APRIL 13

Hi everyone!!!!!

Oh my goodnessssssss!!! It has been amazing down here!

We're alive.

We're so blessed down here.

I seriously haven't been as full of life as I am right now.

I've started more IV's than I can count (including one on a sick little dehydrated 2 year old.) I've hugged and kissed little sick babies...especially this little six month old girl who has pneumonia.

I can't even explain this place to you. I'll try but it'll be muddled.

I've been in the "hospital" since saturday. The hospital is a pop up ten thing with five different rooms. One is an ER. One is for malnourished children. One is a storage area.

One is an OB/L&D room.... (we delivered a baby on sunday). One is an Acute care room. One is an Operating room.

I've bounced back and forth from the ER/ makeshift PACU to the Actue care area doing everything from passing meds to starting IV's the breathing treatments to cleaning wounds to removing sutures from a woman whose husband bit half of her ear off. I can't explain how chaotic is really is because not all of you know medicine (I still barely do) but for those who understand this part it's for you. 95% of our meds need to be reconstititued. We're pulling NS from a bag cause we don't have individual bottles. Our angiocaths are from the 70's... or so they seem. hardley any of them have a retratable needle. Don't worry. I've been so careful about needle sticks. We're making our ouwn flushes and reusing piggybacks. It's insane.

Anyways.

I just wanted to let you know that I'm safe. I'm well. I''m so happy here. 12 hour shifts never felt so good!!

I know I left with some fears. Not safety fears but fears of not being useful or not knowing what I was doing. All of my fears have vanished. I've been told several times that i'm a fantastic nurse. All of the insecurities of not having a job are gone.

The country is devestated. not as many houses are down as I thought but the ones that are are completely shocking. people are in tents in more places than I thought possible. everyday on the way to the hospital we drive by a street where the tents are IN the street!!!! The line outside of the clinic is insane. Hundreds of people everyday. The country just decreed yesterday that you cant charge for healthcare yet. Not for another 10 days.

Sorry this is totally choppy. I'm just so full of stuff to get out.

Anyways. I love you all. Pass on my best if anyone asks. Sorry I didn't email this to everyone I'm limited to my email contacts right now.

K. Besitos!!!!

love you!!!!

christina

a view of our "temporary" tent hospital