Equip University Hospital in Mirebalais, Haiti

Patients with Broken Necks Heal at University Hospital in Haiti

Below is the story of a 48-year-old farmer who fell out of a tree while he was cutting a branch to sell as firewood. Because of your support, he was able to seek the care that he needed at University Hospital in Mirebalais. Thank you. 

Marcenne Desanm, 48, from Savanette Cabral

I am a farmer who lives in Savanette Cabral. I have a wife and eight kids—seven are in primary school and one is in secondary school. I grow grain, corn, and plantains, and sell wood.

The accident occurred when I climbed a tree to cut off a branch to sell the wood. I stood on a lower branch and was sawing a branch above me. When the branch broke, it didn't fall on the ground; instead, it fell on me and crushed me in between the two branches. My stomach was bleeding and I was completely stuck. My wife saw me and cried for help; my neighbors then rushed to my assistance. They climbed the tree and pulled the branch off of me, but when they did this I fell backward onto the ground and broke my neck. I lost consciousness.

I live a two-hour walk from the closest road, so my neighbors had to put me on a stretcher and carry me to the road where the ambulance could meet them. I came to HUM and spent 13 days in the emergency room. They put a catheter in me and took care of my wounds where the branch had crushed me.

I went down to Bernard Mevs with Luther and Jacky and had the collar placed on my neck. I came back to the hospital and stayed for four more days. For the next few months while I am recovering I am renting a house in Cange, because my house in Savanette is too far from the road for me to walk to return for consultations. An ambulance now comes to pick me up at my rented house whenever I have an appointment and takes me home afterward. Two of my kids and my wife are staying with me too.

They took great care of me from the moment I arrived. God put me here with these doctors. I don't feel too bad anymore. I used to have problems sleeping, but now I just sleep sitting up or leaning on my hand, and it doesn't feel too bad. I can also now stand up from a chair by myself! I hope to return to work after the collar is taken off, but I will follow whatever instructions the doctors give me. I have so much hope in life now. I just hope that I will be able to continue working so that I can provide for my family.