Six months ago the world's eyes fell upon one of the most catastrophic experiences in our decade, the earth quake in Haiti.
When we heard the news from friends, it didn't seem to hit us. It was only when we saw the images on CNN that the reality took effect. When we actually couldn't make contact with family members the panic set in.
From the very beginning calls from all around the world came in to our home to ask about our family in Haiti. We were surrounded by constant love and concern from friends near and far. The parents in our pre-school never let one day pass by without asking for our family and friends in Haiti. All that seem to be going through my mind is if we lived in Haiti where would I have been during the actual time of the earth quake.
To all of our supporters who helped us during this time. Many thanks we will never forget you. Each and everyone of you made us feel loved and true compassion. We appreciate it very much. Merci.
[posted by keren for Yakini and Coffy]
Monday, July 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
June 1
X-rays show that the hip surgery was a 100% success. Zilania can now sit in bed (without screaming in pain). However, she can hardly put any weight on her leg, because of her knee. Physical therapy is going well. On the emotional side, they are both stressed and still suffer from the aftermath of all they have gone through.
The doctors strongly recommended against moving them anywhere, so for now they'll stay put until there's more drastic improvement.
The doctors strongly recommended against moving them anywhere, so for now they'll stay put until there's more drastic improvement.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Coffy's mom is doin a little better
.
Coffy's mom is making progress, one baby step at a time. As you know, she is seeing a psychotherapist, and she is now being treated with anti depressant. The improvement is definitely noticeable. She screams less; her stitches were taken out from her leg; and she is taking part in her recovery. The physical therapy is getting better, and she can do it for longer time. She still needs help getting out of bed - but now one person can do the work that required two people before.
So all in all -- there's progress!
[posted by keren for Yakini on Coffy's blog]
Coffy's mom is making progress, one baby step at a time. As you know, she is seeing a psychotherapist, and she is now being treated with anti depressant. The improvement is definitely noticeable. She screams less; her stitches were taken out from her leg; and she is taking part in her recovery. The physical therapy is getting better, and she can do it for longer time. She still needs help getting out of bed - but now one person can do the work that required two people before.
So all in all -- there's progress!
[posted by keren for Yakini on Coffy's blog]
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Yakini's update from Boston - May 11, 2010
Hello everybody,
Many of you followed our story during the long weeks that Coffy spent in Haiti. I would like to share with you some of the occurrences of the past month and update you about our current state.
As Coffy's mother arrived to the hospital in Boston, the doctors first of all did an assessment of her hip. They found that her leg was full of infection, which means that she could not have the hip replacement until the infection was gone.
She went through a preliminary surgery in which the surgeon put a spacer in her leg, filled with antibiotics, to hold and prepare the area for a new hip.
At that stage they had to "stretch the bone" - I don't know how you stretch a bone - but she was in excruciating pain, and they told her to anticipate that. She was in the ICU for 3 days after that surgery.
The next surgery was the actual hip replacement.
The operation was successful but when she was in recovery, she felt once again excruciating pain. They did an x-ray right away, and discovered that there was a complication. As part of the hip replacement operation, since her bones are very thin, the surgeons use cement to "glue" the hip in. Unfortunately the cement spilled over into her knee joints. So even though the hip replacement was successful, an hour after the surgery they had to go back and do another surgery and open her back up and pull out all the excess cement from her knee. Her blood pressure was hard to maintain, and she was put back in the ICU.
In the meanwhile, Coffy's dad was supposed to have both hernia and prostate surgery. However, he "failed" the preliminary "stress test": the doctors realized that there's something wrong with his heart. They discovered that he had 99% blockage in one artery. He was literally undergoing a heart attack when he started experiencing stress. He was taken straight out to the ER, where he was put on an EKG machine and they immediately caught it and put in a stent in his chest. They said, "we caught it right in time". He can't have his surgery until that heals, which is 40 days.
By now, Coffy's mom left the hospital and went to an orthopedic recovery rehab center.
Now this phase of the recovery is something that we didn't expect.
We thought Coffy would go over to Haiti, see if they're alive; if they're alive, take care of them, bring them here if he could, get their medical needs met.
But there's a new factor: the mental state. And that is one of the most difficult pieces in this puzzle.
Her spirit literally has been broken. Right now the diagnosis is that she's suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as well as delirium, and it's pretty severe. Sometimes she knows where she is, sometimes she doesn't. She can't disassociate herself from pain. If you just walk past her leg or if you just touch it, she screams. It's a combination of her being in pain with also thinking that she should be in pain.
Her therapist calls it anticipatory anxiety. It brings her blood pressure up, she's screaming... For someone who has been through that earthquake and all the surgery she's gone through... All that pain... When you think of it it's not surprising.
I try to help and be there for her. It helps when I sing to her, and we talk a lot. We're working on a Haitian recipe book - she is an amazing cook!
My kids call her. We have a schedule - they each call every other day, my mother calls every other day, Coffy calls 3 or 4 times a day. So that kinda connects her to a sense of reality. A lot of affection - I comb her hair, do her nails, give her a massage. Just trying to make her remember...
She's probably one of the greatest women i know.
I sometimes think of her as this big tall oak tree who fell. Someone who's wings have been broken. She says "life isn't beautiful anymore, what happened?".
And we're trying to piece the pieces back together, give her a reason to live.
She's out of her elements - everything here is different, the language, people, food, everything. Luckily there are many haitians around among the nursing and staff.
The mental state is going to be a key element in her healing.
She should be in normal "rehab" phase, learning how to move her leg again, walking on a walker, physical therapy, etc. But she's not able to do anything like that yet.
She's supposed to be able to do 2-3 hours a day of "recovery", but can only do 20-45 minutes. Most people stay on this floor 3-6 weeks, but her doctors think that her recovery is going to be 6-8 months because of her mental state - she can't participate in her own healing. It's going to take months and months... Her mental state is very poor, and that's our biggest worry.
We found a haitian psychotherapist that comes once a week. It's going to take a long time for her to be able to separate physical pain in her body from emotional pain - they became one for her.
Coffy's dad is here with me in the rehab place. He's getting dental work done and psychotherapy as well - he's waking up every night with manic dreams that as he says just get worse and worse and worse. As I said, we never thought about that part - the emotional stress.
Considering our family and our business, we've decided that I would be the best person to be here at this time.
What do my days look like? We now live in cambridge, I go between 2 hospitals probably twice a week. I'm taking my father-in-law back and forth to the hospital in boston to continue with his medical care (dental, heart), that's about a 45 minute drive. The other thing is to be with my mother-in-law during her therapy, because there's no interpreter here. They have a lot of haitian employees but overseeing rehabilitation care is critical, it's very different from a hospital - you have to be very active as a patient. So I'm advocating for her, to make sure that she gets the appropriate care. I don't mean to sound negative, but there's a lot involved, and they both have different needs.
One thing that we're trying to figure out, is if they can be transfered to Chicago. Northwestern had previously agreed to take her as an out patient, but she needs to be in a skilled nursing rehab facility, because she cannot do anything by herself. She can eat by herself, she can talk, but she can't go up and down stairs, she's still in a wheel chair, she can't do anything. She needs long term therapy, and Northwestern did not commit to having her in a rehab facility.
The Coffys were granted a 12-month humanitarian visa that qualifies them to get medicade through a federal or some kind of a government grant. They are both ok from that end. We're trying to see whether if she comes to chicago will all of that be covered. So far Massachusetts covered everything. Her medical bills are astronomical - we are so blessed to be getting this help!
I'm going through medical plans to see if Chicago and Illinois will accept them the way that Massachusetts has. Every state manages its healthcare differently, and I have to be very careful in thinking of moving them to make sure that they'll be getting the quality care that they're getting in Boston.
So where do we go from here? I don't know if Coffy and I can keep doing this back and forth for six months. I guess we could if we have to, but I wish our children did't have to suffer so much, it's becoming very difficult.
Looking back at it, I figured that I was so naive! When we learned that coffy was coming back and his parents are coming, we were going to have a party. It never even cross my mind... I thought that she would, by now, be walking again, with a walker or a cane... She's nowhere close. It's more the fear and depression that holds her back.
I feel like I should be apologizing. Coffy is much better at blogging.. I'm not doing as good a job that he has been... But how do you blog about something like that? About trying to get that woman's mind back?
She's endured so much pain. I don't have an answer for this one. I wish we were in Chicago, because we could ALL help, Spend a little time with her. Now it's just me.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I know that, as a woman and as a mother - she reminds me so much of myself - and I know that. I feel like the universe put us together, and it's very ironic, it's like looking at myself in the mirror, and i know there's a woman inside of her that wants to come out and walk! Her wind got broken by the pain and travel and all the stuff that you and I had just heard stories of, stories that coffy was telling us, but she was living it. When you stand and look at her, this is not a surprise that this is the toll that it took.
Despite the dark picture that I'm drawing here, I feel like there is progress. She'll get there, little by little, one step at a time.
[posted by keren for Yakini]
Many of you followed our story during the long weeks that Coffy spent in Haiti. I would like to share with you some of the occurrences of the past month and update you about our current state.
As Coffy's mother arrived to the hospital in Boston, the doctors first of all did an assessment of her hip. They found that her leg was full of infection, which means that she could not have the hip replacement until the infection was gone.
She went through a preliminary surgery in which the surgeon put a spacer in her leg, filled with antibiotics, to hold and prepare the area for a new hip.
At that stage they had to "stretch the bone" - I don't know how you stretch a bone - but she was in excruciating pain, and they told her to anticipate that. She was in the ICU for 3 days after that surgery.
The next surgery was the actual hip replacement.
The operation was successful but when she was in recovery, she felt once again excruciating pain. They did an x-ray right away, and discovered that there was a complication. As part of the hip replacement operation, since her bones are very thin, the surgeons use cement to "glue" the hip in. Unfortunately the cement spilled over into her knee joints. So even though the hip replacement was successful, an hour after the surgery they had to go back and do another surgery and open her back up and pull out all the excess cement from her knee. Her blood pressure was hard to maintain, and she was put back in the ICU.
In the meanwhile, Coffy's dad was supposed to have both hernia and prostate surgery. However, he "failed" the preliminary "stress test": the doctors realized that there's something wrong with his heart. They discovered that he had 99% blockage in one artery. He was literally undergoing a heart attack when he started experiencing stress. He was taken straight out to the ER, where he was put on an EKG machine and they immediately caught it and put in a stent in his chest. They said, "we caught it right in time". He can't have his surgery until that heals, which is 40 days.
By now, Coffy's mom left the hospital and went to an orthopedic recovery rehab center.
Now this phase of the recovery is something that we didn't expect.
We thought Coffy would go over to Haiti, see if they're alive; if they're alive, take care of them, bring them here if he could, get their medical needs met.
But there's a new factor: the mental state. And that is one of the most difficult pieces in this puzzle.
Her spirit literally has been broken. Right now the diagnosis is that she's suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as well as delirium, and it's pretty severe. Sometimes she knows where she is, sometimes she doesn't. She can't disassociate herself from pain. If you just walk past her leg or if you just touch it, she screams. It's a combination of her being in pain with also thinking that she should be in pain.
Her therapist calls it anticipatory anxiety. It brings her blood pressure up, she's screaming... For someone who has been through that earthquake and all the surgery she's gone through... All that pain... When you think of it it's not surprising.
I try to help and be there for her. It helps when I sing to her, and we talk a lot. We're working on a Haitian recipe book - she is an amazing cook!
My kids call her. We have a schedule - they each call every other day, my mother calls every other day, Coffy calls 3 or 4 times a day. So that kinda connects her to a sense of reality. A lot of affection - I comb her hair, do her nails, give her a massage. Just trying to make her remember...
She's probably one of the greatest women i know.
I sometimes think of her as this big tall oak tree who fell. Someone who's wings have been broken. She says "life isn't beautiful anymore, what happened?".
And we're trying to piece the pieces back together, give her a reason to live.
She's out of her elements - everything here is different, the language, people, food, everything. Luckily there are many haitians around among the nursing and staff.
The mental state is going to be a key element in her healing.
She should be in normal "rehab" phase, learning how to move her leg again, walking on a walker, physical therapy, etc. But she's not able to do anything like that yet.
She's supposed to be able to do 2-3 hours a day of "recovery", but can only do 20-45 minutes. Most people stay on this floor 3-6 weeks, but her doctors think that her recovery is going to be 6-8 months because of her mental state - she can't participate in her own healing. It's going to take months and months... Her mental state is very poor, and that's our biggest worry.
We found a haitian psychotherapist that comes once a week. It's going to take a long time for her to be able to separate physical pain in her body from emotional pain - they became one for her.
Coffy's dad is here with me in the rehab place. He's getting dental work done and psychotherapy as well - he's waking up every night with manic dreams that as he says just get worse and worse and worse. As I said, we never thought about that part - the emotional stress.
Considering our family and our business, we've decided that I would be the best person to be here at this time.
What do my days look like? We now live in cambridge, I go between 2 hospitals probably twice a week. I'm taking my father-in-law back and forth to the hospital in boston to continue with his medical care (dental, heart), that's about a 45 minute drive. The other thing is to be with my mother-in-law during her therapy, because there's no interpreter here. They have a lot of haitian employees but overseeing rehabilitation care is critical, it's very different from a hospital - you have to be very active as a patient. So I'm advocating for her, to make sure that she gets the appropriate care. I don't mean to sound negative, but there's a lot involved, and they both have different needs.
One thing that we're trying to figure out, is if they can be transfered to Chicago. Northwestern had previously agreed to take her as an out patient, but she needs to be in a skilled nursing rehab facility, because she cannot do anything by herself. She can eat by herself, she can talk, but she can't go up and down stairs, she's still in a wheel chair, she can't do anything. She needs long term therapy, and Northwestern did not commit to having her in a rehab facility.
The Coffys were granted a 12-month humanitarian visa that qualifies them to get medicade through a federal or some kind of a government grant. They are both ok from that end. We're trying to see whether if she comes to chicago will all of that be covered. So far Massachusetts covered everything. Her medical bills are astronomical - we are so blessed to be getting this help!
I'm going through medical plans to see if Chicago and Illinois will accept them the way that Massachusetts has. Every state manages its healthcare differently, and I have to be very careful in thinking of moving them to make sure that they'll be getting the quality care that they're getting in Boston.
So where do we go from here? I don't know if Coffy and I can keep doing this back and forth for six months. I guess we could if we have to, but I wish our children did't have to suffer so much, it's becoming very difficult.
Looking back at it, I figured that I was so naive! When we learned that coffy was coming back and his parents are coming, we were going to have a party. It never even cross my mind... I thought that she would, by now, be walking again, with a walker or a cane... She's nowhere close. It's more the fear and depression that holds her back.
I feel like I should be apologizing. Coffy is much better at blogging.. I'm not doing as good a job that he has been... But how do you blog about something like that? About trying to get that woman's mind back?
She's endured so much pain. I don't have an answer for this one. I wish we were in Chicago, because we could ALL help, Spend a little time with her. Now it's just me.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I know that, as a woman and as a mother - she reminds me so much of myself - and I know that. I feel like the universe put us together, and it's very ironic, it's like looking at myself in the mirror, and i know there's a woman inside of her that wants to come out and walk! Her wind got broken by the pain and travel and all the stuff that you and I had just heard stories of, stories that coffy was telling us, but she was living it. When you stand and look at her, this is not a surprise that this is the toll that it took.
Despite the dark picture that I'm drawing here, I feel like there is progress. She'll get there, little by little, one step at a time.
[posted by keren for Yakini]
Monday, April 26, 2010
update - April 2010
We heard from Coffy that his mom went through a couple of surgeries, to repair her hip and her knee. We all wish her a full recovery and health!
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Survivors
Joined by her father-in-law Reserve Coffy, Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy attends to her ailing mother-in-law, Zilania Joacquin, who survived the Haitian Earthquake before being airlifted to Boston's Brigham and Womens Hospital.
Clennon L. King copyright 2010
Ailing Trip from Haiti to Boston
With their daughter-in-law Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy looking on, earthquake survivor Reserve Coffy attends to his ailing wife, Zilania, after Partners In Health helped airlifted them from Haiti to Boston's Brigham and Womens Hospital.
Clennon L. King copyright 2010
Never Broken
Partners In Health founder Dr. Paul Farmer holds the hand of his patient, Haitian Earthquake survivor Reserve Coffy during a luncheon at Harvard recently.
Clennon L. King copyright 2010
Reserve Coffy, Yakini Ajanaku and Paul Farmer
Partners In Health founder Dr. Paul Farmer speaks to his patient, Haitian Earthquake survivor Reserve Coffy and his daughter-in-law Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy at a Harvard luncheon where he was guest of honor.
Clennon L. King copyright 2010
Paul Farmer the Hero
Partners In Health founder Dr. Paul Farmer speaks at Harvard University about his work in the wake of the recent Haitian Earthquake.
Copyright Clennon L. King 2010
Remembering the tragedy
Haitian earthquake survivor Reserve Coffy listens to Partners In Health founder Dr. Paul Farmer, along with his daughter-in-law Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy at Harvard University.
Clennon L. King copyright 2010
Paul Farmer at Harvard University
Dr. Paul Farmer, founder of Partners in Health, speaks on the Haitian earthquake at Harvard University recently as survivor Reserve Coffy and his daughter-in-law, Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy listen.
Clennon L. King copyright 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
BWH Article
This is an article that ran in the Brigham Bulletin in the March 12th edition. It's about a meeting between Coffy, his parents, Dr. Betsy Nabel, and Dr. Paul Farmer, when they were still at the PIH hospital at Cange, Haiti.
Dr. Nabel (MD) is the president of Brigham hospital, where the Coffys are being treated right now.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Going back to Chicago
I'm on my way back to Chicago, to get back to work. Then my wife
Yakini, will replace me here at the Brigham And Women's Hospital, in
Boston. Today mom had a hip aspiration, it is the process of drawing
some liquid from her hip, then analyze it in order to determine if
she's clear of infections left. After that, the doctors will let us
know when the hip replacement operation will take place, if all is
clear.
Further more, dad has an appointment on 3-31-10 for the first time we
got here. I am happy for him. Although I won't be there, an
interpreter will be accompanying him to the doctor's office.
I'll keep you all posted as I know more.
Coffy.
Yakini, will replace me here at the Brigham And Women's Hospital, in
Boston. Today mom had a hip aspiration, it is the process of drawing
some liquid from her hip, then analyze it in order to determine if
she's clear of infections left. After that, the doctors will let us
know when the hip replacement operation will take place, if all is
clear.
Further more, dad has an appointment on 3-31-10 for the first time we
got here. I am happy for him. Although I won't be there, an
interpreter will be accompanying him to the doctor's office.
I'll keep you all posted as I know more.
Coffy.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My parents made to Boston
Hi all,
They're here!!! My parents are at the Brigham Women And Health Hospital in Boston, very soon they'll have the surgeries and will be free of pain all together. I am happy beyond words, thanks to Partners In Health.
They're here!!! My parents are at the Brigham Women And Health Hospital in Boston, very soon they'll have the surgeries and will be free of pain all together. I am happy beyond words, thanks to Partners In Health.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
My heart is torn
Hi all,
My son Akin participates in a once a year basketball game that takes place at his school. The most recent game took place yesterday, Wednesday the 17h, which is how I ended up back in the United States, back in Illinois, and back in Chicago with my family. I caught a flight to Chicago to make the game.
In the midst of all that was going on at home, I was supposed to leave for Boston, from Haiti, with my mother and father. Unfortunately, their papers hadn’t gone through yet with the state department so in order to make the game, I had to leave without them. But I have recently found out that their papers have gone through and are with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. Now, though, I am in a bind. I am having a hard time deciding whether to go back to Haiti to travel with my parents to Boston or to spend more time here with my family and meet them in Boston. I am torn.
As a father and a husband, I have to be sure that I am around to support and be there for my family, but I am also a son. And as a son I have to be sure to be around and support my parents also, especially in their utmost time of need. I play many roles, and in each of them I have to take responsibility.
I was so happy to see my family, beyond words, but it was also very heartbreaking to leave my parents, especially with their being so many unresolved issues. Yes, their papers have cleared but they still have to endure the travel. They don’t speak English and I know that being on a flight to the Americas and going through immigration alone would be very hard and exhausting for them, since they have never traveled to the United States before. But I also know that my wife and children have endured a lot of heartache in my absence. Abruptly, they were without a husband, without a father, they were without me and they were hurting. So as I have said before, I am torn. My heart is torn.
We have been so grateful to be helped by an organization called Partners in Health. They have been assisting us since February 26th. With them, we have made tremendous strides. With their sponsorship my parents were approved for a Humanitarian Visa. Another thing that they are also doing that may aid in my decision to stay in Chicago or to go to Haiti is finding a Creole translator to travel with my parents on their journey. It would be not just a language barrier but a culture shock for them to travel alone and Partners in Health understands that. Still, though, it would be a difficult decision for me to make.
But at the moment, I am here. I am here with my family and I am happy to be home. However, I know that there are things that still need to be settled, and when they settle, I will also.
Coffy
My son Akin participates in a once a year basketball game that takes place at his school. The most recent game took place yesterday, Wednesday the 17h, which is how I ended up back in the United States, back in Illinois, and back in Chicago with my family. I caught a flight to Chicago to make the game.
In the midst of all that was going on at home, I was supposed to leave for Boston, from Haiti, with my mother and father. Unfortunately, their papers hadn’t gone through yet with the state department so in order to make the game, I had to leave without them. But I have recently found out that their papers have gone through and are with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. Now, though, I am in a bind. I am having a hard time deciding whether to go back to Haiti to travel with my parents to Boston or to spend more time here with my family and meet them in Boston. I am torn.
As a father and a husband, I have to be sure that I am around to support and be there for my family, but I am also a son. And as a son I have to be sure to be around and support my parents also, especially in their utmost time of need. I play many roles, and in each of them I have to take responsibility.
I was so happy to see my family, beyond words, but it was also very heartbreaking to leave my parents, especially with their being so many unresolved issues. Yes, their papers have cleared but they still have to endure the travel. They don’t speak English and I know that being on a flight to the Americas and going through immigration alone would be very hard and exhausting for them, since they have never traveled to the United States before. But I also know that my wife and children have endured a lot of heartache in my absence. Abruptly, they were without a husband, without a father, they were without me and they were hurting. So as I have said before, I am torn. My heart is torn.
We have been so grateful to be helped by an organization called Partners in Health. They have been assisting us since February 26th. With them, we have made tremendous strides. With their sponsorship my parents were approved for a Humanitarian Visa. Another thing that they are also doing that may aid in my decision to stay in Chicago or to go to Haiti is finding a Creole translator to travel with my parents on their journey. It would be not just a language barrier but a culture shock for them to travel alone and Partners in Health understands that. Still, though, it would be a difficult decision for me to make.
But at the moment, I am here. I am here with my family and I am happy to be home. However, I know that there are things that still need to be settled, and when they settle, I will also.
Coffy
Back in Chicago!
Akin and Coffy at Midway Airport
I finally made it home after two months.
made it to the game
I did not let my son down, I made it to his basketball game. He not only scored a basket, but his team WON
YEAH FOR AKIN!
(photos at game courtesy of Ms. Pat Foley of the Hyde Park Day School)
I finally made it home after two months.
made it to the game
I did not let my son down, I made it to his basketball game. He not only scored a basket, but his team WON
YEAH FOR AKIN!
(photos at game courtesy of Ms. Pat Foley of the Hyde Park Day School)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
He's back!
Coffy is back in Chicago! Yakini and Akin are very excited
to have him back, even though it's not clear what's going
to happen next. PIH are pushing the paperwork through to have
the parents flown over to Boston, and this may happen as soon
as next week -- keeping all fingers crossed. Coffy will surely
update us soon about that and about his trip back.
But for now,
Welcome Home Coffy!
to have him back, even though it's not clear what's going
to happen next. PIH are pushing the paperwork through to have
the parents flown over to Boston, and this may happen as soon
as next week -- keeping all fingers crossed. Coffy will surely
update us soon about that and about his trip back.
But for now,
Welcome Home Coffy!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Meeting Paul Farmer
"Paul Farmer has just been such an aid to us. We met at a Northwestern University lecture on last Friday, March 5th. I am honored to have met him." -Yakini
Friday, March 5, 2010
Reflections from Haiti / Paul Farmer
-- Today --
Dr. Paul Farmer (see previous post) will be in Chicago tonight (Friday), and will give a presentation at Northwestern University. His talk will be broadcasted live on the internet:
A live webcast at 8:30 pm EST (7:30 CST) on Friday, March 5 for Reflections from Haiti, a keynote address by PIH co-founder Dr. Paul Farmer. The talk will be part of the 2010 GlobeMed Global Health Summit.
Link to the webcast and more details:
http://standwithhaiti.org/haiti/news-entry/reflections-from-haiti/
Dr. Paul Farmer (see previous post) will be in Chicago tonight (Friday), and will give a presentation at Northwestern University. His talk will be broadcasted live on the internet:
A live webcast at 8:30 pm EST (7:30 CST) on Friday, March 5 for Reflections from Haiti, a keynote address by PIH co-founder Dr. Paul Farmer. The talk will be part of the 2010 GlobeMed Global Health Summit.Link to the webcast and more details:
http://standwithhaiti.org/haiti/news-entry/reflections-from-haiti/
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Post-earthquake trauma
Date: Thursday, March 4
Hi Kini,
There was a chaotic moment at the school in Partners in Health today located in Cange. For The record, there was no earth quake. It was an empty dump truck passing by near the school that sent a trembling sensation to the building and the children though it was an earth quake, and oh my god! The whole school was running out of control and scared, kids were jumping off the balcony, fell on each other and hurt themselves. That goes to show how traumatized everyone is about that earth quake period in Haiti.
Coffy.
March 4, Coffy updates from Haiti
Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010
[pictures that Coffy sent from his first meeting with Dr. Farmer]
Links:
Partners in Health
Partners in Health - "Stand With Haiti"
Birgham and Women's Hospital in Boston
Zanmi Lasante
Hi all,
I am now in Haiti. I've been here since 2/26/10 and today is Thursrday, 3/04/10.
The Hospital is called Zanmi Lasante (Partners In Health), an international organization founded by Dr. Paul E. Farmer. This organization is doing great work here in Haiti, and have been doing so for a long time, I just didn't know about them as many other Haitians don't. It is in the country side in a little town called Cange.
I made a little video as an update.
Jean Paul Coffy.
Hi everybody, I've now been here since February 26th, today is March 4th. And I am at the hospital called Zanmi Lasante which is translated as Partners in Health. It's an international organization which has been helping Haitians here since before the quake and now have been swamped with earthquake victims.
Mom and dad are here and now I've met with the founder of the organization Mr. Paul Farmer. After all diagnosis and consultation they realized that they cannot do the operation here because they don't have the equipment in Haiti in any other hospital - they called several other places, nobody has that kind of equipment to do a hip replacement. And so he said the best thing is to get my parents to Boston where he's affiliated with a hospital called Brigham [and] Women's Health Hospital, and there they've already accepted my parents as inpatients. Now the partners in health organization are working with immigration to see if they can speed up the process to get mom there. After they reviewed the x-rays and all the doctors are worried that the leg might have some infection that can be potentially dangerous and so they're working as quickly as possible with immigration to see if immigration and the US government will allow passage for my parents to get to the US and to get the treatment that they actually need. So we're crossing our fingers and in the meanwhile giving them medicine and infection medicine for the leg, and diabetic medicine and blood pressure medicine to just you know keep them alive until the process is actually been through. OK, I'll keep you all updated. Bye.
[pictures that Coffy sent from his first meeting with Dr. Farmer]
Links:
Partners in Health
Partners in Health - "Stand With Haiti"
Birgham and Women's Hospital in Boston
Zanmi Lasante
Monday, March 1, 2010
2/26 from Santo Domingo, DR -- to Cange, Haiti
another long trip, that started on an airplane, continued on yet another bumpy road and ended in a hospital after a lot of pain killers.
1. Made it to the airplane
"made it to the airport. WOO HOO!!
we are now at the airport we're leaving to go to Haiti.
To that clinic, which is waiting for us
the doctors are waiting
they have everything in place to take care of mom and dad
i'm just SO happy."
2. On the plane to Haiti
3. A stop in Port Au Prince airport for passport control
"this is the airplane we just landed in Port Au Prince airport and now we're gonna clear immigration and take off
we're gonna fly again to get to Henche small airport
This is Port Au Prince international airport now."
4. Flying to Hinche
Landing in Hinche, after landing on the airstrip.
5. Bumpy road to Cagne
we are in the car a gentleman named Jude is driving us to the hospital. he told me it's about 45 to an hour drive, because the road is not very good, not good at all, and you know he's taking it very slow because of mom's pain and stuff. so here's Jude, i want to present Jude, who's driving us and we're not on our way to the hospital.
more dirt roads! but we're going to get to a hospital this time. "
"She's suffering but we gave her pain medicine and hope that's gonna help a little "
6. At the hospital Zanmi Lasante
"This is the place. we finally made it. we are here. and Cogi who is responsible for receiving us it looking for a room now for us. i'll take better pictures tomorrow because now we got here and there's no sun."
we made it to the hospital, we're inside the room. my parents made it. here's Cogi, he's the one who brought us in here in the room with everybody else"
[link to the BLOG]
1. Made it to the airplane
"made it to the airport. WOO HOO!!
we are now at the airport we're leaving to go to Haiti.
To that clinic, which is waiting for us
the doctors are waiting
they have everything in place to take care of mom and dad
i'm just SO happy."
2. On the plane to Haiti
3. A stop in Port Au Prince airport for passport control
"this is the airplane we just landed in Port Au Prince airport and now we're gonna clear immigration and take off
we're gonna fly again to get to Henche small airport
This is Port Au Prince international airport now."
4. Flying to Hinche
Landing in Hinche, after landing on the airstrip.
5. Bumpy road to Cagne
we are in the car a gentleman named Jude is driving us to the hospital. he told me it's about 45 to an hour drive, because the road is not very good, not good at all, and you know he's taking it very slow because of mom's pain and stuff. so here's Jude, i want to present Jude, who's driving us and we're not on our way to the hospital.
more dirt roads! but we're going to get to a hospital this time. "
"She's suffering but we gave her pain medicine and hope that's gonna help a little "
6. At the hospital Zanmi Lasante
"This is the place. we finally made it. we are here. and Cogi who is responsible for receiving us it looking for a room now for us. i'll take better pictures tomorrow because now we got here and there's no sun."
we made it to the hospital, we're inside the room. my parents made it. here's Cogi, he's the one who brought us in here in the room with everybody else"
[link to the BLOG]
Friday, February 26, 2010
2/26 goodbye DR, flying back to Haiti
Coffy and his parents finally left back to Haiti, not before thanking everybody for their hospitality.
Wantelan, one of the of greatest helper, translator, tour guide and price negotiator, you name it.
The priest and I
The priest and the thank-you cake.
Thanking the priests for their hospitality at Capilla San Jose
On the way to the airport
(* the video is very short, it's not an error)
At the "Las Americas air port"
Just waiting on plane to arrive
videos
Wantelan, one of the of greatest helper, translator, tour guide and price negotiator, you name it.
The priest and I
The priest and the thank-you cake.
Thanking the priests for their hospitality at Capilla San Jose
On the way to the airport
(* the video is very short, it's not an error)
At the "Las Americas air port"
Just waiting on plane to arrive
videos
Thursday, February 25, 2010
.
[a paper that Akin wrote at school]
[a paper that Akin wrote at school]
Akin
2/23/10
Leaving for Haiti
A time when I had mixed feelings was when my dad went to Haiti. First, there were parts of this experience that were sad. One reason I felt sad was because he left. Another reason I felt sad was because I could not go with him. The last reason I felt sad and let down was because he said he was going to be gone for a long time.
In addition, happiness came upon us because my dad is a hero. One reason I felt good was because he was going to help other people. Another reason I felt good was because he was going to be with his family. The last reason I felt happy and good was because he was going to help his family. I felt high and low during my experience when my dad had to go to Haiti.
Last days in the DR.
Date: Thursday, February 25
Hi all,
We almost left the DR.
I received an email giving all the details of the flight.
We were suppose to leave here, the Capilla San Jose, at five thirty this morning
to get to the air port at 6:00, two hours prior to the flight which was at 8:00 AM.
Unfortunately, at around 11:25 PM we received a call cancelling the flight for either friday or saturday, or until further notice.
I'll keep you all posted as I get more info.
Coffy.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Update
if all goes well, Coffy and his parents will board a flight to Haiti tomorrow (2/25) morning.
Letters
From: Jean Paul Coffy
Subject: BBC interview
To: Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy
Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
From: Yakini
To: Coffy
Date: Wed, Feb 24, 2010
Subject: let to the next step
Subject: BBC interview
To: Yakini Ajanaku-Coffy
Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hi Yakini,
I just finished the interview with BBC World news and it was great. They were very pleasant to talk to and seem to care a lot about our troubles during this uncertain time.
However, talking to them made me realized how much we've been through, and are still going through as family. During the interview I had to retell the moment of leaving you guys,especially when you and Akin were crying at the airport in Chicago. It still hurts a lot to this day.
Yakini, I want to thank you again for being with me through out all of this. I thank God for knowing you. I feel as if only you could handle all of this without ever complaining and making me feel any worse than I already do. (leaving to take care of my parents) Instead you gave me strength, strength I didn't know I had. THANK YOU.
LOVE,
Coffy.
From: Yakini
To: Coffy
Date: Wed, Feb 24, 2010
Subject: let to the next step
Hi sweet heart,
Thanks so much for your lovely words of support. Just know that we are soulmates. I SEE YOU!!! I FEEL YOU AND I JUST LOVE THE HELL OUT OF YOU!!!
Remember you are just great in my eyes. Your integrity with yourself and love for family and Haiti is just what is needed now. You are a model man. Hell you are OUR model!!!
Just keep on doing what you do so well LOVE < SELFKIND and continue to radiate that energy for the world to see.
Yakini
BBC interview
Coffy was interviewed by the BBC!It went out in today's programme. You will be able to listen to it online from 2200 GMT: www.bbcworldservice.com/outlook
it's online now!!
here's a direct link
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
To Coffy
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Hey Dad,
I am at the Chicago Auto Show - check out this cool car! Missing you a lot.
Akin
Hey Dad,
I am at the Chicago Auto Show - check out this cool car! Missing you a lot.
Akin
2/21: Still waiting in the DR
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Hi all,
I've always considered myself a very patient man but now find waiting very challenging and even frustrating. The worst part in waiting here in the DR is the fact that I don't speak the language and need to find someone to translate anything I need to say, or to take me around to find pharmacies and anything else I might need.
A couple of weeks ago Yakini told me that there are doctors in Haiti now. Although the doctors here at Dario Contreras advised me not to move mom for three months, Yakini and I agreed that I should take my parents back to Haiti to get care which could be much easier for me. But because of their conditions (my parents), especially mom, with her crushed hip, I've asked Yakini to make some calls to those organizations on the ground in Haiti, to find out where they are located and is there a better way of transport then how we came here in the DR. Keep in mind that each question takes a couple of days to get an answer to.
Anyway, Yakini found the where, in a place called Cange near the province of Hinche, Hospital La Sante.
Now I'm waiting to find the answer to the second question, but if there's no response from any of the organizations by Monday the 22nd I'll have to find someone to help me find the right bus and border as there are several ways that bords the Island.
Anyhow, I just wanted to let you all know why am still here in the DR and how things are going.
Coffy
Friday, February 19, 2010
Good news!
Coffy was about to buy the bus ticket, when Yakini called him with this good news: Partners In Health contacted her with a name of a clinic that Coffy should be accepted to in Haiti, where his parents can be outpatients and stay until they are better. They (PIH) are also working out the details of transportation to Haiti by a private plane and ambulance. This is great news!
We'll update when we know more. As of today, Cofffy and his parents are still at Santo Domingo waiting for the details of the travel to be finalized.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Back to Haiti
It's been more than 5 weeks since the earthquake; almost four weeks since the Coffys found temporary refuge in the Dominican Republic. Their visa is about to expire, and their current shelter can only accommodate them for a few more days. Their return to broken Haiti is therefore imminent.
Coffy is very nervous about the idea of having to travel back to Haiti the same way they got out of there. The bumpy ride and having to move his mom in and out of cars to switch buses at the border sounds like a terrible idea. But one that may by unavoidable nevertheless. In Haiti, they would have to find shelter as well - their house is leveled and so is everybody else's.
As time goes by, while Coffy is in the DR caring for his parents, most of the effort to find health-care solutions and housing for the Coffys has shifted back to Chicago.
Yakini is pulling all possible strings to make sure that when they finally arrive back to Haiti they will have an address to go to.
In the few hours a day that Yakini isn't overwhelmingly occupied with running the family-based daycare, she is sending out appeals to senators to help with granting Coffy's parents with a temporary visa; requests for medical help from organizations such as Partners In Health (who are doing outstanding work in Haiti every day); pleas through anyone who knows anyone. We keep thinking positive. One of those will eventually be our answer!
Coffy is very nervous about the idea of having to travel back to Haiti the same way they got out of there. The bumpy ride and having to move his mom in and out of cars to switch buses at the border sounds like a terrible idea. But one that may by unavoidable nevertheless. In Haiti, they would have to find shelter as well - their house is leveled and so is everybody else's.
As time goes by, while Coffy is in the DR caring for his parents, most of the effort to find health-care solutions and housing for the Coffys has shifted back to Chicago.
Yakini is pulling all possible strings to make sure that when they finally arrive back to Haiti they will have an address to go to.
In the few hours a day that Yakini isn't overwhelmingly occupied with running the family-based daycare, she is sending out appeals to senators to help with granting Coffy's parents with a temporary visa; requests for medical help from organizations such as Partners In Health (who are doing outstanding work in Haiti every day); pleas through anyone who knows anyone. We keep thinking positive. One of those will eventually be our answer!
We miss you, Coffy!
Coffy!
"E" is for "Everybody"!
Everybody at daycare misses you so much! we can't wait for you to come back, but we all know that you have a very important job to do right now.
We're sending you this little clip with hopes to cheer you up a little bit.
Love,
The children and staff of La Grande Famille!
"E" is for "Everybody"!
Everybody at daycare misses you so much! we can't wait for you to come back, but we all know that you have a very important job to do right now.
We're sending you this little clip with hopes to cheer you up a little bit.
Love,
The children and staff of La Grande Famille!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Blood test results
Date: Monday, February 15
I went to the clinic today to pick up dad's whole blood test results. The doctor said that dad has a pocket of grease that's growing in his prostate that can cause all sorts of complications later on and ordered a sonography in order to see the size of it. Additionally, dad's hernia definitely needs to be fixed, said the doctor, but his glicemia is only one point lower. Great news on that level!
No signs of infections in his blood.
I can deal with those for now.
After that, I went to a couple of pharmacies and took a buss home.
Coffy.
so stressed out
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Yakini,
Yesterday, I was talking about taking my parents back to Haiti in hope to stabilize them, but when I think of the reality of that thought I feel as if my head is about to explode I'm so stressed out.
As time is running out and life is moving along I'll need to get to work soon enough right? I can feel the pressure already. What am I gonna do? How can I leave them and with whom?
Honestly, I really don't see me leaving them anytime but until they're stabilized. If there was ever a time that my parents needed me it is now, because they really cannot take care of themselves, and the person to be with them is me or you. I don't have anyone else.
Oh! And I forgot to tell you that dad has developed a hernia when he was alone with mom, lifting her and stuff. We've just discovered it. The doctor prescribed him some meds and said that dad needs to be operated on right away but is too weak for now. More over, the doctor said that in the mean time dad shouldn't lift anything heavy nor stand up for too long.
Who's going to switch mom from side to side and help her with everything?
Just thinking out loud.
Coffy.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Dad's on his feet again.
To: yakini
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010, 4:35 PM
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010, 4:35 PM
Hi Yakini,
For the first time since the 2/10/10, dad is out the bed. He ate and even went outside to take some air. I am so happy he's back.
Now, I'm thinking about going back to Haiti with them because, as I understand it, all Haitians need to go back home, whatever is left of it, to find care and shelter. But everyone's telling me that she should not be moving around too much and that my best shot is to stay here for the three months given by the doctors and wait for the surgery.
Anyway, I got to take dad for a walk and I'll write later about this.
Coffy.
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