I have barely been doing patient care. I've been running around the city trying to connect dots for several days and it is paying dividends. Today I dropped the 2 new medics with Rowen off at the clinic and went to the WHO headquarters where a new friend at the CDC tipped me off to some supplies that are still under the radar. Johnny, Midy and I went over and after a fairly lengthy getting to know you type conversation w a Canadian working there, he took us out of the registered WHO medical supply depot (which in and of itself was a huge find) he took us to a "backyard" where 20 large shipping containers filled with supplies that had been donated but cant be used by WHO were sitting. none was inventoried so they told us to have at it. we literally filled the minivan with supplies and even strapped 2 army gurneys to the roof and took off with cheshire grins and canary feathers sticking out between our teeth. Just the WHO alone was a place we can buy at cost meds that are NOT expired at incredible prices. No more begging meds in US and shipping duffle bags around.. that was huge. for instance Simome's 44 year old sister back at camp had a BP today of 220/110 and out of her HCTZ (bp pill) shes 44 and has had 3 strokes (likely bleeds I dont know) anyway we made herioc efforts to get her meds ultimately I called in an RX to a pharm in NYC to a friend who is then transporting it w the next doc coming over.... well we can now buy 1,000 HCTZ tabs for about $3 !!!
Anyway, got back to clinic and waiting room was still full bc the medics were there with no translators...none showed.... so one of the patients was trying to translate...it was laborious... we poked around, used Midgy and got more translators and soon all 4 medics had translators and were seeing patients and when needed presenting cases to me as though they were residents and we cleared the waiting room in about an hour
that hour was beautiful and it looked the way the clinic should look. humming. it was nice i video tabled i'm trying to upload it
unloaded truck had some phone calls etc but then felt there was nothng to do so we got a burger at the local spot where the volunteers go and we met a Prosthetist from miami named Jason who sat down bought jonny and me a beer and told us about queskiyo (sp??) right around the corner from where we are staying.. an oasis of volunteers with internet, electric, flush toilets etc centered in a school that didnt fall. huge hub of connections and resources that I am sure will pay huge dividends for the housing works project
have already run into 2 people here that I have met elsewhere in my travels in the city
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