April 27th, Jim Ressler's Blog

Our morning started early. Tom, Karen, Sam, and I along with george the translator met and planned out the day. Sam and Tom went directly up to the burn clinic at For Haiti With Love in Cap Haitian. Karen, george and I went over to the PT clinic to finish up some last minute details before the dedication ceremony this afternoon was to take place. We then traveled up to the burn clinic to meet Tom and Sam. We met the other volunteers up there and toured the facility in order to see our previous trips donations in use. We saw the new treatment table that we had delivered and some other supplies. Yesterday we also delivered to them a new stretcher which would enable them to move patients around in an easier fashion. We also spoke to the volunteers. I asked them about the chores they were performing as I want to send down volunteers as well. They all said you have to be willing to take some intiative to get things started otherwise there is down time. They also said they they helped feed the poor that needed food and helped at the orphanage. There jobs were everything non medical with the exception of one nursing student who was volunteering. She was doing some basic work with patients. The other volunteers were getting ready to leave for an airstrip to help unload a plane. I also looked at the generator that needed to be replaced as well as the car batteries that are used for powering the clinic. They despatately need more car batteries and a diesel generator. I asked why there were not more patients and they told me they ran out of medication. They need salvadine to treat patients and they ran out yesterday. They were hoping for some more by ther end of the week. They said the patients would have to suffer without it but there was nothing they could do. We also talked about what kind of program volunteers would do. If volunteers don't have medical experience they can come as well but not as defined of a role. They kind of have to just go with whatever is needed. All volunteers have a place to stay that is under watch of security with shotguns 24 hours a day. It is part of the clinic. All volunteers also must have enough food for their time spent there.

Afternoon
We went back to the PT clinic for the dedication. We all did some pictures around a plaque on the wall which thanked Royal Caribbean, Medical Angels and Burn Advocates. Next was the actual ceremony. We all filed into the room and about 80 people were there. They were both sitting and standing. The whole ceremony was taped by Justinian hospital. Nurses Doctors and adminstrators were present. There were 7 speeches which included a priest to bless the clinic, Dr Coc, Dr Vulcain and some others. Sam also spoke as representative of Burn Advocates and Medical Angels. He spoke in French and did a good job of it. Every speaker thanked Medical Angels and Burn advocates and Sam Karen and I. I was impressed that they actually thanked us as they haven't been overly appreciative. Sam then had Karen and I come up to the podium. I had the chance to speak briefly in english. It was kind of payback for listening for the last hour or so them only speak in French. I had a chance to thank Aimee Fink (cofounder of Medical Angels) premier Home healthcare and a list of other companies that helped out. I can't list them all right now as I am too tired. Both before and after the ceremony we spoke with representatives of Royal Caribbean who were in attendance. They confirmed a lot of what the hijackers had spoken to me about and safety is their main concern. Apparently when shots were fired on the road to Labadee there was a tap tap of Royal employees going home. They were concerned about stray bullets and general violence. Anyway after the ceremony everyone ate and drank and toured the facility. Everyone seemed excited about the PT unit being there. We took more pictures with the Royal crew and others. The ceremonys ended about 330 pm

The market
Afterwards George Karen and me went to walk around the used market. We walked about a mile to get there. The streets were crowded, dusty and boiling hot. As we walked thru the used shoe market they were hundreds of thousands of used shoes on the ground being soldm. Sneakers, high heels, espadrils, winter boots and anything else u could imagine. We weaved thru the used clothing market and then made our way trhu the used underwear and sock area. The clothing and underwear areas were filthy. It was really nasty. We made it over to the used bed area. Tons of locals selling used beds for anywhere between 100 to 150 US dollars. Quite a site to see as the beds are dirty and laying in the dirt. We then walked thru the food markets and saw all the local foods and chickens being sold for slaughter. Overall and intersting day but much easier on the nerves then yesterday. Tommarrow we catch an 830 am flight on the prop plane to florida. Looking forward to going home. Remember to follow medicalangels on facebook and twitter or www.medicalangelsdonations.org.