Voices on the Ground in Haiti: Stanford Medical -- Narrative with Links to Posts

( blog proprietor's note. I'm not sure that I've captured all the stories or blog post, but I wanted to get this up.

Jumpoff point

Detailed Listing

Bloggers

Paul S. Auerbach, MD, MS, FACEP, FAWM (Wilderness Medicine) at Healthline -- in Haiti through International Medical Corps

Anil Menon, MD. Dr. Menon is in the Wilderness Fellowship Program in Emergency Medicine at Stanford and is the Air National Guard. He can't post directly, but is sending text messages to his friend Baratunde's and to his mother, who transcribes them where they are posted to Straight Talk from the Stanford ER blog

Gaby Macadoo, RN is blogging at Out of the Rubble, Comes Hope

January 13, 2010
- Anil Menon: Getting to Haiti: Jan 12 - Jan 16 via Healthline.com and via Baratunde
January 14, 2010
January 15, 2010
January 16, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach: First Days In Haiti (they arrived incountry on January 16?) we are caring for incredibly brave people, who are suffering under the most adverse circumstances. Yet, they all have time to say how much they appreciate the help and to thank us
January 17, 2010
- Anil Menon: via Baratunde people with broken limbs were so numb they don't cry(a compilation of 13 text messages) and via Healthline.com: the saying goes that you would treat every single patient [as if they were?] in the U.S but you can only treat a few patients here. That is what makes the situation unbearable, being trained to help someone, buthaving so many people tug at your arm, need an immediate response but only being able to answer a few.
January 18, 2010
- Anil Menon:via Baratunde (a series of 30 text messages from Anil) When a femur or tibia fracture comes in, we check to see if it is open and has penetrated the skin or is closed. The open ones go to the [operating room], they are usually infected, and usually lead to amputations. That means [people] who would have just broken their legs and be back on track in a few months, are losing their legs. Also Via Healthline.com
January 19, 2010
- Anil Menon:via Baratunde A woman told me that "no matter what you Americans did in the past, you were here when we needed you, and I love you". It was good to hear that. The 82nd airborne arrived today and have made it a lot easier for the hospital to function. I also think we'll have food and water for patients. Thanks for all of that.
January 20, 2010
- Anil Menon: via Baratunde -- big aftershock and a reporter adds to physicians' concerns. The story at Healthline.com result of the aftershock was no one at the hospital would return to the building. One woman confessed that when she heard a door open she would shudder with terror. Because of their refusal, we’re finding very sick patients, waiting to be treated, are exposed to too much sunlight. Still they don’t want to be inside a building, even if it’s a hospital.
January 21, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach,: Haiti, January 21 story of a 3 year old girl with both a disfiguring facial injury and serious leg injury It is difficult to conceive how this country will recover with a massive international effort and support. I hope that the world pays attention, because it could happen anywhere.
- Gabby McAdoo: The story of Gary Elize recovering his nephew Monly. Gabby was part of Monly's recovery team. "Gary Elize, 24, is Monley's only surviving relative, and he is concerned that he won't be able to properly care for the boy."
January 22, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach: 22 Please read these stories -- the need will continue long after the world's attention has moved on I realize now that had I not come here, I would have had a hole in my heart.
- Anil Menon: via Baratunde: photos from Haiti
January 23, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach: Haiti, January 23 spoke with a young woman today, a dancer in Haiti who lost part of one of her legs. She was brave and doing her best to cope. I told her that she will dance again, and that she will be a much better dancer on one leg than I could ever be on two. She smiled and squeezed my hand. These are such special people. I have not seen one seriously injured victim complain.
- Anil Menon via Baratunde How we start our day, wondering who made it through the night
- Anil Menon via Baratunde Blood transfusion & transfer to USS Comfort saves a young girl.
- Anil Menon via Baratunde Losing a patient
- Anil Menon via Baratunde Monly Elize & GabbyMcAdoo
January 24, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach:The Swiss have a pediatric surgery service next to our pediatric area. This is a part of the compound that breaks your heart. The tented ward is full of children with multiple amputations and severe injuries. There is no candy coating this - their lives will never be the same. The first part of the post indicates that there may be many children fending for themselves. Orphans or not able to find their families in the ruins?
- Anil Menon: via Baratunde Life moves onApparently, not everyone got hurt in the earthquake... I saw a young kid playing with his ball amidst the rubble and realized that life moves on no matter the magnitude of the problem.
January 25, 2010
- Anil Menon: via Baratunde The Top 5 Rules in a Disaster and via Strait Talk from Stanford ER
- Paul S. Auerbach: Our tented E.R. saw nearly 300 patients today, and we are preparing to see more than 500 tomorrow, in what are essentially two rooms. To keep the place running, we are electricians, masons and plumbers as well as doctors. Tomorrow we are supposed to get phones, but I'm not counting on it.
January 26, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach: every time I walk past a young Haitian child who has lost an arm or leg, yet still smiles and tries to give me a wave, I am energized. It will be very difficult to leave, but I know that within a few days, we must get our batteries recharged.
January 27, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach: I find myself going back to visit a few patients, like the young woman professional dancer who lost her leg. She was returned to the O.R. today for a revision of her stump, so was postoperative and asleep when I saw her. In the crowded tent, she was covered with flies, so I sat by her for a while and fanned them away with a small notebook. In another tent, I watched a mother bathe an emaciated infant. The baby will not make it through the next two days. One tent over, a woman shouted out in pain during childbirth.
January 28, 2010
- Paul S. Auerbach: Sadly, there are scores of patients with spinal fractures who are paralyzed, and little can be done for them this far out from the initial injury. Children continue to break our hearts. I had a small child who is a triple amputee offer me his cracker with his remaining hand. One can only pray that the memories he carries of this tragedy are erased swiftly, that he is assisted in his rehabilitation, and that his life improves. All of these will, of course, be hard to achieve.

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