Had a few hours till our shift started (1830). A few of us decided to go into GSH to get something to eat (were told that meals were being served every two hours for all the volunteer workers) as well as to get familiarized with the hospital's rooms, etc. First thing I saw was the make shift lobby. Lots of people in scrubs walking around. I felt "lost" and misplaced for some reason. I can only imagine what many of the injured were feeling...strange faces...the fear of the unknown.
Turned around the corner and saw a couple of rooms that were made into operating/procedure rooms. First thing I saw was written names of the groups who were working there. Written on a piece of tape read, "The Rainbow Group". The other room was called, "The Redneck Group" (pretty TACKY I thought to myself). Seemed that several medical teams from the U.S. laid "claim" to the rooms. Strange I thought. But I moved on and walked around the rest of the first floor.
Saw several rooms made into make shift "post operative" and "recovery" rooms. Each room had about 7 or 8 freshly operated on or sick patients with their family members laying on the floor with them. They were CRAMMED. Many were speaking in their native tongue. It was HOT and HUMID. I was already breaking a sweat. Lots of movement. Lots of people. If you were claustrophobic, this was not the place to be.
The smell of urine and soaked dressings stood out to me. But I got used to it quickly. The look of "helplessness" on the patient's faces overshadowed what I felt and smelled. I was there to help them now. I had no time to worry about my own needs.
Many volunteer workers from around the world and the U.S. were present. Puerto Rico's search and rescue team were in their trailers. They were going in and out of Port-au-Prince, rescuing earthquake victims and transporting them into GSH. The medical team from Spain were there already. They were easily identified by the vests they wore. The Japanese team had left already from what I was told. So did the Dominican Republic surgery team who were the first responders had left unexpectedly. Sadly, I will soon find out why they left later on during the week...
Lots of supplies were coming in by the truck loads. It took most of the space right on the first floor. An armed guard sat right by the entrance, perhaps to help prevent unauthorized personnel from taking them. Or maybe just to help maintain some sort of "order" amongst the people within the compound.
Went upstairs to the main lobby where several of the teams congregated for meals. A large freezer filled with bottled water! Lots of empty water bottles everywhere! Lots of trash! This is where the rooms were located. Where many of the workers slept as well. Many of the "administrative" personnel, who's job was to help organize this hospital were present. We had a meeting after our meal and were given a brief synopsis of what was going on and what was to come. I could already sense a "tag of war" between several of the group's administrators. COTN was not a part of it I noticed. We were not there to play "administrators" or "consultants". We were there to help and do whatever was needed. THIS MUST BE THE FRUSTRATION THAT VICKI WARNED US ABOUT...
Soon after, the truck that had our donated supplies arrived. 3-4 COTN members catalogued each and every donated supply on a log. Some of us who were going to be on the night shift that night decided to walk over to the "orphanage" which was a building on the other side of the hospital. It is where over 200 or so patients and families were sleeping and were being cared for. This is where the E.R. was located, where most of the injured from Haiti were being dropped off, whether by ambulance, school bus, or behind pick up trucks...
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