Although the demand for acute medical care is currently subsiding at Suzu City Rescue Center, patients still come to the center for consultation during the day and at night.
An elderly patient who experienced mild paralysis in her right hand and lightheadedness during the night was concerned that her symptoms had not improved by morning, and therefore consulted a public health nurse. The public health nurse contacted HuMA and upon examination found that the patient’s vital signs were stable and there were no signs of paralysis. However, for the patient’s safety, we recommended that she visit the medical center to determine the cause of her symptoms. The patient was anxious about frequent toilet visits and appeared to be restrained from drinking water.
Another patient showed strong anxiety even though her blood pressure was normal, and we decided to listen to her carefully and monitor her progress. There was also a patient who came to the clinic because he had strong memories of the earthquake and felt more anxious when he remembered the scene.
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For Nanao City maternity hospital support, we dispatch midwives. Pregnant women in the hospital are getting plenty of rest during the night, and their expressions of calmness are evident.
The head nurse and staff reported that without this disaster, they would not have been able to learn about HuMA and other support groups, and that they would not have known about this method of support. They also stated that the exchange with supporters provided them with a good opportunity to share their own disaster experiences and to learn about efforts at other medical institutions.
“I myself have learned from this experience and would like to share with those around me the thoughts and feelings of the staff who are making every effort to provide medical care in the disaster-stricken situation. “
“I thought I was prepared for disasters, but this event has given me an opportunity to rethink my approach to disaster preparedness. I will take this as a “this is an opportunity,” and instead of looking backward, I will keep my spirits up and continue to do my best to stay positive.”
I was deeply moved by her words.