Visiting the Cholera Tent - Lizandra

It is Thanksgiving. And I am most thankful for the privileges I have that allow me to be here in Haiti in a time like this. I am thankful for the support of my friends and family behind me as I am here, and also for the wonderful people I have met in Haiti over the past two days.
Today started off a lot like yesterday. Awoke at sunrise to do sun salutations on the patio, then shower, breakfast, internet and off to the hospital. On our ride into we did all talk a bit about the fact that it is Thanksgiving and shared what our friends and families were probably doing. There were again 8-10 patients waiting for us, I started off with Pierre just as we had yesterday. I saw two of the same people I had worked with yesterday, and got to work with a couple of new ones. All with either hip or low back pain, so again very standard stretches and basic postures. They are so happy and thankful for the poses, and I hope it helps to ease their pain and discomfort some.
At noon when the patients had dwindled I decided to join the German doctor on a visit to the Cholera tent. Before we could enter we had to wash our hands in a diluted bleach solution and have the soles of our shoes sprayed. They do this on entrance and exit and also when moving between sections of the ‘tent;. The idea is to keep new germs/bacteria from being introduced either direction.
The group who set up and run the 'tent' are from France, and they are running a tip top program. I am calling it a tent -but it is really a tent community, with constructed temporary walls, hallways, and several separate tent rooms. They have a triage space, and then a tiered room system depending on the severity of the case. We saw about 25 patients in the different rooms, ranging in age from 1 to 50 years of age. The sicker patients of any age were very hard to see, the pain and discomfort very clear in every aspect of their being. The worst was some of they eyes. In some cases blank, and in some pain filled. There was one small boy who was very alert, but with the saddest eyes I have seen in a long time. It was heart-breaking. But at least they are being treated, and the German doctor said overall it was a much better environment than he has seen in other places. Most of the people we saw today will live, because they are receiving topnotch treatment.
The French are clearly following a well thought out and planned system and are working hard to get Haitian nurses and orderlies to work with them within their plan and structure. Each room has a nurse’s station where they take careful notes, and also dispense the basic medication, food and liquids. There are 2 doctors and 8 nurses and at least 15-20 orderly types who are disinfecting and keeping things in order. Everything is labeled and every room has treatment instructions and plans posted on the walls.
The tents are constructed quite well with some scaffolding and then also clever use of branches, small trees and ropes to help construct the walls. The German doctor was very impressed with both the operations as well as the care being provided. They are well staffed and well equipped. The only issue will be patient load. As long as the Cholera stays this contained level in the area they will be fine.
The Haitians are an amazing and resilient people, I really hope the resources will come together to help create treatment centers like this all over the country.