The Physicians for Peace Org. staffs our clinic with 3 PT's. These PTs are awesome. They begin therapy day 1 that a prosthesis is provided. What a perfect world...here in Haiti.?! The patients, upon delivery stay at L'Escale. L'Escale is a boarding house type facility about a mile from the clinic. There they stay and come to therapy @ the Hanger Clinic for 1-2 weeks until the therapists deem them ready to go home.
It was a very rewarding day. I had the pleasure of fitting a patient named Stevenson. He had a Hip Disarticulation (whole leg, gone up to the hip + butt bone, for they lay people). I choose him, cause I knew that my buddy Brian Heckathorn had casted and modified the socket. How many people get that pleasure, to see the fruits of another friend+colleague's labor? Jo'el, the Haitian technician was very proud to tell me he made that leg...pointing to he lamination of the socket. I think Brian trimmed it out. It fit really well. With a few minor adjustments and training, Stevenson, a young man of 14yr was walking with no parallel bars. No cane. No walker.
I should be able to see him progress and follow up with adjustments till he graduates and goes home.
Well done Brian.
Interesting set of circumstances...I have come many thousands of miles to work in Haiti with 2 other people born in Binghamton, NY. I was born there too. Must be in the water.
One is Luke, an awesome PT, from Phys. For peace. who seems to share my affinity for the endorphins that reward runners and cyclists. (I am sure we will discuss the barefoot trend as the weeks progress). The other is Mary, a meteorologist turned logistics coordinator for Phys. For Peace. Spiedi Festival anyone?
Did I tell you it starts getting light here around 4:30am?
Did I tell you that chickens and roosters kinda have free roam?
You know what roosters do when the sun starts to rise?
Did I tell you it was hot?
Brendan mentioned something about butt chafe...but then I could be wrong, it was hard to hear him through the rooster and the heat.
Au revoir
PDA
Abby and i viewed your complete profile and we were very impressed with all the details we didnt know about you! We are all very proud of you and are glad you are having a good experience even if the roosters wake you up at 430. Keep up the good work and we enjoy reading the blog!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Your Vernon Family!
Paulie, how is the local brew? Any bug bites yet? Have you started a nightly crit?
ReplyDeleteScott
So just how hot is it?
ReplyDeleteRemember you were trained for heat, here in Cary NC.
What is a nightly crit?