Day 3 already

I have spent the last couple of days in the clinic. There was a bit of a mix up when I first arrived of them thinking I was actually qualified - a mix up between the british and american medical system I think. Anyway once that was cleared up, I started to work with a lovely haitian Dr, Dr Debbie. We really see a mix of things in clinic from acute malaria to high blood pressure, from invasive bone tumours to tonsilitis.

Clinic starts at 7:30am(!) and goes til about 3pm depending on how many and complex the pts are. It is exhausting but good fun at the same time. Language is proving to be a bit of an obstacle and I think I am going to have to learn creole fast.

The afternoon/evenings are spent hanging out with the rest of the volunteers on the complex. There is an OT, physio, physio student and Dr here all from america so I feel I have to educate them about british ways - although it is a bit hot for tea drinking.

So some observations about Haitians, there really is a lot of poverty! No one that I saw today had properly fitting clothes, and I know that sounds a little shallow but when the kids are wearing shoes 2 sizes too big or small for them it really says something. We saw a lot of children in clinic today some were just like normal kids with coughs and colds but there were a few who were undernourished and who just stare at you with a vacant expression. It makes you wonder whether they ever laugh or smile and the hardships in life that they are going to have to overcome.

However the work this clinic is doing is amazing. People are receiving the basic care that they need free of charge. There are some cases that we have to refer out, like a lady today who needed a specialist in neurology or a lady who had an abdo mass and urgently needed an USS. But generally speaking we can do something to help.