One patient was a 70 year old gentleman who sat patiently in the hot sun for four hours to wait his turn. When his time came, he was too weak to climb the stairs and had to be carried. His story was a familiar one: his house was destroyed in the earthquake and with it his clothes, food, and medications. By Friday he had been several days without food or medicine, and his heart was failing. We treated him as best we could, and soon he felt stronger. Then he pulled out several pennies. “This is all I have,” he said. “I was hoping to buy one of the suckers you gave the children.” I placed the pennies back in his hand, and we gathered food from our personal supplies to give to him. “Thank you,” he said. “I am sure God has sent you to Haiti to care for me and my people. You have given us hope.” I got busy after that with another patient, and at that time he was discharged. I never got to say goodbye.
After the final patients were seen, we left the medicines and other supplies and packed up our gear. I had come down with 4 large duffel bags and an overstuffed backpack…I was leaving with a backpack, a couple pieces of clothing, five dollars (which I had overlooked), a credit card, a passport, and a book on speaking Creole. Also about 200 mosquito bites and several intestinal parasites.
Saturday we returned to Santa Domingo. First, a 3 hour ride to the border, then another 6 through the Dominican Republic countryside. We arrived at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel haggard and unbelievably dirty: I had not showered in a week. That was remedied moments after reaching my room, where the sensation of warm water never felt so good. I hit the bed (a bed!) and was out in minutes.
Sunday morning I was taken to the airport for my early morning flight out. I remember little of the return flight, as I was doing my best to make up for lost sleep. I dreamt of my patients again and again. I missed them already, but I was certainly ready to return home. Landing in Madison brought me a tremendous sense of relief and a serious chill…it was COLD. Fortunately, my family was waiting with a warm coat and warm hugs. I WAS HOME.
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