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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Please share. These are the events as stated by a patient at the San San Pedro Belize Poly clinic and published in the San Pedro Sun.

Dear Editor:

On a rainy Friday night, January 25th, 2013, I left work, went for a glass of wine, picked up dinner to take home with me, relax, eat and watch a movie. By the end of the movie (around 10pm) I was ill with a very severe case of food poisoning and by 12am Saturday, January 26th, I began vomiting blood. Around 3am with no relief, I recognized that I was going into shock and was in serious need of help.

Somewhat skeptical after losing someone about 6 years ago (needlessly because the Polyclinic was neither staffed nor equipped), I called the emergency number and the phone was immediately answered by Dr. Noeli Nicholson who told me I must come right away, and she would open the clinic and meet me there in 20 minutes.

Knowing I was in trouble and would most likely be on my way to Belize, I emailed Dr. Mark Musa in Belize City, packed a suitcase, and called Renee, the taxi driver I thought most likely to still be working the Friday/early Saturday nightclub transfers. He wasn't, he was home sleeping, but he came right away and took me to the clinic, where true to her word, Dr. Noeli was there waiting for me.

Dr. Noeli immediately hooked me up to an intravenous drip to stop my vomiting and blood loss and then proceeded to organize the clinic as she awaited the arrival of the nurse on duty, Ms. Brunilda Hilton. I overheard Dr. Noeli take a phone call and it was evident that she had just suffered a personal loss. It was at that time that Nurse Hilton arrived to check on me, I told her I was stable but to please check on the doctor, however, Dr. Noeli emerged wiping tears from her eyes to meet the police as they wheeled in multiple stabbing victim, Byron Espat. Dr. Noeli immediately called her husband, Dr. Laurenzco Nicholson for back up.

Dr. Noeli sprang into action and immediately began the task of trying to save Byron's life with the assistance of the Nurse and the Police. Dr. Noeli asked the patients name and told Byron to "please stay with us", while she administered CPR with all her strength I repeatedly called Byron's name from the next bed, so if he was still with us, he would know he was not alone. Dr. Noeli persisted with CPR for a long time; she also tried a defibrillator, adrenaline shots and other methods to save Bryon's life. Nurse Hilton was right by her side, the Police were doing what they could to help taking over compressions when Dr. Noeli could not go on and assisting with breath pumps. It was a chaotic, tragic, very real and very scary situation. Dr. Laurenzco arrived in short time and it was determined after additional efforts that they could not save Byron's life. I can personally attest to the fact that a significant amount of time was put into trying to save Byron that night.

Once Dr. Laurenzco was in attendance I was moved to another room and put on a ventilator to help me breath (I guess I had not handled the stress of the situation nearly as well as the professionals). Sometime after that, Byron's mother arrived and I listened to her wailing and crying and I cried with her from across the hall as I cry now writing this letter. I want to extend my deepest condolences to Byron's mother. I want her to know that he was not alone, that I called his name over and over until there was no hope, and I want her to know that the medical team really wanted to save him that night.

The other reason I wanted to write this letter is because if Dr. Noeli (who lost her father that night - that was the upsetting phone call) had not answered my call and met me at the clinic, it is very likely that I would not be here either. Dr. Noeli Nicholson, Dr. Laurenzco Nicholson, Nurse Burnilda Hilton lost a patient that night which was clearly tragic for all of them, but they, along with Dr. Mark Musa at Belize Medical Associates saved me and I am very late in thanking them. I am also proud to work for a company that has made sincere efforts to assist the Polyclinic because if I had found myself in the same situation 6 years ago, I would not have lived through it.

Thank You,

S. Chesnick


Joined: May 2008
Posts: 54
M
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M
Thanks for passing that on Marty. I was so saddened that very day I wrote the letter, to find out from Dr. Noeli, that she and her husband are both resigning. Very concerned about what will happen now.

After receiving their life saving care, it was the first time in the 7 years I have been on the island from the mainland that I actually thought I could have my parents visit. Before, (my step father not being in very good health, and traveling being a VERY stressful thing for my mother,) I never felt confident they could come visit the island, because god forbid anything should happen to them, and now I am back there.


Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 834
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Wow, what a heartfelt letter! Brought tears to my eyes. Thank goodness you were able to receive quick care that awful night, Stacey, and I hope you are fully recovered.

It is indeed very bad news that the doctors are resigning. I hope other physicians will sign on at the polyclinic as the island really needs consistent, good emergency medical care, for obvious reasons.


Former Belize expat traveling the USA & Mexico
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