...what doesn't kill you

I first have to apologize for my delay...Friday night I got some sort of unlovely GI disaster which pretty much knocked me out.  Thank goodness for my fabulous friends who came to my rescue with IV fluids and drugs. 

My last full day in Haiti (Friday) was very bittersweet.  One of my favorite people in Haiti is a four year old boy named Roni.  He came to the hospital with a large hematoma (blood collection) on his knee.  He was diagnosed with Hemophilia.  Here in the states it is pretty manageable, scary still, but not too out of reach.  In Haiti, getting $2000 a vial Factor 8 is nearly impossible.  Roni received an amazing gift, someone donated 4 vials of Factor 8 for him to get and he is being enrolled in a program to be sponsored for life, and how I hope that it works out for him.

I see alot of children, some make me laugh, some make me crazy, and a select few just have a way of sneaking in close and grabbing a special place in my heart.  Roni was definitely one of the select few. He also made me crazy and made me laugh, dancing in his bed and playing games.  We spent Friday afternoon sitting outside together, I got lucky and somehow he was my only patient.  We played with my camera and and I carried him around in the lovely Carribean weather.  Its funny to spend that much time with someone who doesn't speak the same language, but I think we had a good understanding.  I will probably never forget him or his dancing and his smiles.  My hope for him is that he gets enrolled in the program, I hope somehow I'll be able to find out.

After a rough battle with Haiti waging war against my GI tract and a day of travel, I'm pretty sure its only starting to sink in.  I'm fairly certain I left Haiti with a far greater gift than I could give, but I'm sure i'll try again.  I'm grateful for the warm welcome and openness to what we had to offer.  I'm trying not to be sad for them, that doesn't really accomplish much.  I wish for them the parts of my life that I could not survive without and cannot be measured in monetary worth...a family who I never have to doubt, makes me laugh and feel uncondionally supported and loved.  Knowing that I am safe and that I will always have people on my side. 

Sometimes, in moments of absolute sadness and despair, whether at work, in Haiti, etc...I see things that restore my faith in the goodness of people, and I am grateful.  Thanks for coming with me to Haiti and reading my sleep deprived, possibly corny blog, it has been a great outlet for me.

Please keep Haiti in your thoughts and prayers in whatever way works for you.  I've seen people care for eachother this week in away I didn't expect, I hope to keep that with me always.

T

PS...I got to meet Alonso Mourning, of the Miami Heat.  I can't say that I really knew who he was, pre-Haiti, but now I can say I met someone famous ;)