Remembering Haiti (part 1)

On January 12, it will be the 2 year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
For the past few weeks my life has been overwhelmed with studying politics and the stock market. But for the last few days all I have thought about is Haiti. I still think about what I saw and experienced there. It was a life-changing experience for me. I'd give anything to go back again. I want to see the progress (or lack of it) for myself. I'd give anything to find some of my old patients. And my heart just aches to see the orphanage we helped build.
I can't remember the name of the girl in this picture. I remember so many things about her. We were close in age. Her chart said she weighed about 60 lbs, or maybe it was kilos? She was slowly and quietly dying from HIV and malnutrition, among other things. If you look closely you can see I'm holding a plastic baggy of water. I'd squeeze it into her mouth every few minutes. After she had managed to get a few mouthfuls down, she would start talking to me. She didn't want water. She wanted Tampico. And she would tell us where we could go find some. I came back the next day with some Tampico, but she had already passed away. She was "my" patient. No one else seemed to be caring for her (or anyone else in that unit- where people were basically sent to die quietly). I would keep coming back to bring her water or change her diaper. She would always just smile up at me and hold my hand. I never thought to write down her name. I never thought I would forget it. But here we are 2 years later, and I can't remember it anymore. But I still remember vividly that even as she was dying she still had spunk.
Over the next few days, maybe weeks, I hope to share more of my Haiti memories and pictures.