Last Days in Hinche

My last days in Hinche were very busy.  I am home now, so I will write a recap of last Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Thursday morning, I went in the pink jeep to Darlegrand for mobile clinic.  There was the driver, me, 3 midwives, 2 midwife students and my interpreter.  And of course all the gear to do clinic.  Sort of like when I do village clinics in Alaska, but I fly to those.  It was little over an hour's drive in the pink jeep to get to Darlegrand over very rough roads.  Got stuck once and was pulled out by a dump truck.  It was great to be able to see the countryside on the way there.

The women were already waiting when we arrived there.  We unloaded all of our gear and set up the clinic in a small concrete room.  The women waited on a covered patio.  While we were setting up inside, one of the midwives was doing some education on breastfeeding.

Each woman came in one at a time with a urine sample.  The urine was tested for glucose, protein, chlamydia and gonorrhea.  Her finger was then pricked and the blood sample was tested for HIV and RPR.  Her weight was taken and then she stepped outside with her tests in hand.  When all the women had done this, the midwife outside took each one's blood pressure and then sent her back in.  The first midwife recorded her BP and test results.  For women whom it was her initial visit, she also did her history and started a chart for her.  The second midwife gave each woman her appropriate meds:  prenatal vitamins, iron, Vitamin C, perhaps apresoline or a shot for a positive gonorrhea (there were 4 of those).  Oral meds were given for the partners of the women who were positive for gonorrhea.  The woman would then come to me and my two midwife students.  We had brought a massage table to use.  We did fundal heights, fetal position and fetal heart tone checks.  It was a very organized system.  And such a wonderful service that these midwives provide!  They do mobile clinics to 16 different villages.

After all the women were seen, it was then time to load up and head back to Hinche.

The 3 midwives & 2 students @ mobile clinic.

Ronel, our driver, loading up the pink jeep.

When I returned to the house after mobile clinic there were a bunch of new people there.  It was Cristy Turlington who founded Every Mother Counts with her film crew!  http://www.everywomancounts.org  She is supporting this current class of midwives.  It is just so awesome what she has done, and still does, to help save mothers around the world.  The two brothers from the orphanage also came to dinner.  What a houseful!

Me and Cristy Turlington making baby packs with some of the items my mom made.

A new program that Midwives for Haiti has begun is teaching the matrons, or traditional birth attendants in the different villages.  The matrons deliver 70% of the babies in Haiti.  These classes are being taught by graduate midwives.  They teach cleanliness at births, danger signs, when a mom should be transported to the hospital, etc.  On Friday morning I went to a graduation of a group of these matrons that had just finished the 5 month training program.  They were very proud of their accomplishment!  I felt privileged to share this graduation with them.

 There were 6 male matrons in this group.  One of the male matrons has been delivering babies for 43 years!

They say that it is a calling to become a matron.

Each graduate put her/his thumbprint and initials next to their name.

Each Friday the entire class is in the classroom at the house to present case studies of what they had encountered during the week.  They had several cases to study on this Friday:  a previa at 7 months, a baby born with an omphalocele, a hydraencephalic baby (neither of those babies survived), primip with an arrested labor that ended up with a c-section, a grand multip with preterm labor, a pre-eclamptic mom.  I am very impressed with these students, their professionalism, and how much they are really learning.  It was an extreme pleasure to work with them this week!

Current class of student midwives.

After the case study class, other midwives began bringing dishes of food.  As it turned out, midwives from every class had planned a surprise party for Nadene and Dr. Steve!  It was a party to give them thanks for founding and continuing Midwives for Haiti.  What a celebration.  There were many speeches, songs and poems of gratitude for all Nadene has done for them.

A graduate midwife with Carrie, who manages the house and coordinates all of the volunteers.

Saturday was my last day in Hinche, Haiti :-(  Dr. Alice and I were driven the three hours to the Port au Prince airport.  One last look at the Haitian countryside on the way to the airport.  I was sort of nervous to go to Haiti, but I am SO glad I did!  What an amazing experience.  And I hope it won't be my last trip there.  I am very impressed with what Midwives for Haiti have accomplished and continue to do.  Anytime any of you could donate to them to help them out with their work, it would be most welcome (http://www.midwivesforhaiti.org).  I can now tell you from personal experience that it is a most worthy cause.

Love,

Zelda