Desperation Builds at Haiti Clinics

(CBS)  A steady stream of patients, sicker and sicker, continue to arrive at a makeshift clinic, and there's a growing sense of desperation, reports CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton.

One doctor said she had an amputated arm and leg and nowhere to take them.

The update on the condition of some of the patients we cared for over the past three days varies greatly - some have died - others are on the edge.

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One patient is a 2-month-old baby with severe burns over 50 percent of her body. She's really not drinking that well. She's at risk for dehydration and infection. One second she's up, and then not responsive and listless the next - she need better care. This is a baby that would be in an intensive care unit in the United States.

We're here with 15-year-old Lovely. Two days ago she was found under rubble, three days into the disaster - she had a corpse on top of her. The Miami Search and Rescue Team actually went in and had to amputate her arm in the field.

We then operated on her and resuscitated her on a folding card table under a tree. She's alive, but infection is setting in - we're going to the operating table to clean out the wound and hopefully she'll do OK.

Better news today for a two month old who was trapped beneath rubble for four days. We spent an hour resuscitating her and then she was airlifted out to Miami's Jackson Memorial hospital where's in critical but stable condition.

Perhaps the biggest issue faced by these patients are infection and gangrene in crushed limbs.

Also Monday, a local community hospital with three operating rooms re-opened and just three miles from the large and sophisticated field hospital set up by the Israeli military continues to treat patients and save lives.

[buzziebear9]

PLEASE give us an update on the 6 month old!!! My family has been praying for her and would like to know how she is doing. Seeing her in pain like that broke my heart.

[Ratanu_from_CO]

I would really like to know how I can help the two month old. Watching this piece made me cry. I couldn't even imagine a parent going through this.

[Ratanu_from_CO]

Sorry, the written report says the baby is 2 months but Dr. Ashton says the baby is actually six months old.