Ti kado, prosthestics

Since I got back Ive been asked many times 'eske ou te pote'm yon ti kado' 'did you bring me a wee present'. In Haiti they like to give and recieve  'ti kado' (wee presents) and obviously I wasn't able to bring back everyone I know a wee present. However since I got back I have got 4 'ti kado's'.  The day I got back, a couple whose wee boy, Alex I treat in the clinic came to the door with a pineapple for me, then Wednesday at Milot a patient bought me a coconut, then another person give me a bracelet, then on Thursday in the clinic a wee patient who is just 16, stephanie came with 2 cans of this energy drink thing. It is so humbling to recieve presents here because I know these people have nothing and to give me anything is such a sacrifice.

Alex with his mum & dad

Like stephanie (the 16 year old), she was in Port au prince and had crush injuries to her legs, was in the third floor of her school when the earthquake hit. She lay until midnight that night when she was pulled out, went to the hospital the next day and they told her she wasn't ill enough to be there. So she left, slept in the street until she found a way to get to Cap Haitian to stay with her mum who lives here. After she arrived she went to the hopsital in town on 19th Jan, they didn't do anything. She came to Milot 4 weeks ago, having not walked for 3 months and having no treatment at all. However they would not accept her and she was sent home but referred onto outpatient physio with me. The first day I saw her she could barely walk, she has bilateral nerve palsys in her legs and is very sensitive to any touch at all. I was then leaving for nearly 3 weeks, so I gave her lots of things to do at home. She is tiny and I told her if she wants to get better she needs to eat well aswell to give her strength and energy her and her sister both replied 'we don't have any money for food.' They also came with no money to get home, they live around 45 minutes away and the tap tap costs about 20 goods which is about 30p. I had to get someone to carry her out to the road to get on the tap tap and put a chair at the side of the road until one arrived. So I sent her home with lots of exercises to do and wasn't really sure how things would be. She came today and the first thing she gave me was a 'ti kado' which was lovely. Only then did we talk about how she was, and I was so surprised she is doing so much better than I thought she would. Her pain is not at all as bad as it was and she can walk with just one person helping her. She still doesn't have alot of movement in both feet but it is definitely better than what it was.

My 'ti kado's'

While I was away in Canada the prosthetic team was out at milot. It was so cool to come back to see people walking around with their new leg, especially the kids. First of all I went over to paeds to see some of the girls witrh their new leg, it was very cool and they are all pleased with them. At the minute they are just practising trying to walk independantly the wee ones still need a little bit more confidence but they are doing great.

Fariana showing off her new leg

Shadei, Fariana and Nieka

Doing some physiotherapy