By Tricia Berwick

Dr. Michael Bleiman wishes he could go back.   The pediatrician from Southern Ocean County Hospital in Stafford wants to return to Haiti.
 
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about my experience there,” reflects Dr. Bleiman, who spent almost two weeks on a mission to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.  “I would go back in a minute if I could.  When I was offered the chance to help, it was an easy decision to make.”

 After a powerful earthquake shook the small Caribbean nation on January 12, Dr. Bleiman was drawn to the media coverage of the devastation and felt compelled to use his training as a doctor to help as many victims as possible.  Along with a team of physicians and nurses from Meridian Health, Dr. Bleiman traveled as a member of a partnership with the CRUDEM Foundation, an American nonprofit organization that supports Hôpital Sacré Coeur, a healthcare clinic in Milot, Haiti.

This team of American medical professionals worked day and night to help the earthquake’s victims.  They had limited supplies and medicines available, but they did the best they could with what was available to them.  While on their mission, the doctors and nurses worked long hours to treat as many patients as possible.  An average day began at 7 AM and the doctors usually treated patients until 9 or 10 o’clock at night.  The staff was provided with basic accommodations; they slept on cots in tents, and ate three meals a day which mainly consisted of rice and beans.  British and German doctors were also a part of the relief effort, but Dr. Bleiman says that the majority of physicians and volunteers were from the United States.

 Even though the earthquake’s victims were suffering through an extremely emotional and physical ordeal, they still took the time to express their deep sense of gratitude to the volunteers for all of their heroic efforts.
 
 “All of the Haitian people were very respectful and incredibly thankful and appreciative for all of the assistance being given to them,” says Dr. Bleiman.
 
In fact, Dr. Bleiman says that even with all of the destruction and many of the victims suffering devastating injuries, including becoming amputees, they still managed to remain upbeat and optimistic.

“They were always smiling and happy,” says Dr. Bleiman.  “They are a religious–based people with a lot of faith.  They found comfort in taking care of one another; a community of victims.  They were just happy to be alive and were thankful for the meals and shelter provided to them.  They knew that more challenging times would be ahead.”

Technology played a large role in providing the best care for each of the victims.  Even though Dr. Bleiman was many miles from home, thanks to cell phones and a Blackberry he really wasn’t that far away.   The doctor was able to call colleagues in the United States and ask their opinions about different methods of treatment.  In a country with limited resources, Dr. Bleiman found this to be extremely advantageous. 
“It was very helpful to have the technology because I did a lot of phone consults and would call back to the States for advice,” says Dr. Bleiman.  “For example, I called a few infectious disease specialists about which antibiotics to use on various patients.  I used my Blackberry every day and sent text messages, a journal of my experiences, and pictures back home on a daily basis,” says Dr. Bleiman.   It’s unbelievable but my cell phone actually worked better there than here in Manahawkin.”

Now that he is back in the States, Dr. Bleiman says he has a new appreciation for the resources and medical supplies that Americans take for granted.  He immediately noticed the difference between living in a Third World country and living in America as soon as he returned from his mission.
 
“After I returned from Haiti, I did a c-section and noticed that there were no flies in the operating room,” says Dr. Bleiman.  “I realized how nice it is to be back and it makes you appreciate what we have here.  My friend says that being born in America is like winning the lottery.  I agree with that because we have so many advantages here.  Americans may experience certain issues on a daily basis like getting to work on time or road rage amongst drivers.  But for the Haitian people, they are just trying to survive and feed their families.”

As for the future of Haiti, Dr. Bleiman knows there is a long road ahead for its people.  It’s been a few months now since the earthquake hit and some of the most prevalent concerns are post-traumatic stress and the need for additional money to purchase more sophisticated medical equipment.
 
“There’s a lot of work to be done in Haiti, and it’s not just medical concerns,” says

If anyone would like to volunteer their time donate money, they can visit the website, www.crudem.org.