Success Story

The success story of the day is a 7 month-old boy who went home today. Fourteen days ago he was abandoned by the front entrance to the hospital. The story is that his mother died a month or so ago and Dad left him to be cared for. Good thing he did. The boy would not have lasted the night.

Theodore weighed only 3.3 kg, which is a good weight for a newborn. He was septic and severely malnourished. He responded well to antibiotics and nutrition. I did the numbers and yesterday he took in 160 cal per kg body weight. Some weight loss diets for adults are in the range of 1500 calories a day. Ted took in a third of that! His body has a lot of catching up to do. 

A Haitian woman who works in the hospital decided to "adopt" Theodore and he left today with a new set of parents. They look great.

His bed will likely be filled overnight. There are only so many beds and the hospital is very strict about limiting admissions to fit the available beds.  

Baggage Concerns

When I arrived at the gate in Miami for my connecting flight to Port au Prince, the lady at check-in advised I could not board. The plane was visible and the scheduled take off was still 15 minutes away. I had hustled from the arrival gate because the plane from Las Vegas was delayed leaving Nevada and therefore late arriving in Miami. Still, I made it. But the American Airlines person refused to board me.

"But, I'm  here, and the plane isn't scheduled to leave for 15 minutes," I questioned.

"No, your luggage will not make it and you must travel with your luggage." 

I resigned myself to another 3 hours in the airport.

On arrival in Haiti I waited patiently for my luggage at the new modern carousel in the arrivals area, and 45 minutes later, when the conveyor belt stopped, my luggage was no where to be seen. Defeated again, I went to the American Airlines counter and inquired. 

"Oh, are you Mr. Robson," the person inquired?

"Yes," I responded. 

"Your luggage arrived on an earlier flight," she replied.

I was just grateful that both bags were there.  

The customs fellow asked me if there were any drugs in my bag. He was in a real rush.

"No," I lied, and he let me through.   

So, there it is.  I've arrived. 

  

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

The title, one of William Blake's Proverbs, implies that there is a rhythm to life that matches the seasons. Young people are meant to learn, middle aged people to teach, and older people to enjoy the fruit of a lifetime of labor. I'm not certain how I fit in with Blake's wisdom. This trip is still about learning. My role is always to teach as well as to treat. I do not recollect an adventure or a job that I have not enjoyed.  

Tonight is the eve of the solstice, the day the sun "stands still," the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the start of winter. I will arrive in Haiti on the solstice. This winter will find me learning, teaching, and hopefully, enjoying while in Haiti.

This blog is posted from Las Vegas, where I am waiting for the red-eye flight to Miami, to catch an early morning flight to Port au Prince. Las Vegas is one hour behind Calgary and three hours behind Haiti. I'm tired, mostly wound up with the excitement of the trip. Once I board my flight for Miami, I expect to fall asleep very promptly and wake up five hours later in Miami. I expect I will sleep further on the flight to Haiti. Big day tomorrow.

When I arrive in Haiti the temperature will be 18 Celsius (65 F) and back home the high for the day will be -18 C (0 F). Quelle difference! The humidity will envelop me the second I step off the plane and my skin will luxuriate in this warm air bath.

The flight attendant on the Air Canada flight asked me if the conditions in Haiti are better. I hope so, but I don't know. I've read that the conditions have not changed much. Life goes on in Haiti. Que sera sera. There has been progress. About 700,000 thousand of the million people who moved into tents after the quake now have a better home. Some of the humanitarian aid money has changed some lives. Whether the aid plans put in motion after the quake have made a difference will not likely be answered for a decade. I hope the children of the quake will have education, health care, and a future. I hope, looking back, that their parents will feel confident about their future. If everyone does something to help Haiti, perhaps they will never need to look back. I hope. 

Thank You

Many individuals helped out with my preparations for Haiti. Thank you!

Physician colleagues donated supplies and pharmaceuticals to take to Haiti. Thank you Dr. Marilyn Lee, Dr. Rick Ward, Dr. Aladdin Geleidi, Dr. Abdel-Malak, and Dr. Nariman Marzouk.

Many families in my practice expressed support for this project. I am delighted to carry these good wishes from Canadian families to parents and children in Haiti.

Health Partners International (Canada) provided medications for me to take to Haiti. Thank you Claudia Sighomnou and Mike Crawley with HPI. 

Andy Chiew, friend and pharmacist, obtained the immunizations I needed for the trip and he also donated a glucometer for me to take.

Kelsey and Anneline, the two terrific individuals who make my office run so well, helped with many tasks, and without their daily help over the last month, I would not be able to leave Calgary so well prepared.

Christine, my daughter, sent me a SteriPEN, an ultraviolet water sterilizer developed for use with 1 liter MEC bottles.

My friends and family offered lots of helpful advice and support.

Thank you all!!!

Worms in Haiti

Soil transmitted helminths (STHs), commonly known as "worms," are common in Haiti.

The most common STHs in Haiti are Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm), Trichuris trichiuria (whipworm), and Necator americanus (hookworm).

Ascaris (Roundworm)

Eggs are ingested by individuals through food that is not carefully washed or on dirty hands. Larvae can penetrate the skin directly. The eggs or larvae develop into adult worms, which produce eggs. Infected individuals contaminate the soil with their feces. Eggs develop in the soil, and this completes the cycle.

Once infected the child can develop abdominal pain and distension, intestinal obstruction, iron-deficiency anemia, malnutrition and poor growth, allergic reactions, and lung disease.

Whipworm

Access to clean potable water, good hand washing before eating, and careful cleaning of local produce are important preventative measures.

The WHO recommends annual "deworming" with albendazole or mebendazole in countries where children are found to have a high prevalence of STHs. Annual treatment is recommended when 20 to 50% of school children are infected, and bi-annual treatment in countries when more than 50% are infected. Children in Haiti require annual treatment. 

Hookworm

The fifth column in the table below shows the prevalence (% of individuals with worms) reported in Haitian communities.

While working in Haiti, my treatment plans will include medication for STHs if the child has not received therapy in the prior year.