My mom's in Haiti... [UPDATE: One year later, pg 18!]

[mommyceratops]

Keeping you, your mom and family in my prayers...

 

[Applemomma]

Kathy, I finally had the chance to sit down and watch the interviews in their entirety. I cried though all of them. Sometimes people ask where God is in a disaster and in this case God was there in the form of a mine specialist.

These stories are so inspirational. If any thing good can come from this perhaps it is that the world cannot ignore Haiti anymore. That we can help them rebuild the country and they can be stronger then ever.

 

[KathyTX]

Random thoughts:

Mom has so much love and feels so much pain for the people of Haiti. She talks over and over about how loving and wonderful the people there are and how much they did to help our team during this crisis, even when their own families were experiencing the same trouble and heartbreak. It's killing her to not be able to be there to help them.

The real details of the her entrapment and rescue come out bit by bit. This morning, she told me she was covered in rubble and then there was a huge slab of concrete about twice the size of my large breakfast table on top of that. As people came to try to help her, they had to step on that large concrete slab that laid on her to get to her, adding to the compression and fear and pain.

She was trapped for about three hours, and she says she screamed and screamed for help. She was free from the chest up, and she was determined to be sure that she was heard...

She says that a large group of men, she believes to be mostly Sri Lankan UN troops as well as local Haitians, worked and worked and were somehow able to lift that huge slab of concrete enough that they were able to slide her from beneath it.

Not sure what time the "backpack man" returned to the clinic with his excavation equipment, but his crew extracted Karen Gardner and Jean Arnwine, who were completely covered in rubble and huge solid slabs of concrete.

Nancy Rice- Mom- is healing from crushing and twisting and cuts, and somehow has nothing broken

Karen Gardner- has an injured and crushed arm, we don't know yet what kind of permanent damage she may be facing, and a severe puncture wound on her leg. She sounds strong and positive on the phone.

Jean Arnwine- our hearts are breaking for her. She suffered internal injuries in the collapse, but was talking and interacting with the team for the next couple of nights. They cared for her the best they could in nightmare conditions, but they simply had no tools to diagnose nor ability to get her to a surgeon in time. She passed away in surgery on Friday morning on the island of Guadaloupe, where she was flown by a French medical transport, I believe.

Dr. Kenneth Foree, leader of the team and long time spearhead of this program- His hand was trapped, and he's healing. As a surgeon, he's determined to get that fixed so he can get back to work helping these people rebuild.

Dr. Gary Fish- He stayed with Jean from the initial injury until he escorted her home last night. It was thought he had possible broken ribs, doctors this morning found that he has a cracked sternum. He says "it's nothing", and he sounded strong on the phone, only worried about the condition of the team members. As Dr. Fish was being checked out in the hospital in Dallas, we learned that his father passed away this morning, he called Mom from the car on his way to bury his father.

The others: Alex Paz, Marilyn French, Lila Foree, Katy, Claire, Joel Fish, Dr. Lehmann- no physical injuries, but amazing stories of strength and bravery during this nightmare. Their lives will be forever changed by this, and I pray that we can help them work through it and be strong.

Thanks for letting me ramble here. Getting this out in words helps me keep it straight.

 

[KathyTX]

How Mom's group got to the US:

She had not been able to walk at all, the team thought she had a possible spinal injury. Late Wednesday night, they encountered Dr. Green from Florida at the medical tent near the airport (not sure, but it may be on UN property or have been set up by the UN... the UN is involved somehow, but details about that are still foggy to me)

She is RAVING about this wonderful man.

He told them (her group was 5 people at this point: Nancy Rice, Marilyn French, Karen Gardner, Joel Fish, Alex Paz) that there was a private plane coming in from Florida, bringing a team of 8 doctors the next morning. (That would be Thursday morning). He said that he would get our people on that plane when the doctors arrived and the plane went back to Florida. But Mom would ONLY be able to go if she could sit up, otherwise she'd have to wait for a medical evac plane.

Thursday around noon is when air traffic to the airport was shut down due to gridlock and chaos... they were hours ahead of this, thank goodness.

This man worked with Mom and gave her enough morphine to be sure she was able to board that plane and get to the US. The very posh private plane belongs to some South Florida business man who is very good friends with Dr. Green. How our group connected with this angel is another miracle I'm trying to understand... Our people in Haiti were making all of this happen on their own while injured, out of communication with us and in total chaos.

 

[KathyTX]

Mom on MSNBC:

With the private plane sitting on the runway and ready to return to the states, our team is there and scrambling to board and leave. Mom is sitting in the back of a pickup, still not able to walk on her own and flying on morphine.

Hasn't had a bath in days, blood in her hair.

The reporter from MSNBC walks up to her right then and asks if he can talk to her. She tells me that all she thought at that point was that she needed to talk to this man because maybe her kids would see it and know that she was alive- we'd had NO contact with her at this point, and it's Thursday morning.

So she sat in the back of that truck, loopy on morphine, and talked to that man as a way to get a message to us.

Nancy Rice on MSNBC

Now she says "The one day of my adult life I'm not wearing my Mary Kay, and that's when they show up with cameras."

I've heard from so many friends that they saw this clip on the news and recognized her- kind of surreal.

 

[Kimberle]

Kathy, thanks for sharing your Mom's story. Many prayers to the team as they heal and to the family of Jean.

I was watching a new story this am about the history of Haiti. I had no idea. They belonged to the French. The weathly brought slaves from Africa and treated them very badly. The slaves outnumbered the French and they revolted. France left, but told the new gov't they needed to pay a massive amt of money for their "freedom". (This was in the 1800's.) The debt was reduced but still not paid off until the mid 1940's. This, plus corrupt govt's never gave the country a chance to "take off" or "build".

 

[SamSam]

Kathy, Thanks so much for filling us in on the details, it's very inspirational and really makes me take a look at my life and be thankful and greatful for what I have.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

Your mother's story truly breaks my heart, but I'm very happy to hear that she is getting better. I will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[KathyTX]

Update: Photos from Haiti

I'm seeing a few photos of Mom's group in Haiti for the first time. The first few photos are from before the quake, and you can see how happy the team is to be there. My mom is in the photo of the inside of the clinic.

The later photos are after the quake, with the injured (including Mom) on stretchers and mattresses on the ground, and with what I'm guessing are UN personnel around them... I'll show her these photos tomorrow, but I don't know how she'll react.

Here are the photos:

Photos from Haiti

 

[exwdwcm]

thank you so much for first hand accounts. It truly is amazing and Alex was just so great on tv, she was so well spoken and really shared details that make you thankful to be alive.

definitely were some angels watching over them, like you said, all the things that just fell into place to rescue them and get them home.....

I know it is a long road to recovery, probably much more so emotionally and mentally than physically. Those wounds will remain for a long time. I am so glad you are able to be with your mom and help her through this. It is incredible work these folks do over there. I am so thankful your mom is home and recovering and more prayers continue to come her way, especially for wednesday when they put Jean to rest.

 

[KathyTX]

Yes... we've had to focus first on the physical healing. She's been seen in the ER and scanned, but her doctor just moved out of town. I have a call in with my doctor's office, pleading for them to take her and see her this morning (they're not taking new patients.)

The emotional healing's going to be a long road.

And then there are all the mundane details we have to handle. Her credit cards, ATM card, checkbook, passport, drivers license, insurance ID, cell phone (with all of her phone numbers saved.), etc. are all back in in the rubble. Losing those things is making day-to-day needs a little more complicated, but it's nothing in the big picture, of course.

 

[kafitty]

Kathy, thank you so much for sharing your mom's story with us. i'm glad you find comfort here rambling to us, and i hope your mom can find comfort and peace in the coming months. My heart breaks for Jean's family, and all of the others as well.

I was watching a new story this am about the history of Haiti. I had no idea...

this is exactly why this catastrophe is so particularly tragic. If the quake had centered on any other Caribbean island, or on the other side of Haiti where the Dominican Republic is, or heck even just farther from Port-au-Prince and more into the countryside, the damage and devastation would have been *much* less.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Kathy,

Another thank you for sharing your mom's story with us.

 

[KimDis]

Kathy,

I've spent the last few days calling friends and checking Facebook and email to see how all of their families are doing. It seems strange to say that we've been blessed that there have been only a few casualties. It's both amazing and bittersweet as we mourn those lost.
So grateful for your miracle and glad you've been blessed with more time together. We'll continue to to pray for your mom's physical and emotional recovery as well as for her team. We'll also pray for your strength as you care for her.

Take care,
Kim.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Thanks so much for sharing your mom's story. It's bittersweet but I'm glad to hear that she is safe and sound.

 

[paperdoll1986]

So glad to hear your mother is alright! Its just indescribable, I have no words.

And thank you for keeping us updated.

 

[paperdoll1986]

sorry, double post

 

[alebisi]

Kathy, I'm really happy that your mom is now with you, I can't immagine all the mental pain and confusion she is going through, this a tough experience. I'll send you prayers and pixie dust so you can be strong and be a great support to your mother! Thank you for sharing this story, when this kind of things happen we really forget all the little and superficial things that can bother us in a day and be greatful for all the things that we have each day. Your mom and her team where in Haiti doing a wonderful job (helping the ones that were less fortunate) I hope they will be blessed forever. Jeane, her family and coworkers are in my prayers, as well as all the people in Haiti.
Keep us update please.

 

[PeterPan09]

Thanks for sharing your Mom's story. It makes the tragedy in Haiti more real and personal to us.

I lifted your Mom's team, and especially Jean and her family, in prayer at church today.

I agree-it's one thing to see it on TV but to hear a personal account from someone that we "know" really brings it home.

I will continue to hold your Mom, your family and her team in prayer.

 

[florida sun]

Kathy

Just read this whole thread and seeing all the videos and pictures, thank god your mom is with you safe now, and that most of her team are also safe, such sad news about her friend Jean, you are all in my thoughts and thank you for sharing your moms story.