Day 2 for the medical team and the student team

The FHM medical team saw 179 patients their first day, and are on-target as I write this to see 200 today. The team is doing a great job together. We have been taking lots of pictures but our internet connection is quite slow, so we won't be uploading any soon.

A progress report -
The last two members of the medical relief team, Jeanette and Janet arrived in PAP on Monday afternoon. The student team were supposed to be on the same flight, but got delayed because of mechanical problems in RDU, so they arrived late in the afternoon and immediately sped out to Leogane.

What does an airport look like that has survived an earthquake? The first thing we noticed were all the tent cities around the airport, and that there were many helicopters plus a Brazilian military jet - not common sites before the EQ.

The new jet bridges and escalators are in use and everything looked fine when we first deplaned. But when the passengers come down the escalator to the arrivals area, they see that all the walls and glass are cracked on the outside of the main terminal. The main terminal is noInstead of entering, everyone boards a bus and is taken to the cargo terminal.

There makeshift immigration and customs process people through. Everything works! Getting out of the terminal with a baggage cart is a real feat, as the roads and sidewalks have all suffered.

More on the medical relief team:
Many of the people are sleeping on the roof, and several people have brought large tents. Because of all the rebar sticking up through the roof (for a once-anticipated third floor), there are plenty of places to stake their lines. And the stars are so beautiful. It's cool enough that we have to wear sweaters.

Fortunately we had a little bit of electricity and we quicklwere able to blow up all the air mattresses. Each night, the team sets up their bads and mosquito nets, and each morning they "break camp" into a storage room.

The woman cooking and serving the food is doing a marvelous job. Last night we had spaghetti, hot dogs, carrots, tomatoes, and mango. Delicious. This morning it was fresh bread, bananas and clemintines or something very similar. The coffee is strong and dark. Peanut butter supplements the meal.

Everyone seems to be thriving. Toni, Tony, Susie, Jeanette and Jill are all working in the pharmacy. Greg, Alex, and Sophia are doing both vitals and triage. Our four docs are consulting with each other as they see patients, and everyone has seen children at the end of the day.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we will take some time and travel around downtown Port-au-Prince. Here in Terre Noire, close to the Blanchard Clinic, there are neat piles of rubble, but otherwise not many signs of the earthquake.