In Haiti, a lesson in caring

During his first night in Haiti last month, Daniel Schlessinger listened to doctors discuss how to tell Haitian patients they were dying.

A harsh topic for anyone, and Schlessinger is only 15 years old. His father, Dr. Joel Schlessinger, had been asked by a doctor who returned from Haiti whether Daniel could handle seeing the wounds and devastation of the earthquake-shattered nation. That doctor told Schlessinger that he suffered nightmares himself.

In five days and four nights there with his parents, however, Daniel Schlessinger found the experiences touching, inspiring, exciting, unforgettable.

“With each hour, with each minute that you're there, you learn something,” the Millard North High School junior said.

The Schlessingers last month decided to forgo a Grand Cayman vacation and headed for Haiti instead to provide medical assistance for victims of the Jan. 12 calamity. A charitable organization called CRUDEM coordinated their visit.

The organization oversees a hospital called Hôpital Sacré Coeur, or Hospital of the Sacred Heart, in the north Haiti town of Milot. After the earthquake, the hospital grew from 60 beds to about 450 beds, some in tents and other makeshift quarters.

Daniel Schlessinger proved a valuable resource on the mission. He has studied French for four years and could communicate with Haitian patients, who spoke French-based Creole.

His mother, Nancy, worked in a supply tent containing medications, ointments, blankets, walkers, wheelchairs and other items. His father, an Omaha dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, treated wounds and infections and oversaw one of the medical tents.

Many of the patients at the hospitals were amputees. Some 30 doctors and nurses, most of them Americans, helped at the hospital while the Schlessingers were there.

The patients liked the fact that Daniel could speak their language. One called him “Dr. Daniel,” and he pointed out that he wasn't a doctor. She responded that she would call him “Daniel Le Bébé,” or Daniel the Baby.

The teenager used his foreign-language skills to talk to a family about the importance of operating on their son, who had a badly injured elbow. The family had been reluctant to permit surgery.

“I finally realized why they were so concerned for him,” the Omaha teen said. The family worried that his arm would be amputated. Ultimately, they allowed the surgery, and the boy's elbow was surgically repaired.

Besides translating, the he fetched supplies for doctors and nurses, made rounds with orthopedic surgeons, took patients for walks and hung out with children in pediatric units. In one area, he recalled, there were “crying babies everywhere. You can hardly hear anything.”

“He was sort of willing to do anything that they needed,” his mother said. He also shot photos and videos.

Daniel said he hasn't been haunted by what he saw. He's always had an interest in medicine, he said, and seeing patients receive care in Haiti increased his desire to become a doctor.

The Schlessingers said they have no illusions about the impact they had. Haiti is a ravaged place. The need for aid is staggering and will continue to be great for years, they said. They plan to return to Haiti in early April.

Contact the writer:

444-1123, rick.ruggles@owh.com

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