On February 8, two 1199SEIU RNs flew from New York to the Dominican Republic and were then transported to Haiti to attend to the victims of the earthquake that hit the capital Port-Au-Prince on January 12.
They responded to a call from SEIU for nurses who spoke Creole and had emergency care experience. Claudia Warrington, a nurse at Mt.Sinai Queens Hospital and Marie Fontaine of Jamaica Hospital in Queens, were both born in Haiti. They still have relatives residing in the most devastated areas.
"I saw those horrific photos on TV and I just had to go," said Claudia, leaving two young children with relatives in Baldwin, New York where she resides. Marie of Hollis, Queens learned that a nephew had died in the earthquake. Both volunteered knowing they would have to stay two weeks on their own time and would receive no monetary compensation.
Don't miss their gripping accounts of their time in Haiti--after the break.
More on SEIU's Haiti relief efforts here.
Claudia Warrington
"I was assigned to work at the Hopital De L'universite D'etat D'Haiti -- The General Hospital Of Haiti which is in the capital. I used to go to school near there. We worked under a Medical Emergency tent set up by International Medical Corp. (IMC) on the front yard of the hospital. Ten, 2, 13 hours a day for two weeks--in 85 to 95 degree heat. We made sure we were well hydrated.
"We saw a lot of young people with anxiety symptoms, such as palpitation, high blood pressure, panic attacks at the sound of any unusual noises. We treated cases of malaria, suspected cases of meningococcal meningitis, motor vehicle accidents, gun shot wounds, diabetic keto acidosis, possibly rabid animal bites, fevers of unknown origin, acute respiratory syndrome, acute watery or watery diarrhea, suspected cases of typhoid fever, tetanus, dengue fever, burn victims--mostly little girls under 4 years oldl Ascitis, prostate cancer, post-surgical dressing changes, domestic violence, rape victims. The list unfortunately goes on and on.
"We worked with the group Doctors Without Borders mostly for surgical referrals. A Swiss medical team set up maternity and pediatric tents. Those hospital departments were totally destroyed by the earthquake.
"There were health care volunteers from many countries as well as from many U.S. states. A lot of Haitian local doctors and nurses were working with us. We stayed at Le Plaza Hotel near the hospital. I met Anderson Cooper, the CNN correspondent, and his colleague Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Volunteers slept in a big conference room on mattresses on the floor. We picked our spots. IMC provided food, water, snacks. The organization really took care of us, our safety. We were driven to and from the hospital to the hotel every day.
"Haitian nurses and doctors confided to me that most of them have not gotten paid for 3-6 months. They came to work because they couldn't face or think about their own reality - they have lost everything they have. They have to sleep in front of their destroyed homes under tents. There are so many heart-breaking stories to tell...
"This was the hardest, most emotionally challenging, humbling, inspiring, fulfilling, worthy experience of my life. I would do it time and time again."
Marie Fontaine
"I was assigned for eight days to the Emergency Room of the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince. On some days I was told to work under two tents set up outside the hospital grounds. The temperatures hovered between 90 and 100 degrees and at times it was unbearable.
"Now that I am back and remember those times, I am surprised that I survived the heat. When you are busy helping, I guess you don't feel too much the physical hardships.
"The day I stepped into the Hospital's damaged maternity ward, I asked myself: is this the place where I gave birth to my only child in 1972. I cry even now as many images come to my mind. But the spirit of the Haitians gives me strength.
"Hundreds of peoples wait in line to be seen in the emergency room. Hundreds more lay under the hot tents waiting for nurses and doctors. We treated victims of gun shot wounds, motor vehicle accidents, cases of malaria, typhoid fever, urinary tract infection, scabies, HIV, a lot of wound care. Dehydration was common. It was frustrating to see people dying of common curable diseases. We discharged diabetic patients without insulin, because there is no insulin in the hospital. We cannot even do a pregnancy test for a rape victim.
"I feel that my two weeks there were not enough for what I left behind. I must decide I must go back."
Original posting at 1199SEIU's website here.
