- (9-1-5) --This is a dispatch from New Orleans from Dr.
Greg Henderson, a pathologist who recently moved from Wilmington....
-
- Thanks to all of you who have sent your notes of concern
and your prayers. I am writing this note on Thurs. at 2 p.m.. I wanted
to update all of you as to the situation here. I don't know how much information
you are getting but I am certain it is more than we are getting. Be advised
that almost everything I am telling you is from direct observation or rumor,
from reasonable sources. They are allowing limited internet access, so
I hope to
- send this dispatch today.
-
- Personally, my family and I are fine. My family is safe
in Jackson, Miss.,and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton
Hotel in New Orleans.I figured if it was my time to go, I wanted to go
in a place with a good wine list. In addition, this hotel is in a very
old building on Canal Streetthat could and did sustain little damage. Many
of the other hotels sustained significant loss of windows, and we expect
that many of the guests may be evacuated here.
-
- The first floor of all downtown buildings on Canal street,
is underwater. I have heard that Charity Hospital and Tulane are limited
in their ability to care for patients because of water. Ochsner is the
only hospital that remains fully functional. However, I spoke with them
today and they too are on generator and losing food and water fast.
-
- The city now has no clean water, no sewerage system,
no electricity, and no real communications. Bodies are still being recovered
floating in the floods. We are worried about a cholera epidemic. Even the
police are without effective communications. We have a group of armed police
here with us at the hotel that is admirably trying to exert some local
law enforcement. This is tough because looting is now rampant. Most of
it is not malicious looting. These are poor and desperate people with no
housing and no medical care and no food or water trying to take care of
themselves and their families.
-
- Unfortunately, some of the people are armed and dangerous.
We hear gunshots frequently. Most of Canal street is occupied by armed
looters who have a low threshold for discharging their weapons. We hear
gunshots frequently. The looters are using makeshift boats made of pieces
of styrofoam to access. We are still waiting for a significant national
guard presence.
-
- The health care situation here has dramatically worsened
overnight. Many people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many
other guests have unusual diseases. ... There are (Infectious Disease)
physicians in at this hotel attending an HIV conference. We have commandeered
the world famous French Quarter Bar to turn into an makeshift clinic. There
is a team of about seven doctors and PAs and pharmacists. We anticipate
that this will be the major medical facility in the central business district
and French Quarter, until we are all rescued.
-
- Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens
on Canal under police escort. The pharmacy was dark and full of water.
We basically scooped the entire drug sets into garbage bags and removed
them. All under police escort. The looters had to be held back at gunpoint.
After a dose of prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.
-
- In all, we are faring well. We have set up a hospital
in the French Quarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients
today. Many will be from the hotel, but many will not. We are anticipating
dealing with multiple medical problems, medications and acute injuries.
Infection and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems. Food
and water shortages are imminent.
-
- The biggest question to all of us is where is the National
Guard. We hear jet fighters and helicopters, but no real armed presence,
and hence the rampant looting. There is no Red Cross and no Salvation Army.
-
- In a sort of cliché way, this is an edifying experience.
One is rapidly focused away from the transient and material to the bare
necessities of life. It has been challenging to me to learn how to be a
primary care physician. We are under martial law so return to our homes
is impossible. I don't know how long it will be and this is my greatest
fear. Despite it all,this is a soul-edifying experience. The greatest pain
is to think about the loss. And how long the rebuild will take. And the
horror of so many dead people.
-
- PLEASE send this to all you think may be interested.
I will send more according to your interest. Hopefully, their collective
prayers will be answered. By the way, suture packs, sterile gloves and
stethoscopes will be needed as the Ritz turns into a MASH unit.
-
- Greg Henderson, MD
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