Wound Care

By far, severe flesh wounds were the most common problems we saw. Typically we would irrigate the wounds with saline, remove dirt and debris and pus and dead tissue. Then we would apply antibiotic ointment and then bandage it all up. Many times this was so painful that we would have use local anesthetic shots. Most received antibiotics and pain medications. The tetanus shots we secured did not get to us until half-way through the week, so many did not receive them. We had many (if not most) patients return every day or two to have us do it all over again.

Check out the picture. The tarp I'm working under is the same tarp I used to haul leaves around my yard last Fall. Also, check out the onlookers. In the States, I would be written up for violating HIPPA privacy law. In Haiti, medical entourage is the norm.