From Haiti

My cousin Leah who is Haiti right now working as a nurse sent this email to let us know she is ok..Just wanted to share it gave me Haiti from her eyes...

Hey Fam,

I know by now you all have heard about this morning after shock I just wanted to drop ya’ll a line to let yall know that I’m perfectly fine and so is my group. So don’t worry about me ya’ll know I’m a thug for sure and no earthquake can keep me down.

My time is here is life changing compared to some of the other spots I have visited. When I stepped off the plane I could feel the sorrow and death in the air it was the most eerie feelings I ever felt in life. We walked down dead body-lined streets with nothing but destruction on them, something I thought I would witness while watching movies. From the time I touched I have done nothing but work…no not work HELP!! If I didn’t have to sleep to survive I wouldn’t its to many people injured and dying I just want to be up every waking minute to bring them some kind of comfort. I have seen people walk into this make shift clinic walking, talking and smiling but leaving out of here in body bags…that’s how things are here now. I’m watching people die from things that just shouldn’t take your life. A broken leg shouldn’t leave a child motherless or fatherless but here that’s what is happening. My days are filled with making the best of what we have which is much of nothing. Right now as we speak we have no IV left and I’m sterilizing things with alcohol…. vodka that is. Despite how we are in the need of more supplies the Haitians here are filled with appreciation and prayers for all of us. At night when I’m making some of my last rounds I join some of them in Prayer thanking God for one more day…one more day of suffering for them. I wish I could stop all the moans and cries that fill the air with pain but I can’t I shed a tear everyday before I hit the floor for this country and its people. The have to be the strongest people in the world to endure so much trauma and still have faith in god.

Yesterday I sent off one of my littlest patient to the Israelites hospital to get better treatment. He was only 7 or 8yrs old and had lost his family to this earthquake, in his eyes I could see glimpses of my son and nephews I just wanted to hug and hold him to give the loving care that he really needed he lost his foot and now was suffering my infections that we couldn’t treat. Right before he left he whispered to me “Se pou Bondye beni-w anpil” which means god bless you, IDK why but it just touched a cord with me and I cried on and off for hours. It was the mixture of sadness, joy, pain all wrapped up into one that just over came me. I once thought I was a strong person and could endure almost anything because being a nurse you have to be but I see now these people are the definition of strong. They have no home, some have no family, no food and water for the first couple of days here and death is all around but they still carry themselves with much pride and respect. Weak…. they are not.

When I first arrived here I said to myself this is going to be no thing I ‘ve been in some bad situations, hell I was there for the After math of Katrina and thought it couldn’t get any worse but here in Haiti it has. You know I’m in this program with all these high class ass white girls who just aren’t mentality ready to be here on more than one occasion I hate bring these lil bitches back reality and remind them just because they are poor doesn’t mean they are stupid stop treating them that way…smh…lord I wish the world was more cultured then we bring them up to be. These heffas were so happy when the Haitian orphans were sent to the there families…let me remind you their White families. You know I’m far from racist our fam is full of colors but that’s what It boiled down to. A senator charters a plane her to bring them to there families and we won’t let planes land in this country that have aid. Doctors without boarders are still waiting for there portable hospital to arrive something that we NEED. Those children were fine…no injuries…in good health had supplies and food so why couldn’t they wait one or two more days to be shipped out so aid could arrive? Just makes me wonder where are heads are at. Well I got to go duty calls I hope this email makes it to you guys…Mommy, Dana, Kiah and Keisha.stop crying while reading this cuz I know you cry babies are I’m ok…I’m doing what god put me here to do. I hope those tears are 4 Haiti and not for me they needed it more than I. James you are the best husband in the world thanks for stepping up and becoming a single father while I work to save your homeland I know this is hard for you since we haven’t heard from your mother and Aunts but you know I LOVE YOU to death and We will get through this. Kiss Pierre for me and tell em Mommy loves him.

Ok..i’m out for real this time

Ps..Yes Kiah, Dana and Keisha I finally got to wash up today and that letter for Degree will be written tonight cuz they the best!!

Love ya’ll again,

Leah.