life in haiti

yes...
i feel like there are alot of things to catch up on in the blog!!!
first of all, thank you to all of you who are interested in reading this blog, it means so much to me that you guys find it important enough to keep up with--and it helps me so much because i am processing my experiences and also sharing them with the people i love---which makes it a little easier to be in haiti.
so...yes, i was in port au prince, helping this friend of mine, beth, who is one of the kindest people you'll ever meet--it was so nice, we did prenatal and postpartum care together in her little center...i got to spend time with people who live at their little hospital...people who were affected by the earthquake...so touching. so eye-opening...these peoples' life stiries, the severity of their lives, you can't even imagine. i can't even begin to retell their stories. but they're in my heart.
i returned to hinche, and moved houses--now i'm in this hotel--it's a really nice place--lots of plants, a huge outside area, a pool...super fancy--i'm enjoying it but it's also really strange, because the niceness of it seems impossible compared to the reality of haiti, and hinche. it's an opposite reality. nevertheless, it's peaceful for me, and my room is bigger and nicer than where i was, and, the best thing, is that i can hang our with blada there. so we have been spending alot of time there together. it's great.
there's no internet there right now though. hopefully they'll actually fix it--they say they're working on it, but i don't really think they are. oh well.
2 days ago at the hospital there was a 7th timer who was eclamptic--she had 2 convulsions at home, then was brought in, and then had 2 more in front of us---Marthonie was working on her all morning, and trying to get the drs to do a cesarean--but they were busy, already doing other surgeries...she was doing everything she could, and then this lady seizes again 2 times. she was on mag sulfate. we worked on her together with the students--gave her 2 more boluses of mag--2g IV each time after she seized--so finally she got wheeled in for the c/s but then actually delivered in the OR. yes, we should have checked her before sending her in--yes, she was in labor, but we didn't think she was imminent. and she was so combative and agitated from the convulsions that it felt like all we could do was start a new IV to give mag (the one in place was shot)...anyway, her baby weas FINE--and her, the mom--well i don't know the outcome yet--right after the birth, she wasn't in a coma--she was semi-conscious--maybe she'll be Ok, but I don't know.
I spent the day yesterday in Cap Haitien with my boyfriend, Blada. I met his mother and his family. they recieved me with open hearts.
blada and I are more and more in love...it's just happening naturally...what can i say...
I posted some fotos finally!!! on facebook. a new album called "haiti fotos".
so if you want you can see Blada, Marthonie, the students, the place i go dancing with blada, etc. i will try to get more fotos up soon.
love all you guys!
reina