HISTORY: Nursing mission work in Haiti

This is my attempt to share my journey/experience of traveling to Haiti for 7 days with Project Medishare.
I am very excited because it has always been on my bucket list to do mission work, and now its finally coming to past. One small disclaimer, my grammar and writing will be very loose/informal, hence it is a blog. There will no such of editing going on here, so bare with me please.

I heard about Project Medishare about 3 years ago and initially I was going to attempt to complete the mission with some of my nursing classmate/colleagues at the time, but hence it was during August (hurricane) season, no one wanted to join. So I let it fall in the back of mind, to be revisited at a later date.

Which brings me to now, I received an email from Project Medishare, pleading for nursing help. The email read  that, there was a desperate need for nurses to volunteer and help out at Bev Menards hospital in Port Au Prince. The light popped on in my head and I was on 200%. Whatever I could do to help, I was determined to make it happen. And I made it happen despite what barriers may have come my way.

So I knew I would have limited WI-FI access, so I decided to attempt blog as much as possible on my note application with my handy dandy IPhone. Once again its lose writing and somewhat emotionally based but it what I could or couldn't bring myself to reflect upon.
It's rather ironic that Ive been back from Haiti now since Saturday night and I'm not at work but have been in jury duty for the past 2 days .Today I have not been called upon yet, which has allowed me to get this up and running. This blog is being created after the fact, but all of my notes are during my stay and some thereafter. Enjoy!!

I am excited because my dear friends are throwing me a welcome back to America party this Friday evening. I believe every ones on the edge of their chair to hear of what happened in Haiti. I have to be completely honest. I feel as if I am suffering from a form of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) . I have avoided any conversations and details mostly about my experience in Port Au Prince. I find myself thinking  words cannot express what I experienced nor can the pictures. You had to have been there to feel what I am feeling. Sadness, despair, resiliency, power. determination.......


I am very proud of myself. I felt as if I were going to have a meltdown prior to departure, because those around me made me feel as if I were going off to war. But I now understand it was just their fear of the unknown on their end as well as mines. I did not know what to expect at all. All I knew was that I was going to help those in need.

The meltdown happened once I got back to Miami Saturday night and I was in my hotel room. I sat on the floor next to the bed and began a phone conversation with my significant other. Midway between the conversation the silent tears began to flow as he began to ask me about my trip/experience. I was not ready to talk about it. I still don't know if I am ready to talk about, but I believe that is where I will find my healing. Meltdown number two happened after I spoke with Brooke on the phone. I had also spoken with her earlier in the week while in Haiti. Yet when I heard her voice, it did something to me. I kinda lost control, because as we were talking she says "Mommy why do you sound like that?" she could hear my voice crumbling. I told her it was because I missed her so much.

The onset of emotions truly began when I stepped foot into Miami International airport. As I waited at baggage claim, it became so real to me. I was home. I was in the U.S. I felt comfortable. I felt safe. It felt familiar. I could feel the lump growing in my throat, but I let it pass as I said goodbye to the new family I had gained over the past week.

I must say we were a brave group. The anticipated group of 27, was actually a group of 11 or 12 .Quite a few nurses backed out at the last minute, for various reasons. So there was myself, an ER nurse from Long Beach, an PICU nurse from Minnesota, an ER tech from Baltimore, 2 third year residents from Berkley, an ophthalmologist from Mexico city, and Flight nurse from I cant remember, an New grad nursing student from Michigan, a 1st year med student from the Boston area, an orthopedic surgeon from Boston with his son, and last but not least a nurse midwife from the Bronx. There was also a group already there that would overlap with us until Wednesday. 4 ER nurses from Sacramento, an ER doc from Minnesota with his son who's an EMT and another ER nurse from the Minnesota area. It was the second mission trip for the Orthopedic surgeon and the ER doctor, they responded when the earthquake first hit and gave care to thousands out of a tent hospital set up at the airport. The nurses from Sacramento were actually volunteering for 2 weeks versus 1.  Hats off to them!! I couldn't have made it through the 7 days without any of them. There was so much love and bonding going on amongst strangers, but only for a short time. We shared many emotions, lots and lots of sweat, laughs and tears/frustrations.

I could ramble on & on, but I think I'll stop and post my notes now:)

ENJOY