Wet Start with Flooded OR

Late Night

We intended to have a short day today and do only those cases that had to be done. The OR is not usually open on the weekends. However, the local team stuck by us as we operated late into the evening on Saturday, and joined us on rounds as they have every day this morning at 0630.

Film Team

We were followed by a film team documenting care provided through PIH. They filmed rounds, wound rounds, as well as one case in the OR. It is a bit different to do a case while being filmed, but things for the most part went well. Unfortunately, one 15-year-old child cried through a cast change, and in retrospect I should have sedated her. The kids here have been through a lot, and cry through any procedure even when no pain is involved ( as was the case here).

I doubt I was much more effective comforting a Haitian child in English than Tom was with the Haitian dogs!

Wet Start

We were met with flooded ORs when the doors were unlocked. We were able to save most of the equipment and supplies, and all the electrical equipment worked after drying out a bit.

We finished today's cases around 1 PM, and the team is looking forward to some down time today. We have a full day of cases Monday, and have scheduled cases through Friday as we try to complete surgical care on as many people as we can.

A new team from Duke will arrive sometime on Friday, which will be our last day of operating. We learned yesterday that we will return on Saturday.