 |
|
|
|
|
January 15th, 2010
05:47 PM ET
Helping HaitiBy Stephanie Smith We’ve received many emails and responses on the Paging Dr. Gupta blog, from readers who want donate their time and expertise to assist in Haiti. Annette Smith, of Ephrata, Pennsylvania wrote "I am a Medical Technologist (I work in a hospital laboratory), and I'm wondering how I can help with disasters like the current one in Haiti. I can't afford to give financially, but I'm willing to donate time and expertise. Any ideas?" The sentiment Annette expresses– the desire to help during one of the most profound natural disasters any country has ever faced - is one that is radiating through the world right now. There are scores of doctors, nurses, search and rescue crews, and medical technicians like you, who are willing to volunteer. The reality is, one of the few ways to help right now is financially. One reason: Just getting in to Haiti right now is virtually impossible. Many of the roads into Port-au-Prince are impassable and the airport is accepting some planes, but most contain supplies from aid organizations. (need to reword this) Once volunteers begin trickling in, they will find very little coordination at the government level to organize their efforts, little sense about where the worst-hit areas are, or where they should go to help. Add to that, the communication system - phones, internet - have been down in Haiti, and you get a sense about how difficult the volunteer effort will be. As you may know, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen are in Haiti now, covering the devastation in Port Au Prince and the surrounding areas. To give you a sense about how dire the situation is here, Dr. Gupta reports that he has seen people clearing rubble with their own hands to rescue family members. There are bodies in the streets, and no coordinated plan for where they will be laid to rest. For those who are still alive, there is no reprieve for their injuries. Hospitals here are demolished and unable to treat patients. The clinics that are seeing patients are overwhelmed. It is an astonishing thing to see. This is a city on a fragile precipice. Put simply, this is the genesis of a disaster and there is not yet an organized plan to bring in help from people like you. In the days and weeks to come, people will be saved; food, water, medical supplies and medication will begin to be distributed - and later, there may be an opportunity for volunteers to travel to Haiti to help. But it may be some time before that happens. For those who wish to give financially, check out CNN's Impact Your World website here. Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.
January 15th, 2010
03:24 PM ET
"Expect Gettysburg"By Elizabeth Cohen Yesterday I flew to Port-au Prince along with a team of medical doctors from the University of Miami. As the sun set and we made our descent, I asked the physician on the plane with the most experience working in Haiti, Dr. John MacDonald, what to expect. “Expect Gettysburg,” he said. “What?” I asked. “Expect Gettysburg,” he repeated. “You know, the kind of medicine they practiced in the Civil War.” Once I arrived, I saw what MacDonald meant. While doctors here aren’t anesthetizing patients with liquor the way they did in the Civil War, the care at the makeshift hospital I’ve been reporting from is certainly rudimentary. An hour ago, I watched University of Miami trauma surgeon Dr. Enrique Ginzburg amputate a woman’s foot without general anesthesia, using only a local anesthetic and sedation. The nurse stood by his side, sterilizing surgical instruments in an open pan of soapy water. Some 250 severely injured patients have been treated at this facility on the United Nations compound near the airport. Almost all of them have orthopedic injuries and open wounds. In a modern hospital, doctors would do surgery to clean the wounds and give intravenous antibiotics. Here, they receive only oral antibiotics and morphine for the pain. “This is so frustrating,” MacDonald told me. “I wish we could do more.” So far, three patients out of the 250 have died, but doctors fear that number could go up dramatically. MacDonald explains it takes about six or seven days after a wound occurs for septicemia to set in – that’s a blood borne infection that can quickly shut down the body’s major organs. It’s been three days since the earthquake happened. The clock is ticking. Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.
January 15th, 2010
10:23 AM ET
What is a triathlon??By Laura Cozik For most, triathlon is a lifestyle. And for first-timers, it’s one of the most amazing things you’ll ever accomplish. There are four common race distances known as the “sprint,” the “olympic,” the “half iron,” and the “iron.” Each race includes a swim, a bike, a run, plus two transitions, and each race doubles the distance of the last, but for the swim, which has a smaller increase. See below for distances in MILES (and kilometers)… • Sprint – .5 swim, 12 bike, 3 run (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) The most common of these distances are the sprint and the olympic, mostly because they are achievable for all ages and athletic abilities. They don’t require quite the commitment level that training for a half iron or iron distance would. So you can work full time, have a family, AND be a triathlete!! As a matter of fact, your family can do it with you as the youngest age-groupers are just 7-8 years old, and the oldest are 85+. Don’t be surprised when someone twice your age passes you on the run! Part of living the lifestyle of triathlon is being fit and active, but it doesn’t require hours and hours of training every day. For instance, a person who just purchased a bike and is just learning to swim could complete a sprint distance triathlon with just 12 weeks of training, 4-5 hours per week. With smart and structured training, anyone can do it. And with a fun, positive experience, you will be hooked as triathlon becomes a lifestyle. The training process that is involved with triathlon, along with participation and completion of the race, will be one of the most rewarding things you may ever do in your life, not just physically, but mentally, spiritually and socially. Just ask anyone who has done a triathlon and he or she will tell you the same thing. They’re like potato chips…I dare you to do just one!! Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation. |
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
