For those of you who asked, yes that is one of our grandbabies from Guatemala. She is very beautiful and a comedian. It is nice to be around healthy babies

Tali has arrived with sleeping babies!!

Tonight Tali is coming home from Guatemala with two of her kids. My car has to be replaced so I can only drive
10 miles before it over heats. So my car is parked at a Chinese restaurant . Noel drove from rockport to meet me and do the other 1/2 of the run. Should save us time!!

Great news from Guatemala!!

Filippe has volunteered to be the landscaper for our clinic. The people in the village are asking companies to help with whatever they can to build the new clinic. He said, “You [PID] has done so much for our community we want to help.” Tali was so touched by all the people putting in there pennies, that she called in tears — happy tears!

Today, I am home!! It was great to see my happy son and his new wife smiling at the airport. But, each time I come home the gap between the first world and harsh realities of the developing world get harder and more difficult to understand. Tali and two of her kids will come to the US on Monday. I understand some of the struggles Tali has expressed to me about returning to the US and experiencing culture shock.

Today we closed on the new land for the clinic in Guatemala . I will be happy to start the new clinic.
Tali said that Candalaria had a new baby five days ago and the baby is in the hospital fighting for her life. Please keep her in your prayers.

Today was a day filled with emergencies. Almost daily we see more and more babies at death’s door. Today, Jackelin came in. She was 9 days old and weighed 3 lbs. She had so much trouble breathing. Rick called me in to tell me he didn’t think she would make it. We rushed her to Medishare but she died in my arms on the way to the hospital. I told the driver I thought she was dead, but to keep on driving, in case I was wrong. The mother and grandmother were there. I can’t even describe what followed, but finally there was a burial plan. We came back to the clinic to find so many more emergencies. I almost cancelled my ticket. But I am here, waiting for my plane, knowing tomorrow will bring just as many new cases. We have three babies at death’s door. But Wegenson, our three year old in the feeding program, is starting to stand up. More later.

Today we received a large donation of vitamins. Brought three patients to medicare. One was a very sick baby who was three months old and weighed 7 pounds. We took Daphnee’s mother to visit her. The day went quickly. More people excited about new housing model. Met with Jack, Rick, and Greg. Discussed next step for the clinic.

Today we had three excellent meeting with UNICEF . One to help us find a place for severely malnourished kids.
Another to get medicine. The third to get food. We then traveled to another place who may also donate food.
The eye team left today and I am happy to say that we have seen over
31000 patients since we arrived.

Today the whole team went to the village. We brought to a new family into our program. The mother is dying of cancer, and has a short time left to live. We also visited a baby who was a premie and will come to the clinic tomorrow for further evaluation.

It was our day off so we proceeded to the beach and had lunch and swim. Some of us went to visit Daphnee in her new home. It is so close to the ocean. Her room there is bigger than her whole house. We’re going shopping for her tomorrow to get insulin, clothes, and shoes. We also will take her mother to visit this week. Daphnee had her morning reading at 317 — the lowest ever — and she is not even on the insulin yet. I am praying for the day she starts.

Today we picked up Daphnee and took her to meet the people see will live with. She is there now and we will continue to send support for insulin once all is set up, and now that she will be able to take it.

We went to the village today to visit McLory. He is a seven year old who has CP and lives on a tent with 10 people. He laid on his mat while an old looking woman in a wheelchair holding a baby took care of him. Soon, a woman with a tiny baby who looked like a newborn came over. The baby was a month old. Tomorrow, we’ll go back with nutritional support.

I cried, not because of the baby or McLory, but because of the deplorable place this is. Can people live here? All the kids have fungal rashes. I had a vision of building a new village model in place of the tents.

Can news always be good? Probably not!! But for the PID program, it is today. The people we talked with about the alternative housing are so excited. I will meet with someone else on Sunday. I think we will have the model of the new houses soon.

During the eye clinic today, we had a Haitian TV celebrity work at the clinic. Another doctor from 50 miles away came to work and made an offer to have Daphne come and stay at a place for sight impaired women. She could then have insulin. Once her blood sugar was permanently stabilized, he could do an eye evaluation, arrange for surgery, and Daphne then might have a good chance or seeing much better. What better place to stay to get your eyes repaired than a eye clinic compound?

Also, the housing team left today. The eye team continues to work very hard.

First to receive glasses at the clinic yesterday. We saw 252 eye patients with well over 100 in the clinic at the same time. Today the line is huge . We are most blessed to be able to provide this service

Today the VOSH team arrived. We will see about 250 people for eye testing and glasses tomorrow. 110 for the clinic. Tomorrow is also our prenatal clinic. 40 new people are studying to be small business owners.
Our second meeting at barbancourt about the new housing type went well. The biggest problem could be space. If they work with us it will be easy start up
For production. If not it will take much longer. But they were very kind people.
Hope it works out. In Guatemala our land will
Be purchased for the new clinic next week. Can’t say I am looking forward to raising money for a new clinic again. However there are some very helpful people in Maine working on it.

Today we had a good day at the clinic. Tomorrow the eye people arrive. I am happy about this team. They are getting so much done. We met with barbancourt today. They are very interested in the new houses. Another meeting in the AM. Allie is such a huge asset as our project manager. I need to get to sleep. Big days ahead.

Today was a good day for the alternative housing project. The people we showed the project to seemed very excited. Tomorrow we will see the housing expo site.

Our little tiny 3 year old boy has gained a pound but we took him for a full evaluation today and we hope to have more news tomorrow. Both twins are over 7 lbs now. But we are taking them back into day care as the mom needs a break. The man with congestive heart failure is doing so much better. Daphnee is doing well but we need a book on diabetic cooking in Haiti it is very tough Since everything is based around rice and corn and beans or very expensive. Any ideas?

One more thing: the PID clinic is now on Google Maps so you can see exactly were it is when you plan you visit.

In Haiti. Everyone arrived safely. Much exciting news about food and filarisis. Will update tomorrow.
The clinic looks beautiful and full of meds and pedialyte. I am so happy to see all these months of work coming together.

Well on my way to Haiti again. In Miami sitting on the runway because”we landed early” so our gate is not empty yet. I think I could write a book about the truth about what percentage of planes land on time. But it might be to depressing for the airline to find out the truth.

We are happy to announce that Isaiah and his fiancé Jamie were married today. We are so excited to have Jamie as part of our family.

Today I was happy to find out that I am not the only one to have technical difficulties. We were trying to listen to a webinar from the UK about the housing expo in Haiti . First they said it was over, then cancelled because of technical problems and finally it worked. Unfortunately as we all sat around the computer we realized we had either all suddenly gone deaf or the sound was terrible. We finally gave up. Good news today - found out our next grandchild will be a boy!!

Patient Count

I have forgotten to go update patient count. Since January 24th, we have seen over 30,000 patients in our clinic and mobile clinic.

Also, a rotary is donating 700 life straws. That means that in September, 700 people will have clean water for a year.

Looked at new solar design this morning for houses and small business.

Great week coming up. Housing team, emergency room Dr Rick returns, a plumber for new sinks in the clinic, an eye group who will examine 440 patients in 3 days and provide glasses.
Pallet of prenatal vitamins arrived!! Medishare and Cam and Big paul continue to be our best partners for meds and emergencies and just wonderful support.
The twins are growing and our new little boy in the feeding program has gained just a little. Nathan is doing well
At the clinic, sole team member this week.

We have found land for our new clinic in Guatemala. Hurrah!! We were beginning to think we wouldn’t find any. The location is great for both Village Concepcion and Desierto.

Tomorrow we have the alternative housing material meeting. A team is traveling down on Sunday to begin the research for this.

Since I am home for a few days, I thought I would use this time to share some news.

Here is some of the family of Sonia. Wildo and Love Noel are pictured with her. Their house collapsed during the earthquake. PID’s teams tore down the old house and rebuilt the new house. They received the keys to their house in the beginning of July. They were so happy and grateful to all who built there house.

The day before I left, Wildo came to tell me his father had died the previous Friday. Mr Genois is following up to see what affect this will have on the family.

Today a seven year old boy came in on the back of his mom.
His legs were so twisted and deformed since birth. He walked on his knees. Within minutes of receiving his wheelchair he could move around alone. He could also get in and out alone. Both mom and little boy left with huge smiles!! Thank you to all who helped in getting wheel chairs down here.

Thank you for all of the offers to buy a new pole . Thankfully it was 500 gordes
About $13 . So we have electricity tonight. Today was a sad day. We learned the mother we rushed to the hospital on Sat. , lost her baby. The man having congestive heart failure who we could only get into the general hospital sat there for two days with no food or water. Finally a security guard
Gave him money for a taptap. He came back to the clinic. It is a mystery to me how he made it. He can not wall more than 5 feet without breaking into a sweat and hardly being able to breath. He stayed all day. We feed him three times. He wants to go with his kids in hinche but he is not strong enough to make the bus ride. Pray we have wisdom to get strong enough so we can send him to his relatives. We drove him home to find out he lives in a tiny tent . He is 63 and totally paralized on his left side. Medishare who we work with all the time is starting to charge , which will eliminate most of our referrals. Our little three year old has gained about .7 ounces. Still can’t walk
He is so cute.

A Day in the Life

I thought a “day in the life of Gale Hull in Haiti” post might be amusing, so here it goes:

Rise at 5am because of the goat. Finish unpacking medical supplies. Make breakfast for US and nationals (28 people). Called in for triage consulate. Set up child sponsorship distribution. Make breakfast for the 21 year old diabetic and the 3 year old who weighs 17 lbs. Staff meeting. Set up Daphnee’s work. Teach kitchen people how to make Shepard’s Pie and cornbread for lunch. Load the car up with surgical equipment for a hospital. Cook lunch for Daphnee. Set up snacks for small business classes. Work on child sponsorship. Meet with Brooke. Cook dinner in the dark (electricity is out). Talk to Nathan and Pouchon about tomorrow’s schedule. Try to figure out what we will have for breakfast. Never made it to grocery store.

Go to bed knowing we will have no electricity, because a pole fell down, and all the people on the street have to chip in to get a new pole. The generator we bought new 3 or 4 months ago is also broken. Goodbye electricity. :-(

Go to bunkhouse, hearing Nathan say If we don’t have lights in here, we can’t see the tarantulas. Which is worse, knowing or not knowing? Finally in my room, and I start to hear a creaking noise in the storage room next to me. Nathan volunteers to come in and check, just in time to see the tower of supplies crash.

Tweet and goodnight.

Today I cleaned the clinic from top to bottom and sorted through supplies. I set up
The autoclave but am afraid to use it. It looks like it could have the potential for using up all
The electricity in port au prince.
Bill Lord reminded me that things could be worse than Mosquitos in the net the infamous crowing rooster could have been in to. Fortunately the rooster were quite last night but it did sound like there was a goat in the hall.