Sunday, April 29, 2012

Feet dry. Landed in Haiti...

Team Sinai Operation Rainbow rides again. After some long weeks of preparation, gathering gear, packing, and planning, we took off this morning from BWI at 6:10 am, had a brief stop in Miami, and landed in Haiti by 1:00 pm. Getting through immigrations and customs was a relative breeze, largely due to the fact that HAH sent an experienced driver (actually two) out to greet us and smooth the way. We were packing 30 duffles, 50 lbs each, for a grand total of 1,500 lbs of equipment, medicine, and recycled fixators. All of this will be used to treat disabled people in Port au Prince who are unable to afford care. Amy Russell, the coordinator of volunteers at Adventiste was, by coincidence, on our flight, returning from family business in Florida. Amy gave us a tour of the updated HAH. The open porch where we slept in 2010 and 2011 is now undergoing renovations, and we are housed instead in an air-conditioned (well, that is being rather generous) bunkhouse. By bunkhouse, I mean a cabin with 6 bunk beds and a few cots. Fourteen of us share on bathroom, and since girls rule and boys drool, it can be trying to get in to freshen up.
We had a long meeting with our host, Dr. Francel Alexis, the Head of Orthopedic Surgery at HAH. Francel has done a tremendous amount of preparation for us, and showed us a list of at least 40 patients, many with complex conditions, that are theoretically scheduled for surgery. I was especially happy to see 17 year old C.J., a girl with hypophosphatemic rickets who has severe knock knees, easily the most extreme case that I have ever seen. Last year (June 2011) we straightened her left femur and tibia, and she looks marvelous (OK,  Marie would remind me that the foot is a bit in varus, "not amazing" in Marie-speak) but overall incredibly better than what she started with. Tomorrow, we are going to operate her other side.
The biggest surprise of all, was Lucia, the amazing OR nurse from Santo Domingo, who came to HAH to work with us. We've worked with her before, during our first trip, when the legendary Scott Nelson was here. I know the truth...it is not a coincidence that Lucia showed up today. This is the long and generous arm of Scott Nelson at work. If you are out there in cyberspace, Scott,  we are sending you a great big heartfelt "Muchas Gracias!" You are amazing.
Wish us luck tomorrow. We're starting off with a complex intertrochanteric hip fracture with subtrochanteric extension, we have the rickets case, and at least five others. Monday is also a huge clinic day, so we will be hopping.
More later,
JH

Sunday, April 22, 2012

infirmière Nadine Henry d'Les Cayes...


My name is Nadine Henry, born and raised in the south part of Haiti, in Les Cayes. I've lived in Montreal, Canada since the age of 14 never went back since then. I know it will be a shock for me to return to my native Haiti, especially after the earthquake. This trip will be my contribution to help the those who are in need. I hope to join Team Sinai every year!
My nursing studies were at Maisonneuve College in Montreal. I've been a nurse for more the 20 years, with experience in cardiology, orthopedics, traumatology and pediatric PACU this past year. 
Mwen rezilta pou pi devan pou  nou tout nan Ayiti!

Efrat Gavriely, RN......Kol ha-kavod!

Efrat Gavriely doesn't have to travel far to reach HAH. She is already in Haiti working as a community health nurse in Leogane, just down the road from Port au Prince. Back in her native Israel, Efrat served in the IDF (Israel Defense Force) as a registered nurse. After her army service, she took the obligate tour of India to decompress, and then returned to Israel for advanced nursing studies. Before coming to Haiti, she has been working as a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Tel Ha-Shomer Hospital in Tel Aviv. She'll be working in the PACU with us for part of our week at HAH. We're very pleased that her work in Leogane allowed her to temporarily help us in Carrefour!

Israeli Women Soldiers circa 1955


Israeli Search and Rescue Teams were among the first to arrive in PAP after the Earthquake of 1/12/2010 

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Dirk Leu, MD: Bi-coastal Doc...

Dirk
Dr. Dirk Leu is an attending orthopedic surgeon at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. In addition to clinical care, he is active in research and teaching residents. He is interested in disaster medicine and international crisis relief. In his spare time, he enjoys diving for abalone along the rugged northern coast of California with family and friends. See the pictures of some of Dirk's sea friends below....
Abalone

Rare warm water Monk Seal in Hawaii
Dirk is equally at home in the East Coast as the West Coast. He studied chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and then got his medical degree at University of California, San Francisco. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the world's famous Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He stayed on to do a pediatric orthopedic fellowship there, and then spent one year in New York City at the equally world famous Hospital for Special Surgery for a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma surgery.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Gay Ann, OR NURSE ("nice things come in small packages")

"I'm Gay Ann Gatpandan, born and raised in the quiet and peaceful town of Bukidnon in the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines. I speak Tagalo as the national language, but my native tongue is Bisaya. I pursued my studies in Cebu City where I earned my Bachelor's of Nursing degree and worked as an OR nurse. In 2003, I joined the Staff of Sinai Hospital of Baltimore doing what I loved the most, being an OR nurse. The experience taught me advanced health technologies and skills to adapt to a dynamic environment. On the other hand, it also gives me a chance to travel, see new places,and meet people of different kind which I find very enriching. I'll be forever grateful for the opportunities that was given to me. With what I'm blessed with, I hope to give back by sharing my time and caring for those in need. What better way than being in the nursing profession wherever I may be...."

Tamysen Regan, ST USN(ret)....the "y" is SILENT!!!

Tamysen (the "y" is silent) tells us, "I have always wanted to go on a mission trip, and am so thankful for the opportunity. Knowing that they will be giving me so much more then I can ever give them is quite a feeling I am looking forward to. It is exciting to think that this will be the first of many mission trips. I suppose this is me in a nutshell - I was born and for the most part raised in Wyoming. After finishing High School I joined the Navy where I met Dr. Delanois. He trained me in the world of Orthopedic surgery. After spending 10 years on the east coast, I moved back west to Colorado, where I have lived for the past 3 yrs. Dr. D called me last Aug to let me know of a new job opportunity and I've been here at Sinai Hospital since October! I am currently in school for First Assisting which I can't wait to finish!

Meghan Rupert, ST -- Innocents Abroad...

Team Sinai welcomes Meghan Rupert, Surgical Technologist from Baltimore's highly acclaimed Shock Trauma Hospital. Meghan is excited about her first international service mission. If she can handle the total trainwrecks that get helicoptered into Shock Trauma, we're sure she'll do just fine at HAH. Thanks, Meghan, for volunteering!

Monday, April 9, 2012

NatGeo, Surgical Tech around the world...

Team Sinai Operation Rainbow welcomes Geovanni Orlando, of Orlando Medical Centre. Giovanni is 25, and is both a paramedic and a surgical tech. He works at the Orange Regional Medical Center on there truama team during the day. By night, he works for Trans Life doing organ transplants.
We first met Geovanni on a Rainbow mission to Ecuador last year. He did a great job there, but is really looking forward to working in Haiti to practice his Creole! In Geovanni's words, "I love what I do and I really enjoy going on these medical trips it has become a true passion of mine . I am very excited about this trip and working with everyone..."

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Warren McKay, MD: On the Shoulders of Giants

Three years with Dr John Steinhaus-(Emory Anesthesia Department), two years with Dr Benjamin Covino-(Brigham and Womens Anesthesia Department), and 23 years with Dr Ronald Miller-(University of California at San Francisco) has given me some experience in relieving others’ pain and the meaning of being a solid citizen.





Working with the Haitians and Dominicans in January 2010 helped me understand their tough nature and this has influenced me to return this year. Regional Anesthesia and Pain control have been areas of my interest professionally for some time now. On a more fun side are my outside interests. I enjoy cooking, sampling different cuisines, listening to music, creating metal sculpture, mountain climbing, snowboarding, and any flavor of bicycle riding. And I almost forgot, travelling. Love to travel and meet new cultures and cuisines. I will end by writing hello in advance to all on this trip and may we collectively bring goodwill with us to Port au Prince!




Here is another Warren McKay, professional cyclist from Guyana, and member of Team Trek...

Bradley Whyte, CRNA: The beginning of a beautiful friendship....

Brad got his RN degree at University of Texas in Arlington, and his Master of Nursing (Nurse Anesthetist) at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth in 1998. Since then he has been working at various hospitals around the country as a Nurse Anesthetist. He has been a long time volunteer in medical mission work, including Ethiopia and the Far East.  Since the earthquake of 2010 he has wanted to volunteer in Haiti, and contacted the Global Health Institute of Loma Linda University. LLU put Brad together with Team Sinai Operation Rainbow, and the rest, as they say....will be history.
During the time of the earthquake, Bradley was in his native Jamaica at his much beloved cousin Colin's funeral. Colin's dream had been to serve in Haiti, and Bradley pledged to the extended family that he would help fulfill Colin's life's intentions, in his honor. According to Bradley, "I am hoping that this will be a more than once a year service for me.  I know I will be taught and taken care of by the people of Haiti more than I will be giving them.  Over 20 years of experience and various medical missions- this has my attention as if its my first year practicing and my first trip abroad."
Brad has gathered supplies and medications to donate to Adventist Hospital. In the words of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) to Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) in Casablanca, "Brad, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."  To see the full scene, click on this link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kiNJcDG4E0




Monday, April 2, 2012

Steve the Mulder-nator

Steve and his harem, first trip to Haiti

Team Sinai is getting ready to ride again...this will be our third mission to Adventist Hospital in Port au Prince since the 2010 earthquake. It has been our tradition to introduce new team members in our blog...

"We've never seen a 6'8" American before!"
Although new to Team Sinai - Operation Rainbow, Dr. Steve Mulder is returning for the sixth time to Hopital Adventiste to provide anesthesia for surgical teams.  The first tour was with his wife, Victoria, and two daughters, Jenny and Madeline.  Steve works in Templeton, CA, at Twin Cities Hospital.  He is a graduate of Loma Linda University Medical School and did his anesthesia residency at LLUMC.  His favorite activity in Haiti is touring the local orphanages, and the Mulder's have established an aid program for orphans. Back home in California, the Gentle Giant enjoys mountain biking, wind surfing, prison ministry, and hiking with Victoria.


Steve is going in barefoot, arriving in stealth mode, and will hook up with the rest of the team at Adventist when we arrive in May. We're looking forward to his leadership as head of our anesthesia team. If HAH gave out frequent flyer points, Steve would have a free trip by now. Boots on the ground!