Last year’s Horns Up for Haiti group will be pleased to know that the rooster lives on. Every morning around 2 to 3 AM we all hear the screeching cocking-crow from one or all of the roosters that live at Open Door. Once the generators are off, he is clear as day and we have to replace the white noise with apps and ear buds. Rachelle will tell you she’s never wished to shoot an animal before 2 am each morning, until now. Today our plans for clinic were rearranged due to some construction concerns. At 9 pm last night, our guide Thermitus made some calls and by word of mouth we had a new clinic spot for 9 am today. It is amazing how communal Haitians are and how efficient word of mouth is here. Even Haley who grew up in a small town where the daily news is spread at the local gas station over morning coffee in mere minutes, was thoroughly impressed. We set up clinic at the Hands Up for Haiti main office in downtown Cap Haitian and saw over 80 patients. Among the most common today was pneumonia in children, gastric reflux and hypertension. What is so neat about the people that we work with here are the amount of programs they have established around the community like a prenatal, hypertension, diabetes and eye programs. Sadly, we said our first of many goodbyes today to a few of our wonderful translators. Jefferson and Andriss you will be missed! Among one of the many things we will miss here is Ma Paz’ cooking. She is so good to us and we treasured tonight’s meal knowing tomorrow will be our last. Although we all miss American food, she is one heck of a cook and we have all cherished being spoiled! It is hitting some of us how surreal it was to be here in the beginning and how surreal it is to be going home so soon when we’ve only just begun to get to know all of our friends and help so many people. - Rachelle and Haley
1 Comment
Trish Strom
11/16/2018 11:12:35 am
Your post really struck me today -- how quickly we humans can adapt to new things, and how quickly things move from "people who translate for us" to "friends for life". I'm envious of all your experiences -- and excited to live vicariously through you when you share all your stories. Before you know it, you'll be back in Fargo -- where the snow is waiting for you!
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AuthorWe are 12 North Dakota State University senior registered nursing students on a mission to expand our knowledge, culture and diversity. Our professors, Abigail Vetter and Molly Secor-Turner, will guide us on our final experience of nursing school (short of graduation and boards!) to complete our practicum in Northern Haiti. This is our experience. Archives
November 2018
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