyone was soon wearing masks even though that is not how the disease spreads. Several Haitian doctors thought it was cholera but Dan Snyder and I were doubters because cholera had never been found in Haiti. After a little exposure to this epidemic I quickly became a believer, and yesterday the government had completed tests confirming that it truly was cholera. I am sure reports are going out now to the states and you are hearing how many have died etc. The last three days has been a nightmare with everyone being exhausted. Care for the other patients without cholera has been limited and we sent many home because the nursing staff was unable to keep up with the demands. So far only one cholera patient that made it to us alive has died,but many were very close. The government is trying to get on top of this problem and delivered us a truckload of IV solutions. Seeing the terrific need for more nursing staff as well as doctors I sent out an e-mail plea this morning to Medical Teams International, a disaster relief organization based in Portland Ore. I haven't heard back yet.
As I finished work rather tired today God knew I needed encouragement and two wonderful things happened. I stopped by to see a little 6 year-old boy with a badly infected foot that Dr. Gary is going to possibly be operating on next week. When I had last seen him he wouldn't let me anywhere near his foot and was crying due to constant pain. I had secluded him away in the OB ward away from all the cholera and hubbub knowing it was safer and he would get better care there. When I came in the room he started giggling and wouldn't stop. He is pain free and is obviously quite happy about it. What a joy to see this dramatic response to treatment. Shortly after this I was greeted by a group of mostly caucasians from Samaritans Purse headed by a Dr Kara Gibson who was like an angel
God had sent. They were there to offer us assistance including nursing staff, a stack of cots for people sleeping on the floor, staff trained in offering education to patients and family about cholera and how to prevent it spreading. They also offered us a whole lot of help in other ways. So I would like to conclude by saying God is good and is always there to lift us up and help us when we need it most.
In Him,
Jerry
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