Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Day 3
As reliable as clockwork, we wake up drenched in liquids, whether it is sweat or due we are unsure, but either way it is very uncomfortable as the blankets and your clothes are sticking to your hydrated skin. We know that today must be a very productive day as we have lots to do to the building before we have the grand opening on Wednesday. We get around in the darkness of the lightless house and check in at the breakfast table to find the cook not there, nor anyone else. Why not? It is still 5:45 in the morning! We stand in shock, but get to work anyways.
On the trip down, everyone carried everything personal in a carryon, yet, checked two bags each full of hospital and office supplies for the clinic. Therefore, we had all those things to organize and get ready for the arrival of the new doctor. We break into each bag, shocked to see how much stuff is in there and that they is absolutely no order to it whatsoever. The very first bag I open, I stare down to find my toiletry bag. I could not carry it on due to the liquids, so I put it in the checked bags, but it got moved around to fit more things in and we could not find it for the first two days. I used a Haitian toothbrush and women’s deodorant for those days, and smelt wonderful. But now I had my bag, with all my stuff including my glasses and extra contacts, which I definitely needed due to the dust content of Haiti.
In the middle of organizing the clinic, we stop for the typical Haitian breakfast then get back to work. We hear news that the doctor we thought we found the day before has fell through and now, the day before opening we are now doctor-less. The leaders know of a hospital ran by Cubans, but they are very hesitant to talk to us about giving names of doctors needing jobs. Thank God we had a Cuban on our team, so we sent him to talk with them. Of course they complied perfectly, and gave us a list, one man which we called up, and who is now the first doctor at the HIU Clinic in Jacmel, Haiti. A great gift from God at a time we were very desperate.
After sweating all morning in the clinic with no breeze, fan or electricity, I went upstairs to get a shower. Well, I guess you would call it getting clean in a I drop per second stream. However, with no electricity and no water in the bin for the house that gives us the water, I have to take my bucket to our well, fill it up with the cold water, and take it back to the shower. I successfully took a shower in less than a gallon of water, but felt very awkward doing it. After I tried every possible way to fit my large frame of a body into that tiny little bucket, I finally realized it wasn’t used like a bath, but I was to use a bottle to get the water out and dump it on me. It worked much better and I was clean.
When I went back outside, there were signs of storms, which was a relief. It meant cooler weather was coming in, but mosquitoes as well. With one good always comes one bad. I went straight down stairs as I received word that lunch was ready. When I got my plate and handed it to the cook, she threw a fish out of the pot and onto my plate. Not a fillet, but an entire fish giant squishy eyeball and all. She then gave me some boiled plantains and sweet yam followed by rice and beans. While I love Haitian food and believe it to be some of the best tasting things ever, this meal I will have to disagree with. My life would still be complete if I never eat, see, or dream of that again.
As far as the rest of the day and evening went, it was a lot of wondering what to do, and waiting to be told, which never happened. Lots of being disorganized and no order in place. It was really frustrating as we would try to do something, then get told not to for no reason, keeping things we felt important from getting done. Finally, after nothing continued to happen, the NYC doctor asked me to shave her head. Her hair was already very short, but she wanted it as short as my clippers would go. It was my first time to cut a black person’s hair, and first to shave a woman’s. Two great experiences in one action. Shortly after, everyone came together for one last meeting and discussion before the opening. It was great to hear everyone’s expectations for opening day as I really had no idea what to expect for a turnout.
Finally, just like every other day, the worst part of the day came. Night time. Feasting time for the bugs and no electricity. Yet, we all still braved mother nature and slept outside, keeping open skin covered for protection. I could feel my fat melting through my skin and into my blanket. Were my clothes going to be hanging off to me when I got back to the states? I sure sweat enough each night to lose an inch off of my waste.
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