Poor Haiti

[Cumberland]

Hey Sandy- I was on GA-4 for the past four years. I havent regrouped in our new location since I am still nursing. My team was rarely deployed since it was still organizing but I did get to do lots of cool training. I still do have my US Govt credit card in case I want to go on a spending spree!

[poky]

Hey, cool! DH absolutely loves it. I don't mind, since it's only 2 weeks at a time, when he does deploy, and he gets so much out of it. The Oregon team is a great group of people. He's also backfilled for the WA team and the NM team, and really liked them, too.

Thank you all so much, have been feeling much better about it all since I posted and got information on secruity etc from teh team in Boston. (I can't remember the groups name but it is a team that are all experienced with disaster medicine).

Unfortunately, about 30 mins ago, DH's consultant (equivalent to most senior attending in charge of the ED) said he won't allow him to take time off or his holidays to go. This guy is the highest of the high arse-hole's with his head stuck up it that you could ever meet. Totally unsympathetic, totally just uuurrrrrgggggg (is there a 'pulling your hair out' smilie).

Right now the only help DH can give will be from his credit card.

My post was my initial reaction and I was so full of mixed emotions and all anxiety of the unknown/no information driven and now we have that information and I', ok with dh heading off (not over the moon I know that it would be hard work and tiring and I would still worry) his consultant says no and that he is needed more here. WTF!

[Rapunzel]

Latest military gossip: The U.S. military will be establishing a permanent base in Haiti similar to the one we have in Guam. The first AF doc we personally know to be deployed there after the disaster will serve in Haiti for six months with future U.S. military rotations to be for a full year (in the AF the rotations to Afghanistan and Iraq are six months for medical personnel - they'll be twice as long to Haiti).

[DCJenn]

Yep-

All of the orders that we've heard about are for six months. and, interestingly, they're all AF people who we know who have been tasked to go so I'm guessing the AF will be building something similar to the hospital in Balad.

Jenn

[poky]

Ugh, mrsB2B - that's amazingly obnoxious. Needed more where he is? Really?

Here is a message from DHHS Secretary Sebelius from this afternoon:

It has been over a week since the devastating earthquake first struck Haiti.

In the days since, our government, in collaboration with the government of Haiti and an outstanding international coalition of governmental and private relief groups, has worked tirelessly to deliver urgent assistance to the Haitian people. Our help is reaching the Haitian people - more today than yesterday, more tomorrow than today. But this response effort is not just about international aid; it’s also about Haitians helping Haitians, neighbors helping neighbors.

As part of the international medical response led by the United Nations, the Department of Health and Human Services has deployed nearly 300 medical personnel and public health experts to Haiti, and our medical teams have seen more than 7,000 patients. On Wednesday, the USNS Comfort arrived with nearly 600 medical personnel on board who are working around the clock to treat survivors. HHS and CDC staff are working side by side with the Haitian government and USAID to deploy medical supplies and identify solutions to key public health challenges like safe drinking water and food supplies. Members of our public affairs staff are on the ground working to disseminate accurate information inside Haiti and around the world.

The Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Refugee Resettlement continues to provide repatriation services to American citizens arriving at US military bases. More than 8,000 Americans returning from Haiti have been assisted so far. HHS is also working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of State to ensure that any orphaned children from Haiti who come to the U.S. are safe and cared for, and can be united with their adoptive families as soon as possible.

Our colleagues in Haiti are saving lives every day, and I am deeply grateful for their service during this great time of need. I also know that much work is being done by staff in Washington, Atlanta and across the country to support the relief efforts and ensure that our response teams travel quickly and safely to Haiti, and for that I want to sincerely thank all of you.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this unimaginable tragedy. Our prayers are with a member of our own HHS family, Diane Caves, and her family, friends and coworkers. Diane was on temporary duty from CDC to assist with global AIDS program activities in Haiti at the time of the earthquake; she was reportedly in a hotel, which has collapsed, and is still unaccounted for.

In the coming days and weeks, the people of Haiti and all those working to help those impacted by the earthquake will face even more challenges but with the help of all of you, we can continue to make a difference in their lives.

For more information and to find out how you can help please visit http://www.hhs.gov/haiti.

[Thirteen]

Yep-

All of the orders that we've heard about are for six months. and, interestingly, they're all AF people who we know who have been tasked to go so I'm guessing the AF will be building something similar to the hospital in Balad.

Jenn

And yet, apparently, we are still being chastised by other countries for "not doing enough," or "trying to occupy with a military regime for our own benefits." ? I'm sure we could be doing more, but when the comments come from those whose donations and outpouring do not even begun to touch our own, it doesn't make sense to me.

"I will not stand idly by, and tolerate this great... uh... intolerance."

[Sheherezade]

DH's former fellowship mentor was interviewed on NPR this morning; she's a gyn onc working with the team from Boston. She was delivering a baby during the interview. Her Boston team also went to Iran after the earthquake there during the time that DH was in training. She has never had anything but good things to say about the experiences. People in need are usually very happy to have trained doctors.

I wonder if it's the same team your husband would have joined?