Today’s clinic was held in a small fishing village at the northeast point of the island, which we reached by boat after driving to the port in Madame Bernard, which was an adventure in itself…we like to call it Mudding with Mario (our driver is Jil André, aka Mario). You see it rained heavy last night requiring the skills of an accomplished driver to reach the port.
Once there we were introduced to our mode of transportation…water taxis. I can think of NO better way to get to work. Only problem is, the water was so clear and inviting, Carey and I were looking for scuba gear to don so we could jump off. This is truly a tropical paradise…if you can get past the sweltering heat and humidity during clinic.
Clinic was held in the church and started slowly, but once the villagers knew we were there, the line grew. In the end we had a light day of just 58 patients. I will end the suspense…Kitty did minor surgery today and suffice to say I know it more than made up for the lack of cutting and squeezing yesterday! The gentleman was so thankful he dropped to the floor in prayer.
As for the rest of us, more primary care…and the highlight of my day was a 9 month old infant named Adam. This is the first time in nearly 8 years we have come across a child with this name. Of course he was healthy and adorable, so we dubbed him “Tater Tot”!
Once clinic ended, we had a nice walk through the village and were treated to freshly fried fish before our departure. Léon had also purchased water and soda along with block ice for the cooler so everyone had cold drinks. This was a real treat since there was no breeze in the church and the temp was likely near 100 plus humidity. This trip, I think we have averaged nearly 100+ degrees every day within the clinic rooms…it takes its toll after 4-5 hours, but I think we would all agree, the payoff is well worth it!
Once our snack was finished, we loaded up and took the boats back to Madame Bernard and the call of the water was again strong…but we all remained inside the boat. The ride back home was uneventful and I am on the roof hoping for a good cool rain.
Tonight we will alphabetize our new medical records in anticipation of our departure, so future teams will have ready access to prior visits and management. Turns out tomorrow we will run a short clinic right here at the church again and then a day to relax and prepare for our departure on Saturday morning.
Now we await a delicious dinner and hopefully a cooler night and day tomorrow.
That’s all for now.
Love to All,
The Team