St. Joseph Medical Center Team in Haiti

2010-01-25T06:20:00.000-08:00

We left Port-au-Prince on Friday morning.

On the runway, as we were about to board the 5 passenger plane, a missionary asked us if we knew any orthopedic surgeons. He was escorting a 9 year old girl (with her mother ) who had been found under the rubble after 3 days. Her father and two siblings were killed by the quake. Also, she had open fractures in both feet and both were partially amputated.

So we took her along with us to Pinion. The first day we derided her feet in attempts to save her feet but we knew we would need to eventually amputate possibly BKA.

Children with amputation lead tough lives in Haiti and we really trying to save her limb. But today we had to perform a transmetatarsal amputation of her left foot and excision of bone on her right. Thankfully, a plastic surgeon arrived today and stated he thinks he could perform skin grafts on both feet so we decided not to perform bilateral below the knee amputations. Also our American colleagues have told us that they can get her prosthetics in the future.

She is a beautiful loving child that has grabbed the hearts of everyone in the hospital. God Bless her. I will NEVER forget her. Never

Unfortunately, she is one of MANY. The emergency workers have ended their search and rescue missions.

What remains is a nation in great need of long term help. God Bless my beloved Haiti.

No pictures. Too graphic.

2010-01-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been communicating well the last 2 days, but we've been extremely busy and working until the early morning. Try to fill you in later. Lots going on.

Satellite phones not working because we've been indoors the whole time. Also, my blackverry battery died.

Jean-Max

2010-01-25T06:13:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Haiti last night at 10 p.m. We were escorted to The Artistide Foundation where a Tent city has been created by Partners on Health to accommodate the medical teams (northern and southern California, and us ,VA/Maryland).

Its very frustrating for us all. It's been 9 days since the earthquake. The logistics are horrible. Medical professionals are sitting around waiting to help.

Landed in Haiti

2010-01-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

9:30 p.m. Baltimore time, Thursday night.

Coast Guard Air Base

2010-01-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

Our team at the Coast Guard Base. They are taking us to Haiti. About to take off.

In Miami waiting for airlift to Port-au-Prince

2010-01-21T06:10:00.000-08:00

We landed in Miami tonight with all of our supplies tonight. It was tough. We have about 80 boxes and bags to take along with us. We are READY to operate.

We are scheduled to be airlifted by the Coast Guard at 4 p.m. tomorrow. Unfortunately, we may not be going to the hospital we had initially planned to go to in Pignon. We may be headed to St. Damien's Hospital in Port-au-Prince.

In the photo are some members of our team: Dr. Timothy Johnson, orthpaedic surgeon (National Sports Medicine Institute), Dr. Mark Seymour, anesthesiologist (Frederick Memorial Hospital, First Colonies Anesthesia Associates), Brigitte Smith and Susan Cook (Myrtle Beach, SC), Tony Chotikul and Cheryl Clayborne (St. Joseph Medical Center).

Not pictured are Greg Bennett, PT (Excel Rehabilitation), Joshua Lamb, MD (Chief Orthopaedics Resident-Inova Fairfax) and Frank Duggan, MD (Emergency Medicine - Inova Fairfax). And I, of course, am taking the picture.

GOODNIGHT