By JoNel Aleccia
DESCHAPELLES, Haiti -- Even in a community of amputees, John Markinley has seen more than his share of trauma.
The 21-year-old student from Port-au-Prince lost most of his left hand and part of his right leg in his country's disastrous earthquake, which trapped him for three days in the rubble of his school until rescuers could find and free him.
"I just waited," he says. "I knew they would come and get me."
But Markinley refuses to dwell on his disability -- and he doesn't let others stay down, either. As the unofficial ambassador of L'Escale, a housing community set up for prosthetics patients treated at the nearby Hopital Albert Schweitzer, the tall young man with the quick smile believes it's his job to be upbeat.
"I try to give joke, to give comedy," Markinley says in his best English, a language he studied in school and practiced on his own. "The doctor told me that the best thing that's good for stress is to laugh."
And there's actually a lot of laughing going on at L'Escale, where the population has shot up just this week to some five dozen people ranging from young children to grandparents. All around the compound of eight four-room houses, residents are chatting and joking, playing the card game "Casino," listening to Haitian hip-hop on the radio and generally hanging out on this sultry spring evening.
They're all either amputees who spend their days trying out new limbs at the Hanger prosthetics clinic at the hospital or family members and friends who've come to support them.
"It's a built-in community for them," says Mandy McGlynn, a physical therapist from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute who just finished a two-week stint at the Hanger clinic.
Strangers who arrived traumatized and depressed by the events of the past two months have become companions bonded by empathy and understanding, say patients and hospital organizers alike.
"All the people here is my friend," says Markinley. "We are the same."
That's true for Genneviege Delus, a 38-year-old mother of four who was selling trinkets on the street in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake hit.
"I was running and that's when a building collapsed on me," says Delus through a translator. She lost her right leg above the knee.
Before she arrived in Deschapelles, Delus says she was sad and depressed. She'd never been around another amputee before and hated the stigma of being one.
"When I come down here, I see many people who have no legs and no arms and I feel happier," she says. "There are other people like me here. I thought I was the only one."
From a practical standpoint, L'Escale provides food and shelter for patients who may stay two weeks or more. A local community organization provides meals twice a day, says Ian Rawson, the hospital's managing director.
For Haitians who've lost their homes and possessions, the cinder block houses outfitted with simple twin beds are palatial and the free medical care is an unimagined luxury. It's so nice, in fact, that the complex is nearly full, with little prospect of any rooms emptying soon.
That's a problem, Rawson says. On one hand, some of the patients are almost medically recovered enough to leave. On the other, they have no other access to living arrangements and care.
"What do you do with all these people who have nowhere to go?" he says, acknowledging that organizers are working to come up with a plan.
While hospital leaders grapple with that question, newly arrived amputees Emmanuelle Lundy and Wilfrid Macena, both 26 and from Port-au-Prince, adjust to their temporary home.
The two met each other after the earthquake, which claimed Lundy's left leg and Macena's right. Seeing so many other amputees coping with the same condition has made them stronger, says Macena, who stops strangers who approach him with pity.
"It's OK," he says, gesturing around the grounds of L'Escale. "To be living with one leg is living. A lot of people didn't get a chance to."
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A smile means so much. When you get your sense of humor back, you are on the road back.
I am trying to imagine rejecting another person because the disaster they survived marked them in such an obvious way. Stigmatizing amputees? I guess I should not be surprised when they also stigmatize rape victims. When a culture stigmatizes the victims (and apparently not the perpetrators, when there is one, such as rape), it is time for some serious cultural introspection. The people themselves need to take a look as it takes nothing more than an act of fate to put them in the same position.
The fear of being "maimed" has undoubtably been with us since before there were any recordings of it. I think it has always resided in that place in the heart where nightmares stay. Now of course it doesn't have to be a nightmare. We don't use Basswood and leather anymore, but modern materials and designs. No more peg legs. Amputees can live a near normal life. But culture has not changed. I still see "that look" when people see me walking about in shorts. I can almost read their minds: "I am glad I'm not HIM. That poor, poor man. I wish he would hide those things. They look horrible." You can almost see the cold shiver racing up and down their spines. I have to keep it in my head that I'm a lucky person to be alive and vertical. When I see that look, I smile and say hello. I think fifteen minutes of conversation will banish that nightmare from that person forever. It will take decades but we can change the stigma of amputation. Like from Harry Potter, laughter really does banishes the boggart (You may have to look that one up. LOL).
They are thinking it could happen to them, obviously. I once had a roommate with one leg, and at first I thought if someone spilled water in the kitchen or something and it wasn't cleaned up immediately, he would fall and up in hospital. It took awhile before I realized he was actually a young, healthy, even athletic person. He even water skied on one leg. Most people don't understand how fully functional most amputees are.
After awhile you almost get a defense net around you. When the carport is slick, you find yourself walking more flat footed. When you begin to stumble you automatically find something to grab. It becomes second nature. I think every amputee needs to learn how to tuck and roll. Comes in handy. One bit of advise I was given was that it takes 5 years to become fully integrated with your prosthetic. I think that is a bit long, but you do become one with your leg. After a while it all becomes natural. Well sorta. The other best advise I was given was from the bilateral below the knee climber of Mt. Everest. He emailed me and reminded me that it took him 27 years to climb Mt. Everest. That is from when he was trapped in an ice cave until he stood on Everest. It takes time.
Stigmatism alive and well in the US, unfortunately. Like the time a stranger ran up to me, grabbing at my hand and telling me repeatedly "have hope!" Like I don't? And the time I was at a business meeting wearing a temporary prosthetic that wasn't covered by a cosmetic cover and having the VP to whom I was speaking (or, trying to) unable to raise his eyes from the offending metal "ankle". News alert: I wear an artificial leg. I also wear glasses. Both help me function better than without... and in my mind they are pretty much identical in purpose.
I once was on staff for a Boy Scout leader training course. The first meeting we had the "Scoutmaster" of the group walked around the U shaped set of tables seeing if we had the proper green and red socks on. In fun I pulled off one of my legs and stood it on top of the table. "Are these the right socks?" Smiles blew away any uneasiness about my legs.
Being the wife of an amputee, this story warms my heart. I wish my husband had a community of other amputees around to support him. No one can know what mental anguish goes along with the physical trauma of loosing a limb unless they have experienced it. Not only are these people supportive of each other, their bonding and sharing of experiences has to be theraputic as well.
I am so impressed by the courage and optimism of these people. Next time I feel sorry for myself, I will think of them. My very best to all.
http://graciouslivingdaybyday.com/
I am so impressed with Hanger providing prosthestics and certified prosthestists to the amputees in Haiti. I am a bi-lateral amputee, right above the knee, and left below the knee, and I have 2 prosthestics made by Hanger. What a great thing for Hanger to do. I also am a participant in a "hospital organized support group" in St. Louis, MO. We have regular meetings and we have volunteer amputees who are available to answer questions over the phone. It has been so comforting to me to not only receive information but to give information to other amputees, as we are all in this together. This support group is open to any amputee in the St. Louis area. We are all in this together and we all want to learn how to live our new lives!
Enjoyed reading your article online today, and if you're not aware, wanted to let you know about an inexpensive ($20) prosthetic knee called the Jaipur Knee that was developed by Stanford students and written about today in Betty Londergan's blog at http://whatgives365.wordpress.com/. The Jaipur Knee mimics the natural joint's movement and is both flexible and stable – a revolutionary improvement, particularly for amputees in developing countries. Maybe you can share this info with the people in Haiti.
By the way, Betty lives in the Atlanta area and her 365 Project involves her donation of $100 every day to a charity around the world, and blogging about that charity in the hopes of raising awareness and possibly other donations. In 2010, she will have donated $36,500 of her own money in this very commendable effort!
A very heartwarming article. People are adjusting and getting the support they need.
These people are remarkably strong, it really makes one show an appreciation for life itself and stop complaining about the little things. May the world continue to reach out to help them, and I am sure each of amputee will be given prosthetic limb.
these children are sobrave and to know that something bad has happened to them . i thought i felt sorry for my self but look at these children and people theve had the worse . thanxs for readin .
~victoria
There was a dignity to this article - not a pitying, melodramatic slant that encourages victimhood, depression and stagnation. This writer dignified the situation of these people who are making a community and supporting each other. It must have been a terribly traumatic experience, both the earthquake and the injuries, yet the article points to their bravery, love, and recovery of life.
Can you get your husband involved in Paralympic sports?
Choices include running (the new "blade" type feet go pretty darned fast), wheelchair track, wheelchair basketball, cycling, skiing, and probably a bunch of others.
Being with a bunch of differently abled athletes who all have a common goal of kicking some serious butt can work wonders for the spirit.
Did you know wheelchair athletes cruise along at 30+ kph? Most people couldn't keep up on rollerblades or a bicycle!
I am a caregiver of an amputee. I never realized how much for granted I had taken the beauty of human design. The fluidity of which our bodies manuever, when intact and healthy. The experience of caring for someone has given me much gratitude for human design and life. The simple movements most of us take for granted, like just getting out of bed, become a chore for someone missing an arm or a leg. I thank God for my health, and for all the selfless people in Haiti giving to others. Pray for Haiti and all those disabled. Life is beautiful , smile today and make someone smile.......it's contagious
As a bilateral amputee I'm fine on solid ground, but I usually describe myself when I walk off on to the grass as like "a drunk duck." I am getting better with time, but when I walk off into the woods that is when I carry a stick. It is the wonderful adjust-ability of the human foot you miss. All those lovely metatarsals that move back and forth and make you nimble. My ankles are fixed. Forget going onto your toes and picking something from the top shelf. Your very observant. Bravo!