I am 32 years old and most of my life has been misery. My mom died when I was young and my dad was bedridden for most of his life. It is for this reason that my life started out difficult. I did not have a family that took care of me like a normal child. They were not able to sent me to school or help me with any part of my life. When I was a child I started to work and I was able to make it to the 4th grade in school. At that time I had to stop school and only work to be able to help my siblings and myself to live an eat. Then I become sick. I had ulcers come up on my legs. They were painful and my legs were swollen.

I thought my brother would be able to help me but his job is working in the open air market. He pushing loads of produce around all day long for people. It is hard work, and he has a child to care for now. Even though I was not well I tried to find work to make a little bit of money to eat and pay for my transportation to go to the clinic each week. I could not do much so I went early each morning before the market started. I went around and helped the merchants tie up tarps and sheets to keep the sun off of them. At the end of the day I went around and helped them take them down. The money was not much but it helped me get to the clinic each week. This has been going on for 6 years now with my legs, As time went on my body got weaker and the wounds were not healing well. The clinic saw I was struggling and began providing for my transportation. They wanted me to eat well so I could heal.

Things in Haiti are not easy. Prices began to increase last year. Finding one meal a day to eat was difficult. My legs got worse and I was losing weight. It took all my energy to just get up each day and get to the clinic when I needed to go. I made an effort to go, I made an effort to eat but I was getting worse. In December I came to the clinic and it was difficult to walk even a short distance. I was declining and I think death was coming to me. They saw I was a bad case. They said you need to stay with us for awhile. I was happy to stay but sad because I knew I was going to die.

These people I do not think anyone can understand how they work. I have never seen another place that works like this clinic in my country. The first place I went when I got sick asked me to do lab work. They told me to come back for the results. I went back everyday and on the 3rd days they told me they had lost to results and I had to pay to have the test done again. They did not treat anyone well there. This clinic in Cazale treats you like a person. When they ask me to stay at the clinic they did not have a place for me but made room. They gave me everything I need: food, medicine, dressing changes but I still got worse. I was very anemic. They asked if I had someone that could come and stay with me to care for me. I did not have anyone. I was sad everyday because I thought I was going to die. I could not take care of myself, I could not go to the bathroom, I could not stand up. I was dying. I don’t think my words can say how close I was to dying. They hired people to come take care of me. These ladies cared for me and talked to me like I was a person. They took turns taken care of me 24/7. Little by little I am getting better. I can now stand up on my own and walk short distances. I am eating well and healing. I think today that I am going to live.