I have not written personally to the blog for two days. Sunday we worked till midnight, got to the hotel and ate dinner at 1AM. The day was filled with extreme surgery. Correction of a Blount’s disease case with such severe bowlegs that made walking very slow and challenging. We also corrected another case of such severe knock knees that similarly the child was very limited in activities. Even in my practice in the US where I see patients from all over the world with very severe deformities it is rare for me to see such neglected cases. It is a unique opportunity for me to use my special skills of deformity correction to help the children who need it the most. It puts in perspective what we do every day and what we complain about all the time. These families and these children, the Haitian people as a whole are such patient, undemanding and appreciative people. They have no expectations and therefore perhaps they have no disappointments. They accept graciously what is offered and live with the hand that life deals to them. What a thrill on Sunday to leave the hospital and look at these straight legs of a handful of patients that will now live a better life but for our short visit here. When I went to the hotel after midnight, tired, spent and barely able to eat my dinner I realize that I felt remunerated in a way without money, without a word of thanks, without any visible reward. Just the feeling of having improved the life of another in an almost incognito way. The gift of giving anonymously. If you have never experienced this, I highly recommend it. It overcomes your fatigue, and all your other senses, and no one can take it away from you. In Judaism it is part of what is called Tikun Olam (Fixing the World). It is believed that if there is enough Tikun Olam the Messiah will return sooner. While I don’t know about the latter I can vouch that Tikun Olam is probably what motivates me in all this. Imagine the world we would live in if there was more Tikun Olam.
I will write more about the past two days when I get another break. It is 8:30 AM. Two patients are already waiting for surgery. One is a one year old with Congenital Pseudarthrosis of the Tibia. A rare condition that I have the largest personal experience in the world in treating. A condition in which a child’s lower leg (tibia) breaks and fails to ever heal. I have treated over 90 of these and have never failed to get one to heal. The other is a boy with a bone defect from a tibial fracture from last years’ earthquake. He is missing 4 inches (10cm) of bone. Today we will hopefully solve his problem once and for all.
More to come.
Dror Paley, MD
