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Haiti Relief Efforts
Haiti Relief Efforts
Dr. Jeff Mjaanes
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush surgeons John M. Fernandez, M.D. and Jeffrey Mjaanes, M.D. have traveled to Haiti to deliver medical care to those hardest hit by the recent earthquake.
The physicians will be sending updates on the progress being made by the teams who are taking part in this humanitarian mission to the devastated country.
Dr. Jeff Mjaanes' Blog - Update from the Epicenter of the Earthquake
Sunday, January 31 - Just a quick update before bed:
We are all doing well. A virus has gone around the camp, but luckily only a few in our group have been affected and all have recovered without a problem.
Again, we split into different groups today. Dr. Dutton went to the main hospital and performed several cases, including a large facial laceration repair. Drs. Lind and McCarthy performed several surgeries as well, including sewing up the bowel of a gunshot victim.
The ortho and anesthesia team returned to the same hospital again. Drs. Fernandez and Van Thiel performed 14 surgeries, including a young boy who had displaced fractures in the tibia bones of both legs.
Our primary care team went to the Carrefour neighborhood, the epicenter of the earthquake. In the end, we set up shop in a school and saw close to 500 patients - all of whom have been sleeping in the street as their homes have collapsed. My first patient was a nine-year-old boy, who came in with a minor leg wound, but began crying uncontrollably. Thinking there was more to the story I asked if his family was o.k. - his father and siblings died in the quake and his mother was in the hospital. He has spent the last two weeks living on his own on the streets. He was hungry, scared and alone. With the help of the local pastor and our group liaison, we were able to arrange for him to stay with a family until his mother could be discharged.
The stories are heartbreaking and the destruction, both to families and society in general, is overwhelming.
The situation here is almost surreal. Every block contains one or two buildings that are completely destroyed. Three and four stories collapsed onto each other like pancakes - you can look and tell no one could have survived. Every day we drive the same route and every day I seem to notice things I did not notice before: schools, kindergartens, Internet cafes, stores, restaurants, churches all in ruins.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of bodies still buried in the rubble. You feel guilty, intrusive and voyeuristic taking pictures although you know you are doing so not as a tourist but to inform others of the destruction here. If the world forgets about Haiti, this country will be lost. There seems to be no functioning government here - no army or police in the streets, no bulldozers clearing debris or bodies, no words of reassurance from the president and no organization to the chaos.
In addition, over 80 percent of the population lived in absolute poverty BEFORE the quake. The societal upheaval, the impending public health nightmare and the physical destruction will be very difficult, if not impossible to fix. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those here who were affected by the quake.
Jeff
Photos sent by Dr. Benjamin Lind, vascular fellow at Rush.
We are all doing well. A virus has gone around the camp, but luckily only a few in our group have been affected and all have recovered without a problem.
Again, we split into different groups today. Dr. Dutton went to the main hospital and performed several cases, including a large facial laceration repair. Drs. Lind and McCarthy performed several surgeries as well, including sewing up the bowel of a gunshot victim.
The ortho and anesthesia team returned to the same hospital again. Drs. Fernandez and Van Thiel performed 14 surgeries, including a young boy who had displaced fractures in the tibia bones of both legs.
Our primary care team went to the Carrefour neighborhood, the epicenter of the earthquake. In the end, we set up shop in a school and saw close to 500 patients - all of whom have been sleeping in the street as their homes have collapsed. My first patient was a nine-year-old boy, who came in with a minor leg wound, but began crying uncontrollably. Thinking there was more to the story I asked if his family was o.k. - his father and siblings died in the quake and his mother was in the hospital. He has spent the last two weeks living on his own on the streets. He was hungry, scared and alone. With the help of the local pastor and our group liaison, we were able to arrange for him to stay with a family until his mother could be discharged.
The stories are heartbreaking and the destruction, both to families and society in general, is overwhelming.
The situation here is almost surreal. Every block contains one or two buildings that are completely destroyed. Three and four stories collapsed onto each other like pancakes - you can look and tell no one could have survived. Every day we drive the same route and every day I seem to notice things I did not notice before: schools, kindergartens, Internet cafes, stores, restaurants, churches all in ruins.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of bodies still buried in the rubble. You feel guilty, intrusive and voyeuristic taking pictures although you know you are doing so not as a tourist but to inform others of the destruction here. If the world forgets about Haiti, this country will be lost. There seems to be no functioning government here - no army or police in the streets, no bulldozers clearing debris or bodies, no words of reassurance from the president and no organization to the chaos.
In addition, over 80 percent of the population lived in absolute poverty BEFORE the quake. The societal upheaval, the impending public health nightmare and the physical destruction will be very difficult, if not impossible to fix. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those here who were affected by the quake.
Jeff
Photos sent by Dr. Benjamin Lind, vascular fellow at Rush.
 Dr. Jay Dutton and Dr. Walter McCarthy performing a flap reconstruction of a complex facial wound. |
 Dr. Mahesh Raju (left) and Dr. Jafaar Golzar reading films and diagnosing congenital heart defects, acute MIs, and many congestive heart failure patients. |
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Dr. Jeff Mjaanes' Blog - 400 Patients Seen at Make-Shift Urgent Care Center
Saturday, January 30 - Today the group split up: Some went to the General Hospital and some went to the private CTDI Hospital. My group went to a make-shift, urgent care center for people living on the streets.
At the General Hospital our cardiology and medicine residents went and worked in the ICU treating patients with wounds, heart failure and kidney failure. One was a 15-year-old boy in heart failure, who ended up being flown to the USS Comfort medical ship. Our vascular surgeons, Drs. McCarthy and Lind performed surgery all day - mainly debridement of infected wounds.
Our anesthesia and ortho teams went to a former private hospital now treating earthquake victims. Drs. Fernandez and Van Thiel rounded on wounded patients and performed seven surgeries, including debridement of the leg wound of the four-year-old we saw yesterday. The boy did well and was discharged.
Our team went to a make-shift, urgent care center and worked alongside physicians and nurses from around the world. A group from the Dominican Republic set up at the Main Police Station directly in front of the destroyed National Palace.
Our group alone saw over 400 children today. We had some very sick children with respiratory infections, dehydration and malnutrition. We had to stabilize a basically unresponsive little 11-month-old girl whose mother and two of three siblings died, and who has likely developed sepsis (blood poisoning) from infected wounds. Luckily, Dr. Ansell was at the General Hospital - we transported the girl, he received her and took her to the pediatric tent.
Many sad stories today. A pregnant mother who lost her husband and two of her children in the quake. Her two-year-old was stuck under the rubble for four days - she ended up having to pay someone 1,000 Haitian dollars to dig him out. She has nothing - not even a sheet to sleep on in the tent city.
A 10-year-old boy who lost both parents and his siblings when their house collapsed. Only he and his eight-year-old brother survived, now living on the street. To add misery to the situation, he got separated from his brother yesterday. Now both are completely alone. It is so heartwrenching to see this and be able to do so little. Although, I hope I am making at least a small contribution. The scope of all this is so immense it is overwhelming.
That is all for now - we are all exhausted and need to try and get some rest.
Jeff
At the General Hospital our cardiology and medicine residents went and worked in the ICU treating patients with wounds, heart failure and kidney failure. One was a 15-year-old boy in heart failure, who ended up being flown to the USS Comfort medical ship. Our vascular surgeons, Drs. McCarthy and Lind performed surgery all day - mainly debridement of infected wounds.
Our anesthesia and ortho teams went to a former private hospital now treating earthquake victims. Drs. Fernandez and Van Thiel rounded on wounded patients and performed seven surgeries, including debridement of the leg wound of the four-year-old we saw yesterday. The boy did well and was discharged.
Our team went to a make-shift, urgent care center and worked alongside physicians and nurses from around the world. A group from the Dominican Republic set up at the Main Police Station directly in front of the destroyed National Palace.
Our group alone saw over 400 children today. We had some very sick children with respiratory infections, dehydration and malnutrition. We had to stabilize a basically unresponsive little 11-month-old girl whose mother and two of three siblings died, and who has likely developed sepsis (blood poisoning) from infected wounds. Luckily, Dr. Ansell was at the General Hospital - we transported the girl, he received her and took her to the pediatric tent.
Many sad stories today. A pregnant mother who lost her husband and two of her children in the quake. Her two-year-old was stuck under the rubble for four days - she ended up having to pay someone 1,000 Haitian dollars to dig him out. She has nothing - not even a sheet to sleep on in the tent city.
A 10-year-old boy who lost both parents and his siblings when their house collapsed. Only he and his eight-year-old brother survived, now living on the street. To add misery to the situation, he got separated from his brother yesterday. Now both are completely alone. It is so heartwrenching to see this and be able to do so little. Although, I hope I am making at least a small contribution. The scope of all this is so immense it is overwhelming.
That is all for now - we are all exhausted and need to try and get some rest.
Jeff
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Dr. John Fernandez from the O.R.
Saturday, January 30 - Dr. John Fernandez, orthopedic surgeon at Rush University Medical Center, was one of the surgeons sent to the private CTDI Hospital to work in the operating room. Today, he sent us a message.
I am overwhelmed. I don't know how much more I can add.
With each passing day we learn more about the devastation and aftermath.
Some people are dying now from severe anemia having essentially bled to death slowly over time as a result of their injuries as well as the surgeries designed to try to save them.
I am now faced with the decision between possibly having a patient die from blood loss during surgery or from an infection from not doing the surgery.
Today, I had to tell a 15-year-old boy, who lost his left leg, and his mother that we now also have to amputate his right leg. Worse yet, because of an injury that in the U.S. would likely do well.
I didn't even know how to begin and I just had to keep stopping while I told them as I thought of my own sons.
I had at least two or three others literally beg me to save their arms or legs with injuries I know won't do well.
I treated a 60-year-old woman who lost three of her four children and with her surviving daughter. She has a horrible hip, elbow and shoulder fracture in three of her four limbs with massive wounds. She also is now developing pneumonia. She is laying on the ground on a wool blanket in a tent as I write this. She has been given an antibiotic and Motrin in a zip lock bag with instructions on how to take it. There is no one with her other than the other patients equally traumatized. The tent reeks of urine and infected wounds.
In Chicago, this woman would be in an ICU with a personal nurse and receive $20,000 per day, high-tech care. She was essentially unresponsive not so much from her trauma, but because her daughter says she has "lost the will to live" and I could understand why. If she survives the week I would be surprised.
Despite the misery, I have learned that there is great strength and grace in the people here, not in those of us helping but in those surviving. Literally, EVERYONE I took care of INCLUDING the amputees thanked me by looking directly into my eyes and saying, "meeerciiiii, meeerciiiii." How do you respond to that?
I hope I don't sound cliche in saying this trip has changed me forever. It has left me with questions I can't answer. I thought I was coming here to help others, and I hope I did. But I also feel a guilt in knowing what I have to go back to knowing what I leave behind.
I don't know what else to say.
John
I am overwhelmed. I don't know how much more I can add.
With each passing day we learn more about the devastation and aftermath.
Some people are dying now from severe anemia having essentially bled to death slowly over time as a result of their injuries as well as the surgeries designed to try to save them.
I am now faced with the decision between possibly having a patient die from blood loss during surgery or from an infection from not doing the surgery.
Today, I had to tell a 15-year-old boy, who lost his left leg, and his mother that we now also have to amputate his right leg. Worse yet, because of an injury that in the U.S. would likely do well.
I didn't even know how to begin and I just had to keep stopping while I told them as I thought of my own sons.
I had at least two or three others literally beg me to save their arms or legs with injuries I know won't do well.
I treated a 60-year-old woman who lost three of her four children and with her surviving daughter. She has a horrible hip, elbow and shoulder fracture in three of her four limbs with massive wounds. She also is now developing pneumonia. She is laying on the ground on a wool blanket in a tent as I write this. She has been given an antibiotic and Motrin in a zip lock bag with instructions on how to take it. There is no one with her other than the other patients equally traumatized. The tent reeks of urine and infected wounds.
In Chicago, this woman would be in an ICU with a personal nurse and receive $20,000 per day, high-tech care. She was essentially unresponsive not so much from her trauma, but because her daughter says she has "lost the will to live" and I could understand why. If she survives the week I would be surprised.
Despite the misery, I have learned that there is great strength and grace in the people here, not in those of us helping but in those surviving. Literally, EVERYONE I took care of INCLUDING the amputees thanked me by looking directly into my eyes and saying, "meeerciiiii, meeerciiiii." How do you respond to that?
I hope I don't sound cliche in saying this trip has changed me forever. It has left me with questions I can't answer. I thought I was coming here to help others, and I hope I did. But I also feel a guilt in knowing what I have to go back to knowing what I leave behind.
I don't know what else to say.
John
Anesthesia team preparing Dr. Fernandez' patient for operation.
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Dr. Jeff Mjaanes' Blog - Day Two in Make-Shift Clinic at a Refugee Camp
Friday, January 29 - On the way to our site, we again passed through downtown Port-au-Prince. The devastation is astounding. Block after block of collapsed buildings. Schools, malls, houses and businesses.
There are really no words or pictures that can fully describe what a catastrophe this is for this country. Just the physical damage to the infrastructure and city is unbelievable. The country truly needs a Marshall Plan-type program to rebuild. The job will be incredibly immense and take a long, long time. When you think about the human toll as well, it is overwhelming.
Despite media reports in the U.S. of lawlessness, we have not seen any crime or looting - only poverty-stricken people, who have had the incredibly terrible misfortune of suffering a catastrophic natural disaster. People are hungry and thirsty and millions are displaced with no housing. Everywhere we go, people both young and old ask us for something to eat or drink. Since we are only transporting medical supplies, we have no food to give - it is heartbreaking.
Our primary care group returned to the same site we were at yesterday and saw over 200 patients again. We have seen many earthquake victims and injuries today. Word got out that we were coming back!
We saw many people with fractures caused by collapsing buildings including a 25-year-old man injured when the factory fell around him - broke his hand in three places - one cut down to the bone. Saw multiple ankle and leg fractures including an eight-year-old boy with a fractured femur whom we were able to splint and give crutches.
We saw several children from a collapsed Catholic elementary school up the road from our make-shift clinic. For me personally, the patient that affected me the most was a 10-year-old boy, who survived the earthquake when he dove under a desk as the top two floors of the school fell around him. He was pulled from the rubble two days after the quake. He was trapped under the bodies of three of his dead classmates and a broken desk. In his classroom alone, 15 girls and 12 boys died - only five survived, including him. He lost a sister as well.
There are still dozens of bodies trapped in that rubble. Luckily, his only physical injuries were a broken foot and a broken hand, both of which will heal well, but the emotional scars... Who knows? I told his mother he was a boy who will live a long, healthy life because to survive so much, he must have a guardian angel looking out for him.
The biggest issue now is basically public health. Many people we treated today were dehydrated. There are kids who have not anything to drink in 24 hours and almost nothing to eat for two-three days. Several kids and babies needed fluid resuscitation. Witnessing a lot of communicable diseases - pneumonia, diarrhea, cellulitis - from living in overcrowded, make-shift tents made of sheets. Many respiratory ailments as it is the dry season and there is a lot of dust, debris and smoke in the air. Unfortunately, this situation will only worsen in the coming weeks and months.
We have arranged for several people to see our surgeons tomorrow. We will likely travel to another site tomorrow that has not seen a single doctor since the quake. Our work continues...
Jeff
There are really no words or pictures that can fully describe what a catastrophe this is for this country. Just the physical damage to the infrastructure and city is unbelievable. The country truly needs a Marshall Plan-type program to rebuild. The job will be incredibly immense and take a long, long time. When you think about the human toll as well, it is overwhelming.
Despite media reports in the U.S. of lawlessness, we have not seen any crime or looting - only poverty-stricken people, who have had the incredibly terrible misfortune of suffering a catastrophic natural disaster. People are hungry and thirsty and millions are displaced with no housing. Everywhere we go, people both young and old ask us for something to eat or drink. Since we are only transporting medical supplies, we have no food to give - it is heartbreaking.
Our primary care group returned to the same site we were at yesterday and saw over 200 patients again. We have seen many earthquake victims and injuries today. Word got out that we were coming back!
We saw many people with fractures caused by collapsing buildings including a 25-year-old man injured when the factory fell around him - broke his hand in three places - one cut down to the bone. Saw multiple ankle and leg fractures including an eight-year-old boy with a fractured femur whom we were able to splint and give crutches.
We saw several children from a collapsed Catholic elementary school up the road from our make-shift clinic. For me personally, the patient that affected me the most was a 10-year-old boy, who survived the earthquake when he dove under a desk as the top two floors of the school fell around him. He was pulled from the rubble two days after the quake. He was trapped under the bodies of three of his dead classmates and a broken desk. In his classroom alone, 15 girls and 12 boys died - only five survived, including him. He lost a sister as well.
There are still dozens of bodies trapped in that rubble. Luckily, his only physical injuries were a broken foot and a broken hand, both of which will heal well, but the emotional scars... Who knows? I told his mother he was a boy who will live a long, healthy life because to survive so much, he must have a guardian angel looking out for him.
The biggest issue now is basically public health. Many people we treated today were dehydrated. There are kids who have not anything to drink in 24 hours and almost nothing to eat for two-three days. Several kids and babies needed fluid resuscitation. Witnessing a lot of communicable diseases - pneumonia, diarrhea, cellulitis - from living in overcrowded, make-shift tents made of sheets. Many respiratory ailments as it is the dry season and there is a lot of dust, debris and smoke in the air. Unfortunately, this situation will only worsen in the coming weeks and months.
We have arranged for several people to see our surgeons tomorrow. We will likely travel to another site tomorrow that has not seen a single doctor since the quake. Our work continues...
Jeff
 Dr. Jeff Mjaanes with ten-year-old boy, who broke his hand and foot. |
 The team of Rush doctors at the end of day two at the make-shift clinic located on the refugee camp. |
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Dr. Jeff Mjaanes sent us some photos of the Rush team during day two of clinic.
Friday, January 29 -
 Dr. Mahesh Raju (right) and Dr. Jafaar Golzar treating patients in tents in a refugee camp. |
Dr. Mahesh Raju, chief resident in internal medicine at Rush (left), and Dr. Praveen Dandamundi, nephrology fellow at Rush treating patients. |
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Update from Dr. John Fernandez
Friday, January 29 - Our team is doing well. We are in a large tent and have outdoor showers with one hot meal. We're going out to refugee camp with 2,000 people this AM. I greatly appreciate all of the kind words of support that I have received over the past few days.
Dr. John Fernandez
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Update from Dr. Jeff Mjaanes
Thursday, January 28 - We just left our clinic site. Saw many patients in this marginalized refugee community in the hills above Carrefour neighborhood. We will try to send numbers when we get back. We saw many kids with abscesses, pneumonia and dehydration from living in cramped, makeshift tent cities. We saw a 12-year-old boy with pelvic/proximal fracture, many teens and adults with wrist fracture, and a pregnant woman with pneumonia. We will likely return to the same site tomorrow. We will e-mail when we are back at base camp in a little bit - trying now to make it back before dark!
Jeff
Jeff
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First Day Treating Patients
Thursday, January 28 - Our first day out in the field is over! We split into several smaller groups today:
1) The anesthesia group went to the General Hospital and worked in the OR with several teams from other countries.
2) A group of internists went to a clinic across the street from Adventist Hospital and saw about 170 patients.
3) A group went to the refugee camp and saw about 250 patients. Most of what we treated were infections, minor fractures and abdominal pain - mostly from people who have had minimal water and food for several days.
To get to our spot in the refugee camp, we had to cross the city. The damage from the earthquake (or as the Haitians call it "the event") is truly astounding. We passed the school where 400 children died - three floors simply pancaked onto each other. We saw block after block of collapsed buildings, houses, shopping centers, supermarkets, etc. Every park is occupied by people living in makeshift tents made of sheets - we may be going to one of these the day after tomorrow. The devastation is simply catastrophic and very sobering.
Tomorrow, we will be going to similar sites - and our orthopedic and vascular teams will be splitting up to operate.
Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding day. More to follow...
Jeff
1) The anesthesia group went to the General Hospital and worked in the OR with several teams from other countries.
2) A group of internists went to a clinic across the street from Adventist Hospital and saw about 170 patients.
3) A group went to the refugee camp and saw about 250 patients. Most of what we treated were infections, minor fractures and abdominal pain - mostly from people who have had minimal water and food for several days.
To get to our spot in the refugee camp, we had to cross the city. The damage from the earthquake (or as the Haitians call it "the event") is truly astounding. We passed the school where 400 children died - three floors simply pancaked onto each other. We saw block after block of collapsed buildings, houses, shopping centers, supermarkets, etc. Every park is occupied by people living in makeshift tents made of sheets - we may be going to one of these the day after tomorrow. The devastation is simply catastrophic and very sobering.
Tomorrow, we will be going to similar sites - and our orthopedic and vascular teams will be splitting up to operate.
Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding day. More to follow...
Jeff
Haitian children
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New Picture from Dr. Jeff Mjaanes
Thursday, January 28 - Dr. Jeff Mjaanes just sent a new picture of the team getting ready to head out into the community. They spent the night before reorganizing and repacking their medical supplies for this morning.
Dr. Stephanie Wang, internist at Rush, debriefing group before heading out into the neighborhoods of Port Au Prince.
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Port Au Prince in Sight!
Wednesday, January 27 - We HAVE had quite the journey so far! We left the Haitian border around 10 a.m. Haitian time. The road from the border to the town of Las Cahobas (about 13 miles) is unpaved and in horrible condition.
We blew out two tires on the bus as well as one on our pick-up truck carrying our medical supplies - thankfully without incident.
Nevertheless, the stops to change out the tires put quite a delay in our trip. It is 3:40 p.m. local time and we are coming down out of the mountains.
Finally, Port Au Prince is in sight!. Will update as soon as we get in and get settled.
Nevertheless, the stops to change out the tires put quite a delay in our trip. It is 3:40 p.m. local time and we are coming down out of the mountains.
Finally, Port Au Prince is in sight!. Will update as soon as we get in and get settled.
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Driving through Haiti
Wednesday, January 27 - We made it across the border at around 10 a.m. local time. Unfortunately, the main road here is unpaved and in poor condition, so the trip is taking longer than expected. Nevertheless, we are being accompanied by three U.N. officers and hope to make it into Port Au Prince in a few hours.
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Settling In
Wednesday, January 27 - We made it!
After a long trip, we have finally arrived!
We are being lodged on the campus of the Quisqueya Christian School, an elementary school in Port Au Prince in the Delmas neighborhood. This was a private elementary school that was closed after the earthquake and turned into an impromptu Earthquake Crisis Center.
In addition to us, they are currently housing multiple medical teams from across the U.S. and other countries. It is secure. We have a large tent for all of us. We feel very privileged - we have one hot meal a day, electricity, water/showers and intermittent Internet! Tomorrow, we will be going out in the community. We will update again tomorrow.
JM
Jeffrey Mjaanes, MD
Adult & Pediatric Orthopedic Expert
Assistant Professor, Pediatric & Orthopedic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center
After a long trip, we have finally arrived!
We are being lodged on the campus of the Quisqueya Christian School, an elementary school in Port Au Prince in the Delmas neighborhood. This was a private elementary school that was closed after the earthquake and turned into an impromptu Earthquake Crisis Center.
In addition to us, they are currently housing multiple medical teams from across the U.S. and other countries. It is secure. We have a large tent for all of us. We feel very privileged - we have one hot meal a day, electricity, water/showers and intermittent Internet! Tomorrow, we will be going out in the community. We will update again tomorrow.
JM
Jeffrey Mjaanes, MD
Adult & Pediatric Orthopedic Expert
Assistant Professor, Pediatric & Orthopedic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center
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Team Arrives in Port Au Prince
Wednesday, January 27 - The team of Rush medical personnel has arrived in Port Au Prince. Dr. Jeff Mjaanes just sent a couple photos he took with his phone. According to Jabari Hunt's blog, Dr. Myriame Casimir says the destruction is worse than it looks on television.
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Arrival at the Haitian Border
Tuesday, January 26 - We have arrived in Elias Pina on the Haitian border. The "three-hour" trip was actually about seven hours in realitybut good bonding time for the group. We are staying at La Casa Margaret. Tomorrow morning up early to enter Haiti with U.N. escort.
The time zone in Haiti is Eastern Standard Time.
The time zone in Haiti is Eastern Standard Time.
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Mission to Haiti: Dr. Jeff Mjaanes' First Blog Entry
Monday, January 25 - We arrived in Santo Domingo late last night and spent the night at Hostal Bella Epoca. We had a short, post-breakfast meeting this morning on security and a briefing on the latest updates on our set-up in Haiti.
The group awoke refreshed this morning. Morale is great and we are all looking forward to getting to work.
Not to jinx us, but things have gone amazingly well so far. All of our personal and supply bags arrived. No major delays at airports. Our local organization, Endeavor, has been instrumental in helping arrange everything. Gracias!
A special thank you to US Airways officials who really were very helpful in helping us get all our things on the aircraft. Thank you!
Also, we appreciate the help from Dominican officials who assisted us through the airport upon our arrival in the Dominican Republic.
In a few minutes we will head out by bus to the Haitian border where we will spend the night in order to enter Haiti early in the morning during daylight hours. We will update the blog this evening or tomorrow depending on Internet service.
Thanks to all of our loved ones at home and to all those who have supported us through this endeavor.
JM
Dr. Jeff M. Mjaanes
Adult and Pediatric Sports Medicine
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics & Orthopaedic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center
The group awoke refreshed this morning. Morale is great and we are all looking forward to getting to work.
Not to jinx us, but things have gone amazingly well so far. All of our personal and supply bags arrived. No major delays at airports. Our local organization, Endeavor, has been instrumental in helping arrange everything. Gracias!
A special thank you to US Airways officials who really were very helpful in helping us get all our things on the aircraft. Thank you!
Also, we appreciate the help from Dominican officials who assisted us through the airport upon our arrival in the Dominican Republic.
In a few minutes we will head out by bus to the Haitian border where we will spend the night in order to enter Haiti early in the morning during daylight hours. We will update the blog this evening or tomorrow depending on Internet service.
Thanks to all of our loved ones at home and to all those who have supported us through this endeavor.
JM
Dr. Jeff M. Mjaanes
Adult and Pediatric Sports Medicine
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics & Orthopaedic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center
Team of Rush medical professionals before they head off to the Haitian border
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Mission to Haiti
Sunday, January 24 - Medical personnel from Rush University Medical Center spent the afternoon on Sunday, January 24, packing water, medical supplies and medicines to take to Haiti for earthquake relief efforts. The group of doctors, nurses and specialists left on Monday, January 25.
Dr. Jeff Mjaanes, pediatric orthopedic specialist, and Dr. Myriame Casimir, internal medicine, from Rush share their feelings about the mission trip.
Dr. Jeff Mjaanes, pediatric orthopedic specialist, and Dr. Myriame Casimir, internal medicine, from Rush share their feelings about the mission trip.
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