Day Four

After our morning devotional, I went to check on Joseph. His spirit is incredible. He was walking around with crutches, less than 24 hours after his amputation! He had a huge smile on his face as he mastered the stairs in front of the hospital...he is 20 and just lost his leg! He is strong and resilient. I pray that the cancer left with his leg. He is my favorite patient, interesting that he is in the same post op cot that Sondi stayed in. We spent a lot of time together today, playing games and drawing. He enjoyed listening to my ipod, which got passed from patient to patient. I'm so glad I had it, it was a hit and brought a smile to a lot of faces. I am grateful to be on the floor and out in the tent today, as the OR was a bit much for me yesterday. I love giving toys out to the children. We are half way through the week, I am so grateful to be here.

Morning devotional

Me and Joseph walking the halls

Joseph mastering the stairs. Derek had to tell him it was time to head back to rest,
Joseph wanted to keep practicing the stairs.

Joseph and his beautiful sister. She stayed by his side the entire time he was in the hospital.

The Canada tent. Long term, low maintenance patients live here as
do several families that have no where else to go. I always enjoy spending time out here, it is a nice break from the hospital.

We drove across Port-Au-Prince this evening and had a fabulous dinner at the Pizza Garden with Phil Hudson. It was a nice change from the rice and beans. It seemed that we had driven right out of Haiti because the atmosphere was much nicer than what we have been experiencing. The drive was long and bumpy both ways, but it was a lovely evening and a nice break from our reality here in Haiti. Derek had to go back to the hospital with Dr. Judson after dinner to put a chest tube in a patient with a collapsed lung.

Group photo, out of scrubs!
Jessica (hospital staff), Dr. Jeff Chen (Anesthesiologist), Dr. Judson (Cardiovascular Surgeon), Dr. John Reidell (General Surgeon), Me, Dr. George Faries (General Surgeon), Dr. Demuth (Orthopedic Surgeon), LeAnn (OR Nurse), Dr. Cindy Demuth (Pediatrician), Dr. Rubbo (Orthopedic Surgeon), Derek (Orthopedic Surgeon), "Nana Pam" (Nurse)