My Haitian Experience/ by Assaf Chen
Just like any other day, patients are going in and out of the operating there and into convalescence, some are escorted by family members, some not.
In the recovery room, this is an open tent with 8 folding beds; casualties stay for several hours after their surgery. Personally, I would rather not attach myself to my patients, because of the well-known defense mechanism used by workers in medicine who encounter a large number of patients on a daily basis.
Yesterday was different. A patient arrived in the O.R. suffering from a fractured leg. In light of the great amount of casualties in need of medical care, her injury was not treated for several days, which led to a serious infection. Under different circumstances this injury would have been treated in accordance with the finest medical standards, yet, unfortunately, after the great Haitian earthquake and its consequences, this type of injury required an amputation. This is the harsh reality the earthquake casualties are faced with.
The patient was escorted by her son, who was shocked by what had occurred. I was not surprised, because in circumstances like this sights are hard to bear even for experienced personnel, let alone a small child whose entire world is shaken by such a traumatic incident. I think this child was about 7-8 years old, and in order to distract him I asked him to assist us with organizing the medical equipment. The child was willing to help and it seemed as if occupying himself relieved him to some extent.
After organizing the equipment I gave the child a pencil and a piece of paper. The child drew a hospital bed, with his mother lying on it, with only one leg. By one side of the bed there was a child, and on the other - a paramedic, treating the mother. In the center of the paramedic's chest there was a big heart, completely disproportionate to his body, height and head. On the top of the page the boy drew a big sun, shining down on all of us.
It is amazing to see how deeply we could be touched by a child's drawing. During my stay in Haiti I talked to dozens of people, most of who had lost relatives and currently in a daily struggle for survival. Not one of them had moved me the way this child's drawing did.
Assaf Chen
MDA staff
Red Cross field hospital
Haiti |
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