Monday 1/25/10: How He loves us.

We awoke at 0630, and quickly began preparing for the day. We stayed at Brad & Vanessa Johnson's home on the MOH compound (slept on the floor and some outside in tents). Along with our team, there were about 30-40 other medical professionals staying on the compound. I stuffed my backpack with power bars and other things I figured I'd need through the day. After a quick breakfast at the compound's cafeteria, we made our trek down the hill to the clinic building. Patients had already begun lining up outside of the hospital. We took our places within the clinic, and opened at 0730. Simply put, it was organized chaos :). We had a triage team that assessed the patients' needs outside, and from there were either sent straight to the OR (broken limbs were easy to spot) or the ER/ICU (dehydration, fevers, pregnant mothers in labor). I was thankful that Lindsey, Jenny, and I knew which each other's strengths were, so we worked as team so well. We started IV's, gave IV medications, monitored vital signs, along with the ER and internal medicine doctors. I absolutely loved working with all of our doctors. It was a physically exhausting day not only because we worked 18-19 hours, but also because we were attempting to organize how the flow of our hospital ran...as well as knowing where certain supplies were stored.

We had patients with multiple leg and arm fractures. I was simply blown away with the pain tolerance of our patients. They were so thankful for any medical care they received, and they hardly ever complained of any pain. My heart was overwhelmed by their strength and their faith in Jesus.

As the sun was setting and the patient flow began dwindling, we thought we were pretty much finished with surgeries for the day. We were wrong. Two women in wheel chairs, rolled through the clinic gate. Both had received leg amputations at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, and now both needed revisions due to infections. I felt my nose grow pink and my eyes fill with tears, as I saw them being wheeled in. I could not imagine the trauma they had endured within the previous week. They were quickly taken to the OR, where the surgeon team began both revisions. As the surgeons were in the middle of their surgeries, both women (very heavily sedated and on pain medications...so they did not feel a thing), broke out into praise in worship. The surgeons later told us they fought back tears. To think while these women were having their leg amputations revised/cleaned, were praising Jesus. In the midst of unspeakable pain, He gave them joy and loved them with His everlasting love.

Once they were brought to the recovery room, myself, Lindsey, and Jenny did our best to manage their pain with medication, as well as the other 14 patients who were staying overnight on our post-op ward. We prayed for night shift relief, so we could get some sleep, and God so graciously answered. Two other nurses from other medical teams also staying on MOH, volunteered to work 5-6 hours in the night, so we could get our rest and be ready for Tuesday. Jesus was so quick in answering prayers during this trip, and that was just one example of His beautiful timing.

We gave shift report to the night shift, and Jenny, Lindsey, and I made our way up to Brad & Vanessa's house (about a two mile walk) around midnight. Our bodies were physically exhausted, but our hearts were full. It was a beautiful exhaustion, to be used by Him.

Currently Playing: "How He loves us" -David Crowder Band