Home Care in Haiti

Well, as you can see from the pictures the prosthetic clinic has been a little slow.  I am assured they are still in need of O&P volunteers.

Cornelia is my lead practitioner.  She has been here off and on for I believe for nearly 4 years.  Her time finishes in 6 weeks.  The new lead practitioner, Ralf, is also here.  He is getting the lay of the land from Cornelia.  Ralf will be here one year.

It was already planned that today would be a HomeCare visit...which as you can see from the photos, it is no easy task.  Prior to my arrival, the hospital had already planned to provide a wheelchair to a little girl in the mountains.  But as any one who has made home visits can tell you preparation is king.  In our case it meant brining physical therapists, prosthetists, technicians....and others.

If it were a helicopter ride I think it would have taken 10 minutes.  The ride in the HAS car took an hour...traveling mostly 10mph over simply crazy terrain.  I know what bobblehead dolls fee like, now.

I didn't take any photos of the little girl we were going to see.  It didn't seem right.  I think the one picture where you can sort of see her in the background gives you an idea of things.  She was 8yrs old.  She was the size of a 4yr old.  She suffers from cerebral palsy.  She doesn't walk or stand.

I don't know how to describe this lifestyle in the mountains.  I want to say simple.  Which describes the amount of material things, but I think life here is far from simple.  Here in such a remote area there is no real way to care for others in the way you need.  The mother is absent.  It is a couple of aunts that care for her.  There is no "child services". Life here is active. Natalie, the Haitian physical therapist said that when she visited the girl previously to evaluate and assess; she would often find her in the house, lying on a dirt floor...alone.

I know how difficult it is to imagine what this child knows and feels, but here is a person that is not being treated like a person.  I prefer to think that this is not because her family does not want to care for her.  Rather, they simply don't have the knowledge or ability.

Of course getting her fit with a decent wheelchair will provide a better natural resting position for her body and head.  Our bodies are healthier and happier this way this way.  Our hope is that this will be utilized a little.  I like to think that if she is upright, she will also be more recognized, engaged and loved.

Adime

Chov Blanc