Marielle is
a 46 year old newly homeless Haitian woman who visits the shelter clinic for
the first time today. She appears shy
when I first meet her, and desires to speak privately. As we sit down, it becomes apparent that she has
several issues that she needs help addressing.
Turns out, Marielle had just been
released from jail a week ago after 17 years for what she describes as “financial
charges.” Although this seems like just the beginning of the reason for why she
spent nearly two decades in jail, I do not press further. Instead, we talk about how Marielle’s only
known family in the United States, her grandparents, had passed away in Miami
while she was inside. Since being
released, she has been homeless but very fortunate in being able to obtain a
two week bed at a local women’s overnight shelter. There, she made friends with a woman seasoned
in the shelter system who brought her here to reconnect to medical care.
Marielle hands us a pile of
paperwork from the penitentiary clinic. Fortunately,
she had not experienced any serious health problems requiring hospitalization
during her time in jail, but had several medical issues documented during
recent physicals. Specifically, she has gastro-esophageal reflux (heartburn), seasonal
allergies, osteoporosis, mild iron deficiency, a breast cyst found on mammogram
that requires a follow-up ultrasound, and gynecological complaints consistent
with bacterial vaginosis.
While
divulging her history, it was clear that Marielle is quite insecure about being
released into society with no family, no social network, and no medical safety
net. In the clinic, we were able to
address her immediate needs for antihistamines to relieve her allergies and
antacids for her heartburn. Still, the more
important issue in this moment for Marielle is obtaining stable medical care to
help with with her unstable life. As
such, we spend time going through her medical paperwork and write Marielle a
clinical communication with all her medical needs that she can bring tomorrow
to the reputable healthcare program close to her overnight shelter. There, she can be linked to primary health
care and have her preventive care addresses.
We check
that Marielle understands exactly what we are doing for her, but she appears
understandably overwhelmed at the end of our visit. As such, each member of our medical team gives
her a hug as she exits the clinic in order to address her most fundamental
concern – her feeling of being alone in this new world.
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