Haiti 2010 Colby Petersen

Monday 1-25-10 (Day number 12 of the earthquake)

Left Fort Lauder dale Florida in a Private Jet Owned by Jermey Johnson of St. George UT. The plane was a citation-10. The plane was full with 9 of us

aboard. We took as much medical supplies as we could aboard. It weighted 5000 pounds. Ed Price (ortho), David Gyryla (Family Practice), Trevor Schmidt(ortho), and me. We went mock 0.9 (700 miles an hour). It is about 600 miles to Haiti. Our pilots gave the airtrafic controllers Coke, cigars, and beer to let us land fast. Many planes have to circle for hours waiting to land since there is only one run way. We saw the USS Comfort (1,000 bed hospital navy ship) out the window in the harbor of Port of Prince. Their were lots of airplanes at the airport from multiple countries. Airport only has one run way. An armed guard took us from the airport to the jesuit compound with Bro. Jim with team rubicon (retired military personal). The road to the compound was very destroyed, lots of people on the street at night. About 40 Haitians live on the compound in tents. Compound is not suitable to live in. Too many cracks from the earthquake, although it still stood.

Tuesday 1-26-10 (Day number 13 of the earthquake)

Weather 90 high/ 70 low 97% Humidity

First day of surgery. Femur fractures, wound debridements, ankle fracture, Above the knee amputation (pus pocket), compartment syndrome of calf, a fib, chf. Road to and from on a tap-tap(taxi). Bodies smelled on the way home as we drove by downed buildings. We have 2 surgical suites on the 3rd floor of sacra acur hospital. Hospital is damaged but has a generator. There is no schedule and patient are picked thru and brought up as needed. No good surgical equipment but we do have a C-Arm. Got home late and ate military rations. Mosquitoes are light today. We sweat alot during the day with the humidity.

Wednesday 1-27-10 (day number 14 of the earthquake)

People are very nice here in Port of Prince. There are no hostiles. Bilateral Femur fractures, tibia fx, tib/fib fx. We are using a black and decker drill that I bought in Fort Lauder dale to drill in ex-fixes (screws). We are using hack saws and leathermans to cut off old cast. People were casted with open fractures(fx). Guillotine amputations are coming in with Pus and infection in all wounds. A French Ortho MD came up to the surgical floor and started yelled at us for doing a bad job on one of the femur fxs, he brought up the x rays and was waving them all around. The Americans and french medical teams are not getting along at all here. Went to near by church, treated many injured there. Gave lots of lolly-pops out. Church looked good, no damage. People are just peeing in the streets and throwing garbage everywhere. Did not get much sleep last night due to roosters and airplanes making so much noise. There are white rabbits in our compound. Mango and banana trees as well. Beans and rice for dinner was great I thought. I used Big MAC as my interpreter today at the church.

Thursday 1-29-10 (Day number 15 of the earthquake)

Still lots of wounded coming in with femur fractures. Drove by the palace today, it is destroyed. That part of town is much worse destroyed then most. Doubt this place will ever get better. No power for years I predict. We did a C-Section at the hospital today, she had pre-eclampsia (BP was 180/102). Baby and mom were fine after C-section. Took a sponge bath today with cold water, it felt good. 99% humidity today, we sweat alot here.

Friday 1-30-10 (Day number 16 of the earthquake)

Dead body removed from the hospital grounds by team Rubicon (our military buddies). A girl thought that we were going to amputate her leg because we walked in with the hack saw to take her cast off before surgery. Did lots of wound debridements today. Went back to church and did lots of primary care. Kids cleaned up the soccer field for lolli-pops. Gave out mini cars to boys. Spoke to many with major depression and have gone mental. Parent who have lost kids and vice verse. Had reflections tonight (debriefing) with bro. Jim tonight. Had a Hindu military ration. Gary the marines leader is weird. We are team Charlie(surgical). I used Samuel today for my interpreter. Got some mosquitoes bites today but not many. I am taking prophylactic meds for malaria. Did a 12 year old broken knee today. She had alot of post op pain. Had curry rice tonight back at the nunnery.

Saturday 1-31-10 (Day number 17 of the earthquake)

We are going to try to catch a military plane out of here tomorrow. We saw buses today trying to get people out of town and into the country side. Too many people here living on the streets. We made 2 more operating rooms today, proud of that. Two plastic surgeons came in today. One from NY and one from France. Both nice. We had lots of cases for them to do. I am tired. Wind is light and cools everything down.

Sunday 2-1-10 (Day number 18 of the earthquake)

Went to the airport early and missed the military flight which was a big C-7. The US government made us sign a paper saying that we would pay them back around $1000 just to get us back to Miami. Luck have it we begged a private jet owned by Kenneth Behring. It was a DC-87. Huge and only first class seats. He also is the president of the wheelchair foundation. Pilot let me fly the plane. They dropped us off in LA. Took a flight to Vegas and then drove home.