So What Happened with the USNS Comfort?--September 2011

Photo by John Carroll

As you may remember, during the last week of August, the USNS Comfort medical ship had to leave the Bay of Port-au-Prince because Irene was approaching.

And the medical clinics on shore shut down too.

So Maria, Tommie, and I continued to work in Cite Soleil at the pediatric clinic.

On Wednesday, August 24, the Comfort returned to the Bay because Irene had passed north of us and all was good again.

Medical clinic was opened up again on land at the Haitian Coast Guard and the medical clinic at Varreux was closed for good because it was too muddy due to Irene.

And the patients that were scheduled for surgery on the Comfort started showing up again and were taken to the ship.

At the “end of the day”, 101 surgeries were done on the Comfort between August 18–August 28.

It was a pleasure for us to work with the United States Navy physicians and nurses during their stay in Haiti. And we hope they come again next year.

Cite Soleil Wharf with the USNS Comfort in the Background--August 25, 2011 (Photo by John Carroll)

 

John A. Carroll, MD

www.haitianhearts.org