April 5 Report from Team 4 in Haiti

Yesterday afternoon a young nurse named Annie came in and said she had to work ICU by herself from 11 PM to 7 AM. She is a nurse of 8 months and said she was scared to death. I told her I was use to working nights and had basic 1st Aid training and would help her. She was so happy just to have another person with her she accepted my offer.

There were 3 patients in ICU last night. Bed 1 was a young man that while swimming tangled with a boat propeller. Both of his feet were cut and mangled badly , losing his left big toe. Bed 2 was a man that was in a bank during a robbery , and was shot by the police by mistake. He waited 6 weeks before going for treatment and now is very serious. Bed 3 is a man that was riding a motorcycle and hit by a bus. He has been in the ICU for 8 days. He is on a ventilator. About 2 AM while Annie was tying to give him some suction everything bad happen at once. His O2 ran out and she had me run and get man that changes the cylinders.

When he still wasnt responding , his condition worsen, she ran for help, then doctors were called. The doctor's work was not helping and I noticed patient one motioning for me. With chapped lips he told me to tell the doctor to "bag him". Now I have been around enough doctors to know they do not listen to patients trying to tell them how to do their job. I moved over to Bed 3 and was about to whisper this to Annie when patient one yelled out "BAG HIM" . The doctor said yes do this. Patient one gave order after order, telling them if they were doing something wrong , or right. By the time they sent for the head of the hospital and the respiratory experts the man was already calming down. Patient one had saved the man's life. It turns out that he is a critial care respiratory expert. His sister was also the person that started the hospital here. Coincidence? NOPE God in control.

Betty leaves today, we will miss her so much. Tomorrow Velda and I leave.

1 Corinthians 2:2
- Bill