Michele's Trip to Haiti

Last Full Day in Haiti

2011-11-22T08:07:00.000-08:00

So, last night got a bit crazy as it seems to do when the Rhum Sours get flowing. A member of our team (who will remain unmentioned) was unable to join us this morning to go to the iron market to start our shopping day. Hopefully, we'll be able to come back for them in a few hours. The iron market was quite the experience. Because if traffic, it took us over an hour to get there! Once there, we found rows and rows of vendors who make the most intricate metal sculptures and wall hangings. I picked up a few pieces and already looking forward to getting home to get them hung up. While travelling there, we saw the best thing. Each year, we see how many people we can see on a moto. More points are given if there are animals as well. Today, I saw a man on a moto carrying a moto!! This is huge points and it was determined that this one is unbeatable!!

Today I felt much cooler, I don't know if the temperature is dropping or if I'm just finally acclimated (which always happens just before I go home). The days are defintely going to start getting cooler and we have all heard that it is snowing back home and Christmas is into full swing. It's always a strange thing when you go home to snow and Christmas when only a two weeks earlier, it was warmer and Christmas was a faint thought.

After leaving the market, we went back to the guesthouse to pick up our teammate, and then headed to the co-op otherwise known as the Haitian Walmart, then to Kay Artisan and Minou. I was able to pick up some beautiful soapstone pieces which I am hoping to get home in one pice this year.

We went out for dinner to Montana tonight, and it is so beautiful. They have done an exceptional job restoring it post-quake and you would never know you were in Haiti when there. Dinner was great, and then we did a bit of Kompa dancing afterword at a nightclub nearby. Many of my teammates stayed up almost all night, but I decided to turn in early as I know tomorrow will be a busy morning of packing up our bags. I was hoping to fit everything in one hockey bag, but it's not going to happen so I'll be lugging two bags back with me.

Bittersweet, is how I'm feeling. I am ready to get into a comfortable bed and have a long hot shower and stop being eaten alive by mosquitos but also sad to go back to the everyday grind. A year feels like a lifetime away right now but I knwo it will go quickly and we'll all be back doing this again.

I think Gail stated once that when you come to Haiti for the first time, it either makes you not want to return or gets under your skin and your hooked. I'd say that I'm hooked. I got to see many different parts of hte country on this trip and even different parts of Jacmel and Port-au-Prince which showed me that there is still a ton of work to do but that so much rebuilding has occurred and that Haitians are trying to make Haiti a beautiful and safe place to live where tourists are welcomed. I am looking forward to the plane ride home. Our usual picture exchange will lokely occur which takes up most of the flight, and when I get home I am going to make a book of last year and this year's trip. I figured out the name: "Hope". I hope for so much for Haiti and it's people. Until next year, stay safe, remain beautiful and keep Kompa dancing.

Travel Day to Port-au-Prince

2011-11-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

We had an amazing night last evening. Members of the French embassy are staying at the Cyvadier hotel and we were able to participate in an amazing dance show. The dance troupe from Haiti is looking for a sponsorship so they put on an amzaing dance show. I videotaped most of it and Eric got some amazing photos so I'm hoping to share them with you soon. A great way to end our last night, and again another wonderful suprise Haiti gave us!! Mama Lang made sure that everyone had a good evening. We had to say goodbye to the wonderful staff that made our stay here so memorable. Franz, was so great that by the end of the week, he knew all of our room numbers when we ordered food or drinks. Since Cholera, most Haitians "punch it out" instead of handshaking now. You make a fist and touch fists but today was a day for hugs and big thank you's.

We made it back to Port-au-Prince through the mountain pass in good time. My stomach was off today and I spent the first leg of the trip trying not to vomit while we travelled down the windy road. Things improved for me by the time we reached the guesthouse which I was grateful for. I have had a cough for the past week which I am now convinced is due to the air pollution.

We are going to stay at the guesthouse tonight and go our for dinner and dancing tomorrow, our last night. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by and how much I'm going to miss my teammates.

Day 2 In the Mountains

2011-11-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

We travelled to another small town in the mountains today. Much better roads and a shorter distance to ride in the back of the pickup. This community seemed much more poor than Belleview and we gave out a fair number of shoes for the kids and kits for new moms with items we had brought. I had nothing to do today so I fit children with shoes and tried to stay out of the way. The highlight of the day was when a young boy with a right-sided hand palsy arrived at the clinic with his brother with a pair of hiking boots on and no socks. We were able to get him a new pair of socks and because there were no shoes left in his size, I took the runners off my feet and was more than thrilled to see his face light up when he put on a new pair of white sneakers. A sad moment also occurred, when a young boy asked Melissa if anyone would ever love him the way he is. It was a moment that you choke back the tears when a young child is aware that his physicial disability will determine how others will view him. Most of the kids arrived in their Sunday best and as it was a long weekend, we arrived to hear the town singing in the church for a few hours. It was quite amazing to hear!!

Saturday was shopping day in Jacmel, we walked the streets as Solage kept a close watch and followed us with the van. He is such a wonderful man and I always feel so safe when he is our driver. We wanted to go to the iron market again this year, but in the past week, there have been an increased number of crimes against blancs (whites) in Jacmel, so Solage refused to take us. After shopping, we went to Kabik beach. It is the most amazing place and we were able to body surf as the waves were breaking. During lunch on the beach which consisted of an entire grilled lobster with beer, a troubador band serenaded us. There is always a surprise around every corner in Haiti, and some of them are wonderful! Today was a great day to round up a busy and productive first week. Our first real day off. Tomorrow is another travel day back to Port-au-Prince, so an early morning start so that we can make it back into the city before the traffic gets bad. As usual, we have heard each other say a few funny things that you would only hear in Haiti like: "Was that two pigs in a wheelbarrow" and "Hey, I just saw four adults on a moto".

This is about the time when my love affair with Haiti starts to settle in and makes me want to slow down time because I know our time is almost gone for another year.

Outreach Clinic At Belleview

2011-11-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

We were up very early this morning and arrived at Pazapa to pick up Fred the orthopedic surgeon from the US and our guide/interpretor shortly after 8am. We had about an hour drive up the mountain and had to cross a river (yup, you read that right) water a few feet deep to get to Belleview. Once we arrived, there ware about 20 parents and children waiting for us. Some who had been there early in the morning to ensure their children would be seen. Karen and Michaella (the first trained speech assistant in Haiti by TCHH) saw over 18 children. I helped with some role-playing with Karen and acted a a distraction while children waited. Bubbles are the universal toy that always brings a smile to a chld's face. I didn't have a lot to do today medically, but Eric spent a lot of time taking photos which he has agreed to share with all of us and I can't wait to share with my friends and family!

Everyone had an exceptional day and left Belleview feeling that good work had been done. We noticed there was a large number of children with Autism in this community. One mother, brought two sons with Autism! I was a bit surprised to see so many kids on the spectrum in one town.

When we got back to the hotel, there were a few of the kids that sell items on the beach practicing aerial tricks,so we got some great photos and took some video of them performing which when we showed it to them, they laughed and wanted to watch it a few times.

Lobster for dinner again tonight............. I really should stop bragging so much!!

Mid-Week Post

2011-11-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last three days at the clinic. The first day, I helped to triage about 70-80 people. Team Canada hired an interpretor for me which was very helpuful. The interpretor, Okswald, also does interpretation for the Canadian Miliatary and is hoping to become a police officer in Port-au-Prince. It is a very dangerous job and not one that he or his family wants him to have, but he feels that it is the best way for him to earn a decent living. He has been trying to visit Canada for some time but has not been able to earn enough money to save so that he can purchase a plane ticket.

I didn't get up from the chair at the reception area of the clinic all day, to eat, or drink my water and I have developed a cough which I think is an allergic reaction to all of the dust and pollution in the air. I am very glad I had the foresight to bring cough drops with me as they have been very helpful in stopping a tickle in the back of my throat.

The second day at the clinic was very different. I spent some time with Michelle, who dispenses the medication. They cut up small squares of paper, dispense the number of pills the doctor instructs and then seal it with masking tape and write how many pills to take and the number of times in a day. These expereinces always help to remind me of the contract of our healthcare systems, resources and options from Canada to Haiti. It also helps to keep me focused on "Basics is Best". Everyone at the clinic has been very friendly and acoommodating. I do feel that I need to learn how to speak Creole. I feel embarrassed this trip that I am unable to speak the language at the same level as my teammates and other blancs I hear in Jacmel. I feel that it is also an issue of respect for me to at a minimum make an effort to speak the native language. This will be my goal for next year, to be able to converse at a basic level in Creole. At the end of the day, we were provided a tour of the lower level which will be a fully functional OT/PT clinic with surgical rooms for orthopedic surgeries. Karen and Melissa played a big part in getting this clinic developed, so it was a proud moment for both of them to see it come to life!!

The last day at the clinic was the same as the first. One of the doctors, had asked me to work with him directly today, but Jacquline, the nurse was busy with patients and needed help so I stayed with her again and triaged people. We saw about 50 people today, but it was a shorter work day for us so had I stayed longer, I imagine we would have seen close to the same number of people as the first day.

I'm tired today and looking forward to an evening of rest with my teammates before we head into a town in the mountains called Belleview tomorrow for an outreach clinic. We will have a photographer, Eric, who is doing a documentary and taking photos of what HHHI and Team Canada Healing Hands roles are in Haiti with regards to rehab services and education. It will be great to have him join us for the next few days.

Off to put on my swimsuit and grab a Prestige. I might do some shopping on the beach tonight. The vendors are out selling their goods, and they always have beautiful items to sell. We've done a bit of shopping at the end of each workday, but we are saving Saturday, our first real day off as our shopping day.

I'm headed for warm salt water, cold beer, acra, the best french fries and piklez!!

Bon Bagay!

First Day In Jacmel

2011-11-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

We all were feeling a bit under the weather this morning after a night of too many rum sours. Morning came way too soon and the idea of having to pack up all our hockey bags and personal stuff seemed a bit overwhelming for all of us. Karen and I took turns giggling at each other but once we ate breakfast, most of us felt better. Caryn, wasn't so lucky. The boat ride back to Les Cayes left her throwing up off the back of the boat and after taking a Gravol, she slept most of the 4 hour drive to Jacmel. The drive went well. Driving through the mountains is dangerous and always a bit nerve-wrecking but our drivers are wonderful and always work hard to keep us safe.

It was great to get back to Jacmel and stay at the Cyvadier, a beautiful hotel just outside the main city of Jacmel. Christophe, the ower, always makes a great effort to ensure we are comfortable when staying with him. The food is exceptional, and I was excited to have the lobster again after waiting for it for a whole year!! Lobster and Pristige beer go together very well! We haven't had a day off yet between work days and travel days, so next weekend will be welcomed with a few days at the end of our trip to do some shopping and relaxation. We barely sat down to order dinner when Adrian let me know that a young man and his girlfriend had been in a moto accident and were hurt badly, so we all went off to see what we could do. His leg/ankle looked broken but he refused to accept that or to allow me to splint it and I bandaged a fairly large wound along his shin of his right leg. His girlfriend had a large superficial cut up the back of her leg and serious "roadrash" to her bum. I didn't think that I'd be providing first aid to other guests of the hotel, but if you can help than that's what we do. In a short period of time, Karen was also able to arrange for the two of them to be seen for an orthopedic consult by the doctor (Fred) who has been at Pazapa all week determining which children he will provide surgery to when he returns early in 2012. He has been coming to Haiti for over 20 years. I was very impressed with our team tonight, and it made me realize again how awesome my teammates are!!

For the next three days, I will be working on my own at a walk-in clinic run by CCH (Coalition for the Children of Haiti) which I am looking forward to. So, until tomorrow, I am going to enjoy my cold Pristige while I listen to the waves of the ocean crash against the rocks while watching the sunset with my teammates. Once again, I feel grateful to be working with such a great team and to be in a place that has a way of making you want to stay.

Getting Caught Up

2011-11-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

n and I have both got bit like crazy by the mosquitos. We haven’t been able to figure out what’s worse, the mosquito or microscopic ant bites. I currently look like I have chicken pox, but hopefully they will stop itching soon. We all said good bye to Wadson, Damian and Daniel (Damian’s bodyguard) after breakfast. It’s always sad to say good bye to great people. In Haiti, you bond with people quickly and develop fast friends so it’s always bittersweet when the time comes to go in separate directions.

The children at Sister Flora’s orphanage are wonderful. In such a short time, I am learning the children’s personalities. There is Beatrice, who always is where the action is at or creating a rouse, Ibald and John who can’t stop beating each other up. We have all had to put each of them in time out for hitting, slapping, spitting. Pretty common stuff between two boys who are 3-4 yrs old, some things don't change in Haiti. I met Mathiew, who's mom died in the Cholera centre and his dad left him at the orphanage because he didn't want him. I will include a picture of him in his daily outfit of a white shirt and diaper. He like many of the children, have stolen a piece of my heart and it makes my next visit a year from now seem like an eternity away.

Being on Ile le Vache is like being somewhere other than my previous experience of Haiti in Port-au-Prince. It is a carribbean paradise. I’m sitting at the hotel lobby watching hummingbirds, listening to the birds, looking at the amazing colours of blue and teal from the ocean and watching a tiny gecko run back and forth across the table while I blog. Good times and laughter with friends so far and seeing so much progress in the country is making me want to stay. This first week has flown by as usual. We are leaving for Jacmel tomorrow. So tonight, we will have some fun with rum sours and enjoy our last night on Ile a Veche and with Andy before he leaves us as well tomorrow to go back to Port-au-Prince.

Week 1 Is Almost Gone Already!

2011-11-16T18:38:00.000-08:00

So, I forgot to mention in my last few blogs that Michel Jean was on our flight from Montreal to Haiti with her daughter but I wasn't able to see her at the airport because it took me so long to get my baggage out of the overhead bin. As usual, upon landing in Haiti, every Haitian clapped and thanked Jesus for our safe arrival. It always makes me laugh at the way some things are done in the carribean. Another thing that makes me giggle, is the odd food combinations you get. For example, this morning we had eggs, with hot dog weiners and spaghetti. The team let off some steam last night and we all drank a bit too much, so needless to say none of us were moving too quickly this morning and reamining upright for more than 15 min at a time to pack was a challenge. While we giggled our way through our hangovers, we prepared to say good bye to the kids at Sr. Flora's orphanage and to Ile a Veche.

Sr. Flora came to this island - originally from Quebec- about 28 years ago. She has 22 special needs children and over 70 other children living with her. Some of the older kids go to school in Les Cayes, crossing the sea on Monday and return Friday, boarding during the week. Some of the others go to school on the Island. There are about 450 kids on the island that go to school on the island.

The children have been so wonderful and happy to greet us each day. Damian gave us a tour today and showed us the work that Soul of Haiti has been doing. They have a building which he hopes will be a 24-hour clinic within the next year and we got to see the Cholera centre just outside the gates of the orphanage. Had it not been for this clinic, hundreds on the island would have died. When Cholera hit the mainland, everyone on the island thought that Cholera would not reach them, but becuase so many travel between the mainland and the island, it took the lives of five of the beautiful children who lived with Sr. Flora. Damian also showed us the schools that have been built. One for Catholic and one for Protestant children. He showed us water stations where the locals are given discs and they put their disc into the pump and it will dispense water. As well, he was telling us that there are hopes to create solar handwashing stations. These stations would be powered by the sun and would be sensored so that when someone puts their hands under the water it would allow the person to wash their hands. It was very inspring to see what great work other organizations are doing.

Some of the childern were not happy that we were leaving. Enrico, unfortunately, gave Karen huge crocodile tears and then proceeded to stick out his bottom lip and turned his head away from her. After only my first visit, I can understand why it is so difficult for my teammates who have been here before to leave.

The ride to Les Cayes, was great. Caryn, would not have the same story. She spent half the trip hanging off the back of the boat throwing up. Once we arrived back on the mainland, we loaded our awaiting van and headed to Jacmel, a 4 hour car ride away.

I will write more once arriving at Jacmel. The internet is better there and I will be able to blog more often. Until my next post, I am going to go and count the number of mosquito bites I have. At last count, I had over 35 on my right leg.

Next post to follow soon.

Day #4

2011-11-11T16:17:00.000-08:00

Things were amazing today. The boat was at the dock to pick us up at 9am as asked, not Haitian 9am which is more like noon. We arrived at the orphanage and got straight to work. I did complete assessments on about 12 kids today and then had fun with bubbles. Amazing photos have been taken on this trip, the children are so special and just make me want to take them all home with me. Damian gave us a tour of what Soul of Haiti has been doing on the island. We were able to see a clinic that he is working on staffing 24/7 with doctors and nurses and I saw a Cholera camp which I will post photos of later. We also saw the amazing Catholic and Protestant schools that have been built for approximately 600 children to attend school. Very humbling and brought my first lump to the back of my throat when I saw the amazing progress that has been made and the plans for the creation of a wonderful community. Went shopping at the market yesterday so it was odd to see it empty today. We were all very tired, hot and smeelly today so we swam in the ocean and then the pool at the hotel after work. Having a wonderful dinner tonight and then heading to a voodoo ceremony at 9pm. I'm a bit concerned about the 20 min walk in the dark to the location..... no more broken bones needed. Many pictures to come but I should just let you all know that I have once again found myself content, calm and feeling like I have more purpose and inspiration than I have in a long time. I have met a few new friends, Damian and Andy (an architect building the HHH rehab clinic on the guesthouse grounds). Looking forward to what the next week will bring.

Bon Bagay!

Day #3

2011-11-11T16:07:00.000-08:00

Went to the orphanage today after a challenge of getting the boat ti pick us up. Once getting to the orphanage we, worked hard and met Damian and his group of Irish workers building schools and farms throughout Haiti. The team we met (Soul of Haiti) is working with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood to build a school. They are here in Haiti and have been offering free concerts to the group every night. Nice to see that the celebrity support for Haiti is still present. Rumors are that Sean Penn and Angelina Jolie will be in this week but nothing confirmed. Saw a few children today. The funniest part of the day was that we were looking for a place in the shade to eat our lunch, and found ourselves sitting on Cholera stretchers eating lunch. Another day ended swimming in the ocean with a cold Prestige, and amazing dinner and card games over rum sours. We got to do the most amazing thing today. There is a small sandbar literally in the middle of the ocean with water about two feet deep that surrounds it, and we got to go swimming there. It is so weird to look around and realize that you are in the middle of the ocean and walking in shallow water. My teammates had a great time picking starfish out of the water and we all swam while watching the sun set. Already looking forward to tomorrow. Life is good!!

Day #2

2011-11-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

Woke up early this morning after a horrible first night sleep at the guesthouse. Dogs up barking all night long and a gunshot at sunrise got me up for the day. We were off by 9am to head for Ile le Veche and made really good time through the mountains. A 4 hour ride was great, and Wadson, Karen, Adrian and I had great conversation which made the time go faster. I won't be able to post any photos for a few days as the internet access is so horrible here on the island that only one person at a time can be online. The island is beautiful and if I showed everyone pictures of the hotel, nobody would believe that I am in Haiti. Went to Sister Flora's orphanage and met some UN workers from Paraguay. The children at the orphange range in age a great deal and were so happy to see us. Wadson put on a kite show (he is on the Haiti Kite Team) and performed magic tricks so it was a fun time for all of us and a great way to end a first day of work. Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped at a mini island in the middle of the ocean. It is an oasis about 200ft in diameter and gets about 3 feet deep. You feel like you are walking on water in the middle of the ocean. We picked starfish and enjoyed the warm waters. Afterward, we went to a private beach, jumped into the water from the boat and went for a swim while watching the sun set. I'm so happy to be back and to experience a different Haiti. The streets in Port-au-Prince are so much cleaner than last year and overall, there is a lot of building and improvements that have occurred. It's been 30 degrees before the humidity and I have forgotten how hot it gets here! Oh how I have missed Haiti!!

Day #1

2011-11-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Great first day!! My travels began yesterday at 5pm leaving Vancouver to Montreal. It was wonderful that Air Canada could check my bags all the way to Haiti this year which made the layover in Montreal so much easier. Arrived in Montreal as planned, took the wrong shuttle to the hotel which meant a quick walk at 1:30 in the morning and then slept for about an hour and a half before my wake-up call came in. Arrived at the airport in plenty of time to have a hearty breakfast. I decided to save the Air Canada lounge passes Mark was so wonderful in giving me for my trip home. The rest of the team almost didn't make it on the flight as their connection from Ottawa was late. Everyone arrived, we left 30 min late and arrived in Port-au-Prince 1 hour later. Suprisingly, all went very smoothly at the airport. The normal chaos seemed much more controlled this time and we managed to get 10 bags and be out in 1.5 hours. As usual, the humidity hits you like a brick wall, and the 30 degree temperature didn't help. That said, the instant Haiti smell is reminding me of what I miss most and seeing so many familiar faces at the guesthouse is comforting. Got my bugnet set up, and then headed off to the grocery store. It is like shopping back home in Canada, there certainly isn't much you can't buy, which still seems odd to me. Stocked up on Haitian rum and opened a Pristige beer at the guesthouse. Dinner was noodles with fake meat, french fries, piklez, salad and another mystery meat which we all think was beef. We were supposed to go to the Montana for coctails tonight but we're all pretty tired, so once we repack bags in preparation for our 7am start time tomorrow, a few games of cards will be more the speed everyone is at tonight. No pictures to post today but will try throughout the week.

Bon Bagay!

A Year Has Passed

2011-11-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

So, it's the day before I head back to Haiti and I feel so much better about this trip. I am excited to see my teammates again and the excitement that Haiti seems to bring. I have been packed for 5 days and I can't believe how much I was able to fit into my carry-on bag compared to last year. I'm not sure what I did differently, but it seems that packing 100 lbs of gear and 2-weeks worth of clothes in a carry-on was easy this year.

We'll be traveling to Ile La Veche, a small Haitian island for one week and then back to Jacmel for our final week. I will be working with a partner organization and working in a outreach clinic for 3-4 days which I am looking forward to. I will blog as often as possible but I have been told that the WiFi is horrible so I may be unable to keep in touch for a few days.

I promise to do my best to avoid breaking anything on this trip and come home in one piece.

Haiti, I've missed you and can't wait to see you!

July 2011

2011-07-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd let you all know what's been going on since my last post several months ago. I am preparing for my next trip to Haiti in November and already have my hockey bags nearly full with small toys, bubbles, and sunglasses. I had a garage sale a few weekends ago and managed to raise $340 dollars which I will be putting towards my fund raising efforts.

I am still in physiotherapy once a week for both my ankle and my shoulder but slowly on the mend. The car is fixed, there ended up being over $8000.00 damage. Now I'll get to have fun with the provincial auto insurance to get a reasonable claim settled.

First night at home with my cast/ in a lot of pain!

The day after surgery and waiting to go home

Indent from the cast for 7 weeks!

First day with cast off. Grossest thing I've ever seen!

After the wonderful pedicure. Looks pretty good!

My pretty fibreglass cast for the next 7 weeks!

6 inch plate and 7 screws!

I am looking forward to getting back to Haiti and seeing my friends from last year's team. I'll fill you in on more soon. I plan on posting much more regularly. In the meantime, here are some pictures of my fracture. Kind of cool!

Chat soon!

News Article

2011-02-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hello again, I really do miss blogging on here each day so I thought I would write an update on where things are at.

I haven't heard anything from the Burnaby Hospital Foundation about whether they are going to run a story on the amazing care I received. I hope they do, it really is a feel-good story that I think sends a positive message that our sometimes flawed health care system still has amazing individuals working to make traumatic experiences positive. So, in the interim, Meredith and Paige, two amazing nurses at Burnaby Hospital, thank you for making my time in the hospital so much better. Dr. Tarazi, you are amazing and I have had no post-op complications to speak of. My current PT told me that you are a very good surgeon and that I was lucky to have you operate on my ankle.

I have started physio and Kristie has told me that a complete recovery is expected. She stated that I'm already a bit ahead of the game in terms of ROM and has provided me exercises to do at home. I'll see her twice a week because in her words: "I really want to work that foot". I was in a car accident two weeks ago. I was rear-ended at at least the marked speed limit by a young distracted driver. His car was a write-off, and mine has just over $8,000.00 damage to it. I subsequently hit a car and that driver hit the car in front of her. It could have been so much worse had I been driving a smaller vehicle so I have some lucky gods looking out for me again!! Aside from a left shoulder that is also now getting physio, I'm totally fine and was not seriously injured.

I will post the recent news article that was published. This article is a follow up to the 1st one that ran before I left to Haiti.

Peace Arch News - Healing Hands

I'll keep posting over the coming months so that there is not a huge break between this and my next trip which will occur in November.

Bon Bagay!

My Haiti Compilation

2011-02-04T13:59:00.001-08:00

The Cast Has Come Off........

2011-01-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

So, I wanted to give everyone a quick update. It's been 7 weeks since returning from Haiti and my ankle fracture has healed enough to have my cast removed yesterday, YEAH!!

I am literally learning to walk again. I started with my aircast and crutches (because I was too scared to actually put my foot down) to one crutch to a runner and a cane and now I can walk without any support by the end of the day. I have a visible limp, it reminds me of how I was getting around in Haiti but my pain is minimal.

Reflecting on the past 7 weeks, I feel very fortunate that the events that happened did so for a reason. While this expreience was far from fun, it taught me to be more patient, to have to learn to ask others for help more than I do and that it's okay to do that, and to just sit and be with myself at times.

Before heading off to Hawaii with my mom this morning, I wanted to thank everyone at Burnaby Hospital. The two nurses that stand out for me are Meredith and Paige. The OR nurses were fantastic and made me feel like I was in good hands! Dr. Tarazi is amazing! Not only did he leave me with a scar that after only 7 weeks is barely visible, was so kind, gentle and supportive and explained everything to me along the way. Edgardo in the cast clinic is the best tech I've ever met!! Not only is he very knowledgable, he went far beyond what he needed to when re-casting me 5 weeks ago to ensure I'd be comfortable and in alignment. He made me look forward to my cast clinic appointments!
Overall, this experience has been positive thanks to the great team at Burnaby Hospital! Thank you for helping me heal well enough that I am heading to Hawaii cast free!

Mom and I in Hawaii and I only have a walking cast!

A month later

2010-12-15T21:23:00.000-08:00

So, it's been a month since returning from Haiti. While I can't believe that an entire month has passed, it also seems like it's been an eternity. I went in two weeks ago to have my post-op plaster cast removed fully expecting to be placed in a walking cast and was shocked to find out that I had to put in another 4 weeks non-weight bearing. Needless to say, it was not a proud moment for me and I am now sporting a bubble gum pink fibreglass cast which is much more comfortable and less heavy. Mom arrived 3 days ago to help me out and already we were able to get out and get all of my Christmas shopping completed. It felt so good to get this accomplished and I am noticing that I am getting stronger and can go much further on my crutches.
Mom went into a few stores for me that had too many stairs, but I ventured into a few and even learned how to go up a curb with crutches which was a big deal for me. I called in advance, and found out that Walmart has complimentary wheelchairs and despite it not always being my preferred place to shop, I was appreciative of this service. It felt really good to be out and about for 3 hours and being able to navigate around on my own. A taste of freedom I haven't experienced in 3 weeks. That said, I also felt very guilty watching mom make 5 trips from the car into the house bringing in all of the gifts and groceries we purchased.
Daily activities are getting less exhausting and I can be on my crutches for a while now. I feel much more safe leaving the house with crutches. My foot doesn't like being down and regularly goes quite purple and swells badly before I can get it elevated enough to see my regular skin tone return. My shoulders still ache alot but I am starting to feel like if I can just make it through next week, I'll have turned a corner and the end will be in sight.
I'll keep in touch and let you know how the cast removal went on Jan 7/11. Mom and I leave for Hawaii the next day, so hopefully I will be feeling the sand between all 10 toes!!

Bon bagay!

Update

2010-11-27T12:20:00.000-08:00

So, I have a lot to report since my last blog entry.

I went to the hospital last Thursday morning and found out that I did in fact fracture my left fibula in two places (spiral fracture) just above my maleolus (ankle). It was a clean break and in line, but had shifted 2mm to the mid-line and the ER doctor referred me to the on-call orthopedic surgeon. This meant a 45 minute drive to Burnaby Hospital where Dr. Dunwoody who is amazing told me that he would recommend surgery due to the nature of the break and my age. I certainly wasn't expecting to hear that I needed surgery, so I left the hospital needing some time to process the information. I also felt that this was all quite dramatic considering I had been walking on a broken ankle for 9 days and it seemed to be improving. After consulting with a few friends in the medical profession, I decided on Friday morning to head back to the hospital and be added to the "add-on" list for surgical repair. Alethea and Robin drove me to the hospital on Friday evening and helped to get me settled in my room. I was admitted to the 4th floor Unit 4C where the nurses were fantastic. The hospital was as clean as I have seen and I was the youngest patient on the orthopedic unit by about 40 years.

Saturday morning arrived and Nelson, Alethea and the girls brought me Tim Hortons (the first since returning from Haiti) for breakfast and spent 2 hours with me which was wonderful. I was hoping that I would be called in for surgery later that day, but I was presented with a brown paper bag around 8pm that evening that contained a sandwich and applesauce......... obviously I wasn't going for surgery.

Sunday came and went, the same drill, maybe by lunch, then maybe by dinner and again, the same paper bag was offered. At this point, I had not eaten for more than 24 hours, I had an IV in my hand since Friday night and was feeling very weak, tired and lethargic. Nelson, Alethea and the girls came back to see me for a few hours but I know I wasn't very good company as I was feeling pretty sick and frustrated that I had spent more than 48 hours unable to go further than the end of the hallway while awaiting surgery.

Finally, on Monday morning, the nurse let me know that I was officially scheduled for surgery between 10 and 11am and sure enough, at 10:45am, I was wheeled down to OR. I was never so happy to be going for surgery. The anathesiologist commented that I looked nervous, and I quickly responded that the reason my pupils were so dilated, was because I was starving so he should hurry up and put me to sleep so we could get this over with. I woke up about 1.5 hours later in the recovery room to a wonderful nurse who gave me some fantastic medication for my post-op pain which was downright horrible.

I was returned to my room feeling like I couldn't keep my eyes open and fighting several waves of nausea but the best friends in the world, Nelson and Alethea again came to my rescue and brought me a "girl" happy meal for dinner. I fought through throwing it up in front of them a few times from the nausea but fell into a drug-induced coma shortly after they left. I received three more rounds of antibiotics through my IV before being discharged the following morning.

I am now at home using a walker to get around. I feel like one of the residents that resides in the facility that I work. It is very hard to use a walker and only weight-bear on one side. I find that I can only go short distances before fatiguing and needing to rest. This has been an eye-opener for me and makes me realize how quickly your independence can be taken away! I went back to work on Thursday and Friday this week and I'm feeling very frustrated and a bit depressed. I'm tired of not being able to to anything that I want. Not properly showering or washing my hair is just downright gross and outside of Haiti not socially appropriate. I want to nap all of the time and my house is slowly falling apart.

I have an appointment scheduled at the cast clinic this coming Friday (6 more sleeps) and I hope that if I am told I can't start walking on my left foot, that I can at least start wearing my aircast again and weight-bearing. I want nothing more than to get rid of this walker. My shoulders hurt and I've gotten into the habit of counting the number of steps it takes me to get to various locations around the house. Right now, I regret making the decision to have surgery, so I am living on the hope that I will be cast free in less than a week so I can at least start getting out of the house and doing the simple things we all take for granted. The irony, all I wanted to do is come home and be able to take hot showers, and since being home I've only been able to take one..... I feel like I'm back in Haiti again!!

First Day At Home

2010-11-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

It was great to get home yesterday. After spending the night in Montreal and getting my first hot shower, I was suprised that my body didn't enjoy the idea of hot water as much as my brain wanted. I ended up having a lukewarm shower which was still wonderful. I arrived in Vancouver around 11am yesterday to Alethea and the girls and felt so wonderful to have a great friend pick me up. Robin was happy to see Aunty and Meagan was full of smiles. After getting home, I decided to leave all my luggage outside. It is suprisingly cold here since I left and snow is in the forcast for the weekend. I was getting in the Christmas spirit before leaving but now, it seems so odd to be thinking of Christmas. I decided to unpack a few items and was saddened that the only piece that didn't survive the trip home was a beautiful soapstone vase I had packed in my carry-on. I think it got broken when the guys were packing the van. I'm going to try to crazy glue it back together today.

I talked to Wes, mom and Tammy on the phone and it was great to be at home and enjoying some comforts we take for granted. I had to go to bed early tonight as I was so cold, I couldn't get warm.

I fell asleep quickly last night and woke up at 4:30am. I think my body was waiting for the roosters crowing and I was suprised at the stillness and quite of it here. The "anchor" is still healing and is throbbing badly this morning so I will be heading to the emergency to get an xray today. I thought about getting up and going now, but I'm enjoying laying in my bed.

I'm missing my teammates quite badly today and thinking about Gail, Fiona, Bernice, all of the great people still in Haiti and wishing I was there. I am also thinking of Noel who took such good care of us, Cyril who hired an amazing driver that got us to Jacmel in the dark safely, Christoff who treated us very well in Jacmel and when I started to think of Nathalie, the little girl we visited in her home, the tears came fast and furious. I had a good cry this morning, and I'm expecting that over the coming days or weeks, this spontaneous emotion will likely occur.

I already want to start planning for my next trip, and I am feeling very grateful for the opportunity that I was given. I met so many amazing people during my time in Haiti and I will keep each of them in my thoughts!

I used this in a previous post, but it has a very different meaning to me now that I have returned and I hope to keep the simplicity of life in Haiti with me as I get back into my life in Canada.

Life is too short

to wake up in the morning with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right,

forgive about the ones who don't

and believe that everything

happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it.

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said that it'd be easy,

they just promised

it would be worth it.

I had a chance, and I grabbed it with both hands this time, it has changed my life and I can't wait to do it all over again! Life your life, take a chance and experience the moments as they happen. I learned on this adventure that where there is pain and poverty there is also beauty and happiness, you just have to look a little harder.

Bon Bagay!

Until Next Time

2010-11-16T09:14:00.000-08:00

This will be my last blog entry before leaving Haiti, and I woke up feeling very nostalgic about the past two weeks. It seems like I've been here much longer and yet it has gone by so very quickly. I enjoyed waking up under my bug net this morning listening to the morning noises and the rooster that wakes us all up every morning around 4am. Last night, we had a trubador band come to the guesthouse and play music for about an hour and a half and with a few rum sours on board, I was able to get up and dance one last time.

I've been fighting back tears most of the day and I'm not sure why. I'm excited to get home and have a hot shower and wash 2 week old conditioner out of my hair that I have never quite been able to rinse out but sad to be leaving a group of amazing people that I've spent a considerable amount of time with this past two weeks.

We're all leaving with a part of Haiti, unfortunately for Sarah, she's leaving with a stomach bug that has her laid out flat right now. I'm leaving with an ankle that Dr.Moise tells me is likely fractured and all of us have far too many bug bites to count.

Haiti, I have a love/hate relationship with you.

Here are some of the most frequently heard comments on this trip:

-Just for giggles, let's wear our seatbelts
-Which is worth more points, a baby or a pig
-Hurry and wait
-TIH ( thisi is Haiti)
-Hey I can get that to fit in my hockey bag
-What is this in American money?
-It's haiti time
-Do you have a Haitian bellybutton
-Make sure Todd's looking at you
-Where's the "others"
-Is everyone here, how many of us are there?
-What happens in Haiti stays in Haiti
-Shithead/Asshole
-Whatever you do, don't drink the water! Keep your mouth closed!
-What's the ASL sign for beer?
-I owe you for how many Prestige?
-I should have brought my fishing rod
-Five Haitians and a mule
-When's dinner?
-How is it possible to sweat and smell this bag?
-Do you think I could wear this one more time?
-Good morning sirs, I love you.
-I'm fine.
-Sleep when you're dead
-Expect the unexpected
-If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down
-The "anchor" or it kind of looks like a dragon
-I don't know, we'll ask Gail
-I forgot to take my Malerone
-Crocs aren't good for hiking
-Who has the bottle of rum sour
-More Pikliz and Acra please!
-A-mule-lance
-I'll never get used to a cold shower
-I forgot to put on my Haitian purfume
-What's that smell?
-Team Canada: hurricane, earthquake, riots, broken ankle and maybe Cholera

We are hearing that there are riots in Cap Haitian against UN Troops as it is widely believed here that the Cholera outbreak was introduced to Haiti when UN troops arrived from Nepal. We are hoping that everything goes smoothly when we arrive at the airport later today, but so far Port-au-Prince is quiet.

Bon Bagay!

Me, Myself & I

2010-11-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's an overcast Saturday morning but very humid. After saying goodbye to my teammates, I sit by the pool. There would have been a considerable amount of hiking involved in going to Basin Bleu, a beautiful waterfall in Jacmel, so I decided not to go. BOO! I've tried to keep myself busy, read a few chapters from my book, painted my toenails, did laundry in the sink and took a nap. Time seems to stand still in Haiti. I can't believe that I only woke up 4 hours ago, and I was tired enough to take an hour long nap. How am I going to get back into my "regular" life?

It's been a busy few days. On Thursday we were honored with the privilege of going out and doing home visits to see children and their families that due to their disability or transportation are not able to attend Pazapa school. We visited two families and I came close to breaking down a few times when I realized where I was. People who don't know us, graciously invite us into their home with as much trust as you would give to your closest friends. We ask tons of questions, most often requiring Karen to interpret, and for a short while invade their home. I can't explain what it is like to be lead down a dusty pot-filled dirt road to a small shack and invited with kisses on the cheek because you're there to help a little girl laying on a bed with CP. We found out about this little girl through an orphanage run by Americans called Hands and Feet. Their maintenance manager is leaving the country and by Haitian standards "adopted" her but is not allowed to legally leave the country with her. Her name was Nathalie, and she hammed it up! Full of smiles despite us putting her in and out of her wheelchair several times to try to get it to fit her better and then me holding this timy little underweight body in my arms doing chest clapping to loosen the mucus from her lungs. She was cared by a lady who took her in after she had been abandoned on the steps of a church.

At this point, it was mid-afternoon and I didn't think it was possible for me to sweat as much as I was. It was dripping off me but despite the heat we went to see Gaylain, another little girl with CP. Her wheelchair required modifications, so there wasn't really anything for me to do but her older sister played hide-and-go-seek and tossed a ball around with me for about 45 min! So much fun, a very happy little girl who loved having some attention with a stranger for a small moment in time. Again, her parents were so thankful Adrian and Laura were able to fix her chair and dad watched very intently to make sure he knew what was being changed in case he had to do it in the future. This has been the most profound experience I've had since being here and I find tears rolling down my face as I write. I don't know if it will be something that I will be able to talk about when returning home without becoming very emotional each time I think about how few people get to really see how most Haitians live everyday.

Later in the day, we did some shopping in downtown Jacmel. We met a man (I think his name was Tut Tut) who led us around to several stores. Well, they weren't really stores, they were small rooms that had no electricity and were dark and dusty but what we scored some beautiful art pieces. The artisans of Jacmel are most famous for their paper mache masks and we saw some amazing ones! Again, we got lucky and were able to walk the streets of Jacmel without getting swarmed or worried about our safety. Everyone was very respectful and freindly. Only Adrian got into a bit of trouble with a man on the street that tried to sell him old, mouldy Haitian cigars. I found some later in another store, which he bought and we tried one out later in the evening by the pool. Karen told us that there is a competition that must be had while in Jacmel. It is to see how many people can fit on a motorcycle at the same time. So far, Adrian is winning with 4 adults. So, of course, Laura asked the question that I will likely never hear again. "What is worth more, a baby or a pig"? Cyril who owns Tour Haiti and is Haitian, clarified that a pig is indeed worth more because it covers more surface area than a baby and is harder to hold. Just another reason why I'm loving it here...... the craziness of it all!

Friday was a quiet day for me. I got to do a bit of basic wound care with a few kids that had minor scratches and follow up on a wound that I had cleaned up on Wednesday. A young deaf boy had fallen off his bike and when he showed me his knee, the skin was almost gone to the bone and was covered with a dirty scrap of cloth and wrapped with some sort of tape that was peeling off. It was infected, covered with rocks and dirt and looked horrible. I got it cleaned up and when he came back on Friday to see me, I was happy to see pink skin at the base and was starting to heal. I realized that I came ill-prepared for this trip. Next time, I would bring a standard nursing assessment for all the children as there wer no nursing notes other than immunizations and diagnosis noted and I would do a quick head-to-toe on every child. The home visits would also be a great opportunity to do health teaching with the parents if I had brought basic information in Creole. Hygiene kits for the home would have also been great.

Sarah and Laura joined us on this leg of the trip and they have been wonderful to work with. They are so knowledgable and very innovative. As we were all working during home visits, I started to think that this is such a great idea, why don't things like this happen back home. To have an entire team come in at once and find resolutions to challenges makes sense. While Adrian and Laura were working on the chair, I was doing some chest physio and Karen and Sarah would do speech and OT assessments. There was no competition, we each had our specialty and left feeling like we made a difference in this little girl's quality of life.

I remember saying a few months ago, that I get to go to Haiti. More than ever I feel that sentiment today. It doesn't take too long before you get used to being dirty, hot, sweaty and wearing the same clothes many days in a row. You also reflect on how amazingly fortunate we are to live in a country that offers us safety, security, opportunities for personal development, basic healthcare and the right to live as free-thinking individuals.

I belive things happen for a reason and I think me spending some time by myself today to reflect on what I have seen here is good for me. I don't think I'm going to process everything that I have experienced until I get home and try to get back into ordinary life. Right now, in this moment, I feel relaxed, calm and knowing that I need to keep Haiti close to my heart when I go home.

A little boy watching us pack up at Pazapa

An amazing team!

My favorite photo!

1st Day in Jacmel

2010-11-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

It's been almost 24 hours since my last blog and I have a lot to report.

We left for Jacmel several hours later than expected due to several unforseen circumstances (again, "this is Haiti" motto applies). While Adrian and I were trying to bring down heavy hockey bags to be loaded into the van so we would be ready to go, I made the unfortunate mis-step and had a fall that has resulted in a significant sprain to the ankle. I stepped on a loose rock and went down backward on a very steep set of stairs and realized that the "pop" I heard was probably not a good thing but since my foot was still pointing in the right direction and not wanting to make a big deal out of it, I walked down the rest of the stairs and back up before a team member commented on how pale I looked. Long story short, I severly sprained my ankle and have had it wrapped since yesterday. I can weight-bear but am going up and down stairs one at a time and hobbling around. With much Ibruprophen on board and the shockingly hot weather today, it is starting to feel better but is very swollen and is bruising considerably. The team is taking good care of me and I am trying to not be a clutz for the rest of the trip. Karen tells me that there has to be one person on each trip that gets really sick or hurts themselves. Nobody has got sick yet, so I guess I've taken one for the team on this!

We arrived at Hotel Cyvadier at 8pm and they had arranged a lobster dinner for us. The rooms are modest and you still can't flush toilet paper, but it is beautiful and when I woke up the private cove and beach is breathtaking. After driving through the worst area of Port-au-Prince last night where even our driver locked the doors, I feel like I am in paradise. The food is amazing and this experience is very different from being in the city.

Today started with a visit to Pazapa, a day school for children with disabilities and is the only one of it's kind in Haiti. Because their building was so damaged in the earthquake, they have been relocated to a field that is outside in wooden structures and two tents. The children are very well cared for and are very happy. Their parents attend and are very eager to learn. I was overwhelmed by the heat today but most struck by an encounter I had with a young deaf man who arrived to school in the afternoon needing a nurse. He had a huge gash on his knee that was a result of falling off of his bike two days earlier. With the traffic being the way it is in Haiti, I can't help but wonder if he fell to save his own life because he couldn't hear a car coming. After I bandaged him up and told him I would be back on Friday and I wanted to see him he was very happy. I found his wound covered with a dirty, scrap of materal. A simple bandaid to stop the bleeding wasn't available so he used what he could and it could have potentially caused him to acquire a serious infection.

The kids today were amazing and just wanted to have their picture taken and played with. We are going to do home visits tomorrow which I am very happy about and then back to Pazapa on Friday.

After work, we went for a swim in the ocean. The water was like being in a warm bath and a perfect way to end a hot and sweaty day. Afterward, we went into Jacmel to do some shopping and were able to walk the streets with our driver close behind. It is so different being in Jacmel. We would never be able to walk the streets in Port-au-Prince, but in Jacmel, we were not swarmed and I felt very safe despite attracting attention. It is overwheming to look into a 10X10 foot tent and see that it has been turned into a home for a family. When we returned to the hotel and I was trying to get internet access, I asked the man behind the desk how his day was and he said "Not very good". When I asked him why he said it was because he had a headache and his chest was heavy. I asked him if he had a cough and established that he did not seem to have an infection but a common cold. I also asked if he had any medicine, and he said: "No, I just have to come to work". I have a ton of medicine that I could give him for the next 24 hours that would take his misery away, but if everyone else at the hotel finds out I have medicine, then they will also expect me to help. I had a very difficult time with this notion today.

Had lobster for dinner again and headed for an early night and an 8am start time tomorrow. I love it here and totally understand the love/hate relationship that you acquire with Haiti.

Clinic Day

2010-11-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Everyone was in bed quite early last night after an evening swim with a beer. Unfortunately, I did not sleep through the night. Just kept waking up on and off and wondered if it was my body's way of not letting me miss a minute of the time I have left in Haiti. The sounds at night are amazing, tropical birds, palm trees rustling in the wind and the distant music from the shanty town.

I got up early and got dressed to head out to the clinic with Fiona today. She workes for HH and helps to run a rehab clinic for SCI patients (spinal cord injury). I was able to work alongside a nurse and the doctor. They allowed me to do an assessment on a 31 year old woman named Martha. She was a masters of communications and marketing student on full scholorship at the time of the earthquake and was stuck under rubble for 16 hours. She was left with a partial spinal cord injury in her lumar region and walked into the clinic with the assistance of a walker. It almost brought me to tears that she had the physical strength and will to get herself to the clinic amid all of the rubble. She is currently living in a shelter which has many stairs so it is very difficult for her to get to and from her home. The doctor told Martha that he was concerned about her bladder management and told her that he wants her to do intermittent cathertizing every 4 hours to prevent UTI and other complications. Although he was speaking to her in Creole and I could only make out some of the conversation, you could see the sadness in her eyes that this was one more obstacle she would have to figure out each day. After a few moments, she said "lè nou kòmanse" which means When do we start? The doctor mentioned after her physio and she attacked her physio regime like no patient I have ever seen. She told me that sometimes she is afraid to go inside becuase she can't move quickly if there was another earthquake. Many people here are afraid to go indoors and sleeping inside after being through a magnitude 7.0 earthquake is unsettling.

Fiona showed me some wounds that they have healed that would have been challenging for physicians and nurses to heal with all of our fancy wound care products. They went back to basics, packing, betadine and hydrocolliod and have given back quality of life to so many requiring rehab services! I was very proud today to see what phenomonal work is going on at the clinic and made me think that spending 6 months here would be so amazing to follow someone through their complete recovery.

I spent 3 hours at the clinic before having to get picked up to head back to the guesthouse so that we could get a driver to take us to Jacmel. We will be doing some work at Pazapa Among the facilities destroyed in the earthquake is Pazapa (Creole for "Step by step"), a charity run from two buildings in downtown Jacmel, which helps disabled children. The charity's two rented buildings suffered condemning damage, just after the children left for the day. We will be working outside while here, so we are hoping for sunshine and great weather.

I have no new photos to post for this entry, but hope to have some soon from Jacmel. The shopping is apparently amazing and I hope to pick up some artwork for my next fundraiser.

Bon Bagay!

Maisons du Enfantes Handicapes (MEH)

2010-11-08T17:35:00.000-08:00

I woke up early this morning despite being startled awake at 3am to gunfire that sounded very close. We asked Noel later in the day why there would be gunfire at that time and he stated it was probably due to a warning shot from the guard towards someone who got too close. Karen got eaten alive last night and we all think it is because she didn't have enough alcohol in her system.

Karen, Bernice and I went off to MEH ( Maision du Enfantes Handicapes). We saw eight children and each took some time to do an assessment. Afterward, we gave out a few toys and played with the children before getting picked up and headed to the co-op for a quick shopping trip. The orphanage was located in downtown Port-au-Prince and it was the first time that I felt a bit uneasy in the van. When we were leaving we had to stand outside the gates for about 5 min waiting for Joel to pick us up. I truely showed my "vigin" colours when I walked out forgettng that my camera was still hanging from my shoulder and Karen noticed people staring at me. I put it away and then tried to stand with my back to the gate. It was the first time people were looking at us as "blancs" and it made me realize how much more careful I need to be.

We are a small group today. Carlie and Karen went to Cap-Haitian, Lynn and Delyn went to Il-a-Veche and and Todd (our new member who is a deaf IT engineer ........... and quite handsome) joined the group last night. Karen, Dee and Todd Ryan and Erin all headed out the the deaf camp today. It was a camp initiated to protect the deaf and their family from being robbed or taken advantage of.

Team meeting tonight, Ryan announced that he got a partnership with Habitat For Humanity that will begin in January 2011. This is a huge deal for EPHAS.

We had goat for dinner with creamed corn and vegetables and we topped up the Prestige beer. We will be staying home tonight as we have sent the drivers home and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot going. The music outside has started, I have a Prestige by my side and the warm air coming through the shutters on my back, life couldn't be more simple and perfect.

A few photos from today!