Steve called last night to relate their activities, explaining they remain 12 hours on - 12 off, his shift from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..
Their two DMAT treatment tents in the parking lot of the Charlotte Regional Medical Center serve as the local Emergency Room. On the two shifts, there is one Physician and one Physician Assistant in each tent, and yesterday his treated 100 patients, going nonstop.
(They alternate between the critical care tent patients, and lesser injured/ill ones.)
He described all the patients as traumatized, but so very appreciative of any kind and caring treatment...hard emotionally, with so many - especially the elderly and infirm - having lost literally everything they owned.
Most cases still are lacerations and fractures, continuing because of doing cleanup. One patient had something heavy badly crush his whole forearm, but they were able to save the arm - another fellow had bones sticking out from both sides of an ankle. Said he had become a "sewing artist," suturing so many. One young girl he treated yesterday had cut her forehead badly on a fish tank.
Still, though, are all the usual ones with breathing problems, heart attacks, etc., but *not yet* illnesses related to the lack of water and sanitation.
One near fatality happened to befall a PA from another DMAT Team in another location. Some unknown insect had stung him, and he rapidly went into anaphylactic shock.
Talk about being in the right place at the right time! His teammates immediately injected him with things to counter it and inserted a breathing tube, but he coded and had to be revived several times, the outcome very much in doubt.
As for their 'Luxury Accommodations,' they have their own sleeping tent by the treatment ones, complete with military type cots - a bit hard on his 6' 5" 185 lb. body.
With their own generators, they have air conditioning, but said he had not packed his sleeping bag and froze to death the first night! The second night, a nurse who had her sleeping bag gave him a blanket belonging to her daughter, with hearts all over it, and he gladly used it! Since then, blankets have been given them.
Asking about his food intake, he said it still was mostly MRE's on the run, and the day before someone gave them hamburgers.
However, the night before, a catering outfit in Ft. Lauderdale who had provided their meals while doing the May Annual Air & Sea Show in Ft. Lauderdale for which DMAT always supplies medical assistance (70 patients from the crowd of 4,000,000 visitors on that weekend) drove all the way across the state just to serve the DMAT crew of 35 a wonderful meal!
Life's Better Moments - - -
The other smaller hospital has power and water now, so they are driven over there to get real and most welcome showers.
He specifically asked me to thank all of you have offered prayer for him, and all of them.
Working 12 hour shifts without a break on a hard parking lot with military boots on, and a tendency for his feet to hurt under normal circumstances, he said emphatically "I feel the Finest prayers so strongly, sustaining me when I otherwise would not be able to keep up the pace, and should be too tired to function!"
He truly attributes his endurance to the strength given by the Lord in response to them.
Steve just called to say they brought in a DMAT team from Ocala to relieve them briefly. He just arrived at home, and will go back Friday morning at 6:45 a.m.
One of the physicians from Ocala had worked with Steve 20 years ago at Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, SC, where Steve was in Emergency Medicine Research for 10 years, and before that had worked in their ER during college.
It's a small world indeed - -
This is so very sad. Breaks my heart.
God bless the doctors, nurses, rescue workers and relief helpers for the job they do. Thanks for the update, LadyX.
Thanks for the update Lady. Continued prayers for your son and the team that has relieved him for the time being. Prayers also for those who are struggling with the after effects of the storm.
Thank you very much for the updates
Thank you for the continued updates for the wonderful work Steve and the other medical personnel are doing. It is a relief to know we have your son and the others taking care of the hurt and hurting. I'm praying for their strength, stamina, compassion and safety. May the Lord bless and guide their hands of healing.