Minnesota Vacation

In June, we went to Minnesota, and stayed with my

Grandma Luthi for a few nights.  She had a potluck with

a bunch of family one evening.  We also went to visit Kelly Joos

(David's cousin) while we were there!

From Morris, we went to Duluth, and everyone was worried

that we weren't going to be able to get there due to flooding.

It sounded bad on the news, but the only thing we noticed

 was that Lake Superior was a dirty brown color :(

David eating yummy Italian

Janella eating really yummy ice cream :)

We stayed one night in a bed and breakfast,

the Cotton Mansion.  It was amazing! 

We played an intense game of chess...

which David won with no strategy involved!

David and me in front of the Cotton Mansion.

We hiked at Gooseberry Falls, and loved

the COOL, wet Minnesota weather!!

On our way home, we came through Wisconsin,

and toured a cave.  Beautiful underground!!

Mom and Dad's 25th Anniversary

It's spring outside early this year!!  Yay!! 

The flowers are blooming...

we announced that we are expecting a baby in September...

and Grandma, Dad and Mom came out for a visit.

Eating lunch together.  Dad came downstairs for breakfast

that morning with a shirt that said "World's Greatest Grandpa."

Think someone's excited??

Dad and Mom - married 25 years on March 22, 2012!

We made a candlelight dinner for just us few,

 and then surprised them with a card shower!

For dessert, we had chocolate fudge...on some napkins from their wedding!

Car Accident

Here are a few pics of a car accident that David and I were on last fall.....

Green car meets Red truck, and we get to go play....

The truck (or driver) really wasn't in that bad of shape, but 

this is what it looked like after an hour of Firefighters using

their toys on it, and trying to get the driver out.

Then he got to go for a really expensive helicopter ride....

David and the rest of the guys were soooo muddy

after trying to get the guy out of the truck that was up to 

its floorboards in mud in the ditch....

HAITI 2011...Here we Come!

David and I have been wanting to go to Haiti...well, ever since we left in 2009! With David being done with college, we decided now would be a good time to make another trip to the country. This time we signed up on a trip with World Relief that was going to Hospital Lumiere.

Candace Wagenbach came too, and we stuffed all our

luggage and supplies for the trip in the back of the Jeep

and headed for O'hare!

Turned out everyone else had just as much luggage as us!

We all met up in Miami on Friday, and flew out

to Haiti together on Saturday.

Our group was from all over the US and all different

parts of the medical field!

The Port-au-Prince airport....




Statue in Haiti and other sights as we drove...

Rubble or normal life?

Another Hatian ambulance!!! (They do have lights and siren!)

We drove about 4 1/2 hours from Port

to Bonne Fin, which means "Good Ending."

Bonne Fin is waaaay in the mountains, and it

was a crazy, cramped, bumpy, loud ride!

But we made it! And the scenery was lovely!

The guest house where we stayed with our hostess, Shiela Moser.

Our maid and her daughter. She made good meals

and kept the house...all for about $5 per week.

One of our Hatian meals.

We walked to church on Sunday, just down the road.

One morning, we got to experience the Market.

It was teeming with people, all selling about 10

of the same products.

The "parking lot." :)

One of the much better looking "booths."

Some with fresh or frozen meat didn't look quite as good....

HAITI 2011...The Hospital

We actually started "working" on Saturday when we got in.

We went to the hospital and met Dr. Rudolph, the medical director

and orthopedic surgeon, who showed us around.

We were impressed with his memory as he told us

of each patient and their history...all 50+ patients!

The hospital was divided into 4 wings...General Surgery,

Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and OB. Only the first three

were in use, and Peds only had one patient.

The other two wings had four rooms each,

with room for 8 patients in each room.

And only one nurse per wing! No CNA's either,

just family members to help care for the patients.

Some of the week was spent working on the

"Big Pharmacy," getting medicines and supplies organized.

This little guy was in the hospital with a broken arm

for about a week before he was taken to surgery.

Here Nicole is taking him outside to get some

fresh air....

Baby Jayden was born in the hospital a few days

before we arrived. We had to take a few breaks during

the week to go and hold him.

We asked what his name was, and the mom said

that he didn't have a name yet. Then she asked

Candace and me if we wanted to name him.

Of course! So we settled on Jayden.

Who knows...maybe they changed it :)

Dorthy all scrubbed in for surgery.

There are a lot of traumas that come to the hospital

due mostly to all the motorcycle riding that is done

in Haiti. This week was no exception - there was a

gunshot wound that came in one evening, and this

woman had an open leg fracture from a motorcycle accident.

Eric took a refurbished EKG machine and

some vital sign machines out of the storage shed.

He spent some time training the nurses,

and used the interpretors to help demonstrate

how to work the machines. They were a little

nervous until Eric told them they wouldn't get shocked!

Candace, Janella, and Sina, one of the Hatian nurses.

TO THOSE OF A WEAK STOMACH....STOP HERE AND
GO TO NEXT BLOG, LEAVING!

For those who like some wound pics...go ahead!

Diabetic ulcer

Above knee amputation.

Wound after being debrieded in surgery.