Textbooks

As most of you know I'm an orthopedic surgeon. I love my job. It took a long time to become a surgeon: 26 years of school if you count kindergarden. During those years of training, I read many, many textbooks. I lost count of the number of books. The information in all those pages provide the facts I need to do my job. I accepted that data without question because it was in a TEXTBOOK, written by some famous guy with impressive credentials. Somebody respected by his peers and by me.

In speaking with Haitians, I realized that many if not the majority of them have never read a TEXTBOOK. However they have read the BIBLE. To them it is THE TEXTBOOK; written by some famous guy with great credentials and an impressive pedigree. It provides the information they need to live their lives. They have zero doubt that the information inside is factual, and is irrefutable. Their immense faith is founded in their unwavering belief in the absolute truth of the facts in the BIBLE.

I've read the BIBLE for forty years and for some reason I never considered it a TEXTBOOK. After my trip to Haiti, I do now.

Motion Sickness

Have you ever been motion sick? How about car sick, air sick or sea sick? Terrible feeling. Nausea, dizziness, head aches, stomach ache and sometimes vomiting. Bad feeling not to mention ruins whatever you are trying to do at the time.

The physiology of motion sickness is the disconnection between what your eyes see and what your vestibular (motion or position detecting) system tell your brain confuses your body and all of the above symptoms result. When you read in a moving car your eyes say you are not moving (looking at stationary book) but your ears tell your brain that the car is moving: motion sickness results.

Ever heard of EMOTION sickness. Probably not because I just made it up. How about depression, anxiety, anger, panic disorders, mania and others. Many times these conditions are caused by the disconnect between what we are doing and what we know we SHOULD be doing. This may be on a concious level but frequently it is subconcious. Lashing out inappropriately or over-reacting has its roots in this disconnect.

We are all sinners who cannot behave in accordance with God's desires. Recognizing this fact, acknowledging that we are imperfect can relieve this disconnect. Hopefully stopping the EMOTION sickness.

Orlando Magic Defeat Boston Celtics 96-94

On January 28, 2010 the Orlando Magic used a 35 point fourth quarter to defeat the Boston Celtics 96-94. It was a matchup of last years Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series that went seven games. I'll remember that game forever; However I couldn't have cared less about the outcome.

I am a big basketball fan. I love basketball. Normally I would have watched every play of this big time NBA contest. On January 28, 2010 I was in Turks and Caicos returning from Haiti. We stopped there to refuel our Cessna as we bounced back to Florida. (That's another couple of stories) On this night I deplaned, walked into the tiny airport terminal and sat on a cushioned chair, in the air conditioning and watched the Magic come back from 14 points down and defeat the Celtics. I was completely disinterested. First of all I was exhausted having slept little and poorly the last four nights. Most of all basketball just didn't seem all that important. The devastation to Haiti overshadowed everything else. Sitting just a short distance from Haiti yet light years away I didn't really care that Ray Allen missed the winning three pointer as time expired.

Since returning I have looked upon events that I thought were important differently. The Super Bowl was a great game but it really didn't carry as much weight as in past years. To tell the truth, I was watching to see how many Haiti commercials there were. I did root for the Saints (I now feel like I have a better understanding for Katrina victims).

I still want to win all the games I coach, but if it doesn't happen I have a new perpective of what matters. I was able to spend another day on the basketball court with my son. My wife was able to laugh at me begging the ref for a call and watch her son compete.

Come this June, I'm sure I'll watch the NBA playoffs and I really hope the Spurs beat the Cavs in six games but if they don't; doesn't really matter. I'll still be wondering how the Haitians that I operated on are doing. Did their fractures heal? Did my amputees get their prosthesis and can they walk. How many orphans still need homes and families? I'll still be praying for them.

Numbers

1/12/10 date of quake
40 seconds duration of quake
200,000 deaths (maybe more)
300,000 injured
1.5 million homeless
80,000 bodies buried with no markers
7.0 intensity of quake
44 years life expectancy in Haiti
$660 average yearly income
1804 year of independence from France

Yet to be determined:
date Port au Prince is rebuilt
final death toll
# of amputations/prosthesis sent to Haiti
orphans adopted
Dollars donated in relief effort
meals delivered

FEEL FREE TO ADD OTHER IMPORTANT #"S in comments

"Be Part of the Solution"

I have prayed many prayers in my life. Prayers for forgiveness, thankfulness, strength,compassion and countless other things. When I first heard of the earthquake in Haiti I prayed several prayers. Comfort, healing, leadership and others. I also prayed for a chance to help. I was given that chance.

While in Haiti I had the opportunity to assist many people. I prayed many times while there: make my hand steady, my decisions correct.

Since returning to reality I have gone back to my orthopedic practice. I've continued to pray; for skill, compassion, patience and others.

Looking back on my life I realize that as long as I can remember I've been praying. All sorts of prayers. When I think about the type of prayers that I pray I realize that most of the time I pray for the same thing. I pray to be able to heal; to be a good father to my children; to be the best husband I can be; to help people; to do the best that I can. I pray to be part of the SOLUTION. That's what I ask for; All I want is to be part of the solution. We all should......

Ice

Ice, I like ice. For the most part my interaction with ice has been pretty pleasant. Well except for a few slips and falls, I appreciate ice. Seems like a weird blog topic but I couldn't resist writing today after I was struck by the distance between an ice cube and my experience in Haiti last week. Down there you might as well be looking for a moon rock as a piece of ice. I caught my self many times saying to a patient " It's just a sprain, (all together now) go put some ICE on it." I'm not sure the country villagers would know what ICE is. There's no way they ever had any in their tiny way back in the jungle village and I'm pretty sure that if they had some the last thing they would do with it would be to put it on their ankle. Maybe they'd put it in their DIET COKE. Oh the irony of a diet coke to a Haitian is just too great. Really? DIET?? COKE??? So from now on when I waddle up to a fountain drink stand and fill my 64 oz cup with ice and DIET COKE, I'll think of Haitians drinking warm water they dipped from a stream running over the ground with untold things in it.

Going Home Should be Easy

We left the Mission of Hope at 12:15 Thursday afternoon. Took somewhat of a roundabout path to the airport in Port au Prince. I'm having trouble calling what we did sightseeing but that's what it was. Oh, the sights we saw. Drove right past the mass graves just north of highway #1. Headed south into PAP. Much heavier traffic leaving the city then going in. All the trucks leaving have entire families in them with all their possesions tied on top. They are all headed into the countryside to hopefully start anew. We next made a lap through the hardest shaken areas. The damage is incredible. No building is without damage. Roofs down to street level. I can't help wonder what is still under many of those piles of rocks. Then we passed the destroyed government buildings. Not much left of the buildings or of the government. Next through the business district: little business taking place. On to the airport, minimal security but why should the airport be any different then the rest of Haiti. I haven't felt "secure" at any point during this trip. Our exit plane arrives and it's tiny and with no frills. A significant drop in luxury from the jet we arrived in. Similar to my perception of the world since I arrived in Haiti; not always a luxurious place. It's been an eye opening trip. I never knew that places like Haiti existed in the modern day world: Naive, uninitiated, standard American with no clue about the rest of the world's plight? I qualify. Friday after taking a commercial flight from Florida to Austin I was relieved to be back in home. I drank water directly from the faucet, ate Mexican food until I was about to pop and took a nap on my pillow top matress. All of them were the same as when I left them six days previously yet vastly different.
My trip home was difficult but it pales compared to the thousands of Haitians who have no home to go to.
I now appreciate the luxuries I have been blessed with after seeing the absence of such in Haiti.
Thanks Haiti for opening my eyes.

Xero's Lesson

On day two in Haiti a caseworker from a nearby orphange walks into the exam area of our clinic/hospital. I was standing a short distance away, so my view wasn't perfect but it looked as if she was carrying a medium sized doll that had lost most of it's stuffing. I didn't think much of it as I was deep into another infected lower leg fracture.

Forty-five minutes later I walk back into the exam area and there is a pediatrician, internal medicine doctor, two anesthesiologist and an orthopedic surgeon staring at this thin bald, blind, black with white speckeled tiny child. There was much discussion about potential etiology of this child's problems. Malnutrition, scleroderma, infection, congenital problems etc.... There was no consensus. What was decided was we in no way were capable of solving this child's problems. So we wrapped him in a blanket and handed him back to the orphanage worker.

Over the next hour or so any time a physician walked past this little boy clinging to an orphanage worker who was gently caressing him, signs, symptoms and diagnosis were shouted out to see if anyone thought we were narrowing the diagnosis. Medically no progress was made. HOWEVER what actually was happening was the warm caring touch of the orphanage caseworker turned this almost lifeless child around. In another hour he was sitting up and would "fist bump" the doctors as we walked by.

After a few phone calls we were able to arrange for transfer of this child to the University of Miami tent in Port au Prince. They circled their doctors, had the same discussions reached no conclusions and handed him back to the orphanage worker. She continued to love on him and he continued to improve. The University of Miami doctors arranged for transfer to the US Comfort ship in the harbor. I don't know for sure but it probably went something like this on that great healing vessel. "Cogenital catarcts, viral infection, mental retardation, burns, meningitis...... hand back to caseworker who makes him feel better simply by holding on tightly and being there. Finally I did here about a "real" diagnosis for this child Xeroderma pigmentosa made by a super specialist pediatrician on the US Comfort. I bet after he made the diagnosis he handed the child back to the person who was doing the most good: the orphanage worker for the treatment that we all need, love. God Bless You: XERO. Thanks for the lesson.

Patrick's Faith

Last Wednesday I walked around a destroyed Haitian village doing first aid and simple orthopedic care. My translator, Patrick, helped me communicate to the many people we came into contact with. During a break where we stopped to get some water, I asked him what were his thoughts about the massive earthquake that had hit Haiti. He very matter of fact talked about the family members that he had lost, the changes in his life and about Haiti's future. He talked about his plans to continue his studies of the Bible in pursuit of becoming a pastor or counselor. I asked him how he felt about God now that this had happened to Haiti. Without hesitation he said well "in Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord said "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I was dumbfounded. Standing in the middle of a pile of rubble that used to be a house I had just witnessed one of the most profound statements of FAITH I had ever heard. My faith pales compared to his and I (in my opinion) have many more things to be thankful for. I would gladly trade some of my American wealth for some Hatian faith.
Patrick really is a great communicator. God Bless Patrick.

Why Did the Earthquake Happen in Haiti?

Why is Haiti frequently struck by natural disasters? Pat Roberts says its their deal with the devil that allowed them to escape the French coming to the surface. He states that its their practice of voodoo that has led to the disasters. Well, this is absurd. First of all it's just absurd. God is not vengeful.

Second the people of Haiti are incredibly faith driven. I saw many instances of this during my stay there shortly after the earthquake. The most poignant was as I performed an amputation revision on a patient under spinal anesthesia while my partner did the same on another patient on an operating table 5 feet away, both patients in unison started singing creole hymns. They essentially were singing "I love Jesus" while we amputated their legs. They left their lives in the hands of Jesus. I almost couldn't continue to operate. The presence of Jesus was palpable. Their faith is immense. All the Haitians that I came into contact with place Jesus as a very high priority. They were constantly praying and seeking to do Gods will. Almost ever family member I spoke with said "God Bless You". In fact one father who spoke no english on Sunday when we first made contact with him, went home and upon his return on Thursday he said perfectly clear "Thank you and God Bless You". He had learned those words in the interval.

So I say to Haiti " Thank You!" for the lessons I learned while there and "God Bless You" because you need it and you deserve it.
SAS

Haiti: Five Days at the Mission of Hope

I just returned from five days at the Mission of Hope in Port au Prince. My first thoughts are Wow, what a terrible disaster. It is a terrible disaster. Haiti is a mess. It is my impression that it was a mess before the quake and now it is a mess that has been shaken and fallen apart. There is no big picture solution for Port au Prince except to start over. Move all the people out, bull doze the city and start over. Haiti could build the best large Carribean city there is with the right leadership and funding. Very unlikely given their past. I'm not qualified to speak to this.

On an individual level, many lives have been lost and many more have been altered. All Haitians lost family members in this tragedy. We can't change that. We can change the on going suffering and rehabilitate the people still struggling with injury and need. I hope to inform and motivate with this blog to keep us involved. This will be an ongoing disaster for Haiti. HELP THEM.

More to follow