Kim Reaves’ Blog

Friday (last one in Ghana)

Hi all,

Well it is the last Friday for us to spend in Ghana. Today we went to the devotional in the main lobby of the hospital and it was given by Dr. Ablorh. At the end he had Ashley and I come to the front to give us a gift and allow us to speak to the group. We said “thank you” to everyone then people came by to shake our hands and give us hugs. It was very nice. Vida continues to look like she might cry because we are leaving on Sunday. It has been very nice to meet everyone and I am very glad I came. I hope that one day I can come back to Ghana and visit the mission. Perhaps I can come back and work when I have the M.D. to back it up.

To recap the last few days:

Wednesday: Well I felt horrible from the combination of malaria and the medicine we were taking for the medicine. It was Dr. Ablorh’s birthday and the staff threw him a surprise party with pizza, cake and soda. They had music playing in the back ground and told him how much they appreciated him. Dr. Ablorh founded Manna Mission and there is a lot of respect for what he has done and for his devotion to the gospel. There is a great deal of respect for him and how much work he has done for the community. It was very nice that we could be a party of his birthday celebration. I never got a chance to ask him how old he was however.

Ashley gave a presentation on malaria and then I gave a presentation on Typhoid. They were both around 20 minutes a piece and we were told they were good. After the presentation, we had a discussion about what was safe to eat in Africa. Dr. Ablorh gave us some of his wisdom. It was obvious we had already broken a lot of the rules during our stay. Well we already had malaria so much more than that would probably just require more treatment so we didn’t really panic that much.

After the presentations the group of students took a taxi to Coco beach for dinner and relaxation.  It was nice to sit under the hut on the beach and relax. We also tossed the football (American Football) around for a while. It was a nice evening.

Thursday: It was Dr. Akosua’s day off so several of the students also took the day off. We started the day by going to the trade fair and then to the artist alliance. There were a few more things Ashley and I wanted to get before heading home. Ashley, Mike, Chi-chi, Andrew, Leigh-Ann and I then went to Osu and had lunch at Frankie’s. I had probably the best hamburger in a long time. We walked along the road for a brief time after before heading back to the mission house to meet up with Chad and Julie, whom we had met several weeks earlier at La Palm. They took us to the “Hands of Mercy” Orphanage where they were working so we could play with the kids. There were probably close to 60 children ranging from 2 years old up to the teenage years. I chatted with a 15 year old girl named Edna who wants to go to medical school. She was very knowledgeable about how much school and what classes she needed to take. She asked me a lot of questions about the U.S. and told me a lot about her school. It was very nice to chat with her. I gave her my email address so hopefully I will hear from her. She had been in the orphanage since she was 10 years old. I can’t even imagine.

After the orphanage, we went back to Coco beach for dinner. I had a great chicken pizza and enjoyed chatting with Chad and Julie about the adoption process. Julie works for an adoption agency out of Canada. They are here in Ghana to try to bring the orphanage up to a higher standard. There is not really a routine for the children. They run around and play. They don’t have any games or activities for them and diapers and basic necessities are in short supply. There is no running water and there are not enough beds for all the children. There hopes are to bring the orphanage to a higher standard and it sounds like they are making small steps. They are in the process of purchasing a van for the orphanage to help with transportation. It was interesting to learn about and made me want to help. I am sure this is not the last time you will hear me mention the “Hands of Mercy” orphanage in Ghana.

We went back to the house after dinner and I started packing. I am almost done now. I am hoping one of my suitcases is not too heavy. Tomorrow we are going to go to the beach to the see the sunrise and then hanging out til around lunch time. There is a wedding here at the mission tomorrow and we have been invited. Everyone has told us we need to see a Ghanaian wedding before we go so hopefully we will make it. Also we had dresses made a couple weeks ago and they should be ready to pick up to wear to the event. It should be a good day. We take off at 10:20 am Sunday morning to head back home. It has been a great trip and I will cherish the time I have spent here. I hope to one day come back to Ghana and work again.

Thank you for reading!

Kim

P.S. Our swabs are still positive for Malaria so it seems we will be taking another medicine on our way home. No worries though…we will be treated and everything will be fine.

Wednesday

Hello!

I hope everyone is doing well back home. Today Ashley and I are giving our presentations for inmed at the doctor’s meeting. We are both done with them and ready to present. Tonight we are planning on taking the entire group of student ( all 8 ) to Coco beach for dinner. We have been eating in the last few night so it will be fun to get out and about. Yesterday was spent at the mission house. Because Ashley and I both tested positive for Malaria and weren’t feeling great we stayed in bed to rest. Tina, the secretary as well as David came by to check on us. Vida also had us get up to eat lunch and checked on us through out the day.  We were both just very tired but after a few doses of the medication I think we are both feeling better. We should be fine by the time we leave and there is not reason for those of you back home to worry.

Interesting things that have happened since Monday:

We ran out of water again. They had to call a truck to bring water and we also ran out of drinking water so that meant we had to purchase lots of the bags of water to drink. They are about 1/2 liter and cost 5 pessaw (less than 5 cents in the U.S.) They taste a little like a plastic bag but with crystal light or something with them they are fine. Dr. Akosua is not a fan of the bags of water and suggested that we go get bottled water soon. She didn’t know if they were completely safe. Hopefully we will get some soon.

The fan fell in the living room. While everyone was sitting in the room the fan just fell out of the ceiling. I heard a loud boom from the other room as I sat in the bedroom. Then everyone started screaming. No one was injured but it made for a funny story.

Power continues to go out over an over again. It typically converts over to generator power but this takes some time. The combination of no water and no power made for an interesting evening.

Tomorrow: we are planning on visiting the couple we met a week ago at a local orphanage and playing with the kids. It should be fun.

I will let you know how everything goes.

Thanks,

Kim

Day 21-24

Hi All,

Friday:

On Friday after a day in clinic, Ashley, Andrew, Izzy and I decided to head to Osu for some shoping an dinner. We walked up and down the street in front of Koala purchasing various items and then ate at Papaye for dinner. We got back to the house around 8 with enough time for Izzy and Andrew to go with David to the airport to pick up the new students. Ashley and I packed our bags in preparation for the trip to Cape Coast for the weekend and made it sleep around 11. We heard the other students come in around 12 but decided to wait and meet them when we got back on Sunday.

Saturday:

The morning started early. We were ready to go at 5:00 am. I wasn’t feeling very well and had one episode of vomitting before leaving the house but felt well enough to continue. We called David and he was able to come get us a little after 5:00. The ride to the STC (bus station) was not a pleasant one. I was so nauseated and didn’t make it all the way there without having to have David pull the car over so I could vomit. I decided to keep going not feeling near 100%. I didn’t want to miss out on Cape Coast. After all, how often are you in Ghana?.

At the bus station it didn’t really resemble anything in the states. The buses were packed with lines pouring outside them. There was a line of vans and multiple vendures along the road. It was so crowded it was difficult to walk. David was nice enough to notice that the bus was full and quickly walked us to one of the vans headed to Cape Coast. For 5 cedi we were able to ride in style in an air conditioned 15 passenger van.  I was still very nauseated but slowly getting better. The trip to Cape Coast took over 2 hours. Along the way we were hit from behind by another van but we just quickly pulled over and the drivers exchanged numbers and we continued on our way.  At one point the window from another van fell out and hit the road and we drove over it. Our driver drove very fast and it seemed like the trip was quick. When we arrived to Cape Coast one of the gentlemen sitting behind us on the bus gave us a ride to Cape Coast Castle. He was from Atlanta and in town for his Grandfather’s funeral.  His mom still lived in Cape Coast.  It was less than a few kilometers to the castle so we were there very quickly. 

Because we arrived before 9 and the castle did not open til 9 we had to wait.  We sat for about 20 minutes on the benches near the front desk.  We were able to purchase student tickets just after 9 am and enter the castle. The first thing we did was tour the museum. We then sat down to watch and informational video about Africa.  I wasn’t feeling well at this time and didn’t make it through the video before I had to step out and find the washroom.  After resting for a few minutes, I tried to go on the guided tour of the castle but realized quickly that I wasn’t going to be able to finish it. I decided to stay behind and rest on the benches in the shade. Ashley finished the tour. She took lots of pictures so I think I will still get to see what the tour was like. 

The tour finished around 11 and Ashley and I walked outside the castle to a restaurant outside the castle. We had a great view of the ocean and of all the kids playing along the beach. The restaurant was open air and had several cats running around inside. I managed to keep down a chicken sandwich and some fries and was starting to feel a little better. After about an hour at the restaurant we finished up and then headed to the hotel.

Elmina beach resort was a very nice hotel. Our room had an ocean view, hot water and cable TV. The bell boy was nice enough to put the TV on CNN because “American’s like CNN”.  We only stayed at the hotel for about 15 minutes before packing up and heading to the next castle which we could see from our hotel room. It was a quick taxi ride and we were there. Elmina Castle is the oldest of the castles along the coast. I was able to make it through the tour this time. Only feeling slightly nauseated when I got hot. It was a very sad place and the living conditions were very depressing. The atmosphere was somber within the castle with lots of respect for the people who lost there lives during that very sad point in history.  After the castle, we walked across the street to look at the small huts selling beds and fabric. I managed to find some of the necklaces I had been looking for. We then jumped in a taxi and headed back to the resort.

It was about 6:00 pm when we got back to our room. We stopped and bought a bag at another shop along the way back which didn’t take very long. When we got back to the room Ashley called her mom and I took a shower. The warm water lasted for about the first 5 minutes but the cold shower felt great. I collapsed on the  bed from exhaustion and the next thing I remember was Ashley telling me it was after 8 and we should go eat dinner. I was so tired and the body aches reminded me of having the flu. Dinner was buffet style and most of what I ate was pasta and veggies. I wasn’t really hungry but felt it best to make sure I ate dinner. The sprite I had with dinner tasted like metal (all part of me being sick). When we got back to the room I went to sleep and didn’t wake til Sunday at 6:30 am to get ready for our venture to Kakum.

Sunday:

I was feeling better on Sunday morning. We ate breakfast at the hotel (the cost was included when we paid for the room). It was a nice breakfast and had lots of fruit with toast and eggs. After we finished breakfast, we walked to the lobby of the hotel where the receptionist had called a driver to come get us. He arrived about 30 minutes later and we negotiated the price to go to Kakum. The driver took us about 1/3 of the way when he had us change cars and get in a taxi. The taxi driver took us to Kakum and waited on us while we went into the park.  Kakum National Park is where the Canopy walks are located. We arrived just in time to be in the first group to head up the hill to the canopy. It was very hot and tiring to walk up the hill but I have to say I felt much better than the day before so I was not complaining.  Our tour guide was very entertaining and nice. He loved to add a joke from time to time to spice things up.  The canopy walks were awesome. They apparently are one of five canopy walks in the world and the only one in Africa. They were constructed by a group from Canada during the 1990s. It took 6 months for them to be constructed. As you progressed along the walk each section brought you higher and higher in the trees.  The wooden bridges suspended by metal cables rocked back and forth.  We took several pictures of the amazing view and of each other on the walk.

After the canopy walk we went on the nature walk with about half the group.  It consisted of explanations on the various trees in the forest. The tour guide told us about the various herbal remedies made from the trees and their bark.  Everything from the treatment for asthma to a “viagra-like” drug. It was very interesting. The tour lasted about 45 minutes then we headed back down the hill to have lunch at the cafe at the entrance. For lunch, I had a ham and cheese sandwich and fries.  It was mostly bread. I tried to drink as much water as possible because of how dehydrated I felt. Our cab driver waited patiently then when we finished drove us to the STC station to catch the bus for Accra.

We had perfect timing again when we arrived at the STC station.  We were the last two passengers onto the large bus. It cost 3.5 cedis each for a ticket and we each had an empty seat beside us and large open windows. The trip took a little over 2 hours and I took a short nap along the way.

When we arrived back in Accra we took a cab back to the mission house.  The house was filled with laughter and noise.  The other students were happily playing cards.  There were four other students joining us from Virginia (2 boys and 2 girls).  I found it amusing when Izzy asked me if I was still sick. David had told her I was not feeling very well. I got a quick shower in before dinner. The students from Virginia were nice enough to cook. Adam did most of the cooking with Izzy’s help.  It was great.  We had chicken, rice and veggies. We ate then the eight of us headed out to catch a taxi for the soccer game that was at the stadium in Accra. When we arrived to the stadium it was empty. Our cab driver asked a couple of people outside the stadium and apparently the game was at 3:00 pm and we were arriving at 6:00pm so we had just missed it. After a few minutes of discussion we decided to go to the mall for icecream and a couple of us went to see a movie. We saw “Valkerie”. It was very sad but I thought it was good. Ashley and Adam waited to catch a taxi back with Andrew and I. The other students went back in a separate car.

When the four of us got back to the mission house we were surprised to find that the others were not back yet. Izzy did not have the phone with her so there was no way to call them and trying to find them would have been futile. After about 30 minutes the group finally arrived. They had gotten lost and decided to get out of the taxi on beach road and walk. It was several kilometers hike. They looked tired and stressed from the situation. Ashley and I decided maybe next time we should go with them to help guide them back. I went to sleep first again. I was still very tired and not feeling well.

Monday:

I felt terrible this morning. The body aches continue and the just pure exhaustion are hard to ignore. Ashley made muffins and we all ate breakfast before coming to devotion. When we got to the hospital Ashley and I went ahead and sent blood to the lab to be tested for Malaria. I was pretty sure I was sick but not 100% that was the cause….until the test came back positive about an hour later. I tried to sit in with Dr. Akosua for a couple hours to see patients but I am just very tired. Dr. Akosua wrote the prescription for the anti-malarials but the pharmacy can’t fill them yet because someone had to go pick up the drugs from another pharmacy. We will have them later in the day. After I type this and do a few other things on the computer I am going to go back to the house and sleep. I have to work on my presentation at some point today. I have to give it on Wednesday and I am not finished. I hope to finish it this afternoon. Dr. Akosua said we have the “full African experience” because we have malaria…fun times.

Hope all is well back home.

Love,

Kim

Friday in Ghana (Recap of Day 20 with intro to Day 21)

Greetings all!

It is now Friday morning in the wonderful country of Ghana and we have just arrived to the hospital. To recap yesterday we came to the hospital for devotional at around 8:00 am. It was very difficult to hear because the patients in the lobby were singing songs in their native language. Dr. Akosua does not work on Thursday so Ashley, Andrew and I were given a room to see patients. Izzy went down to work with the mid-wife. We did not keep our room very long because there were more doctors than consultation rooms. I saw one patient: a man with a growth on his leg. I ordered an X-ray but didn’t get to follow up the results. One of the other doctors saw him later in the day. Because the three of us lost our room to see patients in Ashley and I went down to check on the patients in the wards and then we decided to finally go to the post office.

Andrew stayed to see patients with the male doctor.  Ashley and I were able to catch a taxi to the post office and then we decided to go back to the artist alliance gallery on beach road.  We spent about an hour walking around looking at the paintings and crafts then walked up to the labodi beach hotel for lunch by the pool. It was a very relaxing afternoon. We walked out onto the beach prior to heading back to the mission house. We met a man from Texas here because of his job.  He asked us about various restaurants and told us about his children and about a child he lost to SMA.  There was a constant influx of people trying to get us to buy various items on the beach. We enjoyed a plate of fruit and watched the people as they walked along the beach.

We caught a taxi back to the mission house around 6:00 and made it back just in time to cook dinner. We bought chicken the night before at the store along with vegatables and rice. David came over and brought yam and a spicy stew. David told us various stories about the area and we visited for a few hours.

After dinner, I was very happy to get a shower and then head to bed. It was a long day. Today we don’t really have any plans for the evening. I am sure we will think of something. We will probably be pretty busy today in clinic and I know i need to finish my presentation. I hope all are doing well. Tomorrow we are going to Cape Coast and Kakum. I may not blog again until Monday.

Talk soon,

Kim

Day 20 Take 2

Hello,

I am writing a message from the internet cafe at the mall in Accra.  Today was a very good day. Ashley and I saw patients all morning. We even had one admission to the hosptial. Most of the things were not complicated and it was very easy to manage.  It feels very strange to write a prescription and be the only signature or refer someone to a specialist or for a lab. I joked with Ashley saying “just call me doc”. It was a small taste of what is to come in the future.  It was very handy for us to have the guideline book that they use in Ghana so that we manage things in the recommended way for the area.  Clinic flew by. We were finished around 3:00 pm after checking on the patients in the wards. We walked down to drop our fabric off for the dresses we are having made and then jumped in a taxi for the mall.  It was a good chance to show Andrew and Izzy where the grocery store is and to have dinner.  Tomorrow will be more of the same from today. Dr. Akosua has the day off but we will have the other doctors if we have any questions. We are going to Cape Coast on Saturday (Ashley and I) and to Kakum National Park.  The time is really flying by and before we know it it will be time to pack up and head home. I will keep the updates coming. Have a great day.

Thanks,

Kim

Wednesday (Day 20)

Good Morning all,

 It is currently Wednesday morning here in Ghana and we just arrived at the hospital.  Yesterday we had a chance to go to Kurle-bu teaching hospital with Dr. Akosua.  The teaching hospital is contained within a compound that has the medical school, nursing school and multiple hostile type living facilities.  We walked through the children’s ward as well as the surgical center.  We also took a quick look in the ICU and ER. The hospital was very over crowded with patients in the halls and on the floor. There were procedures being done in any available space.  It was hard to even walk through the hospital because of the number of people. Also, it was hot and the smell was not the best.  It was nice to see the “State-of-the-Art” facility in Accra but as one doctor put it “we practice a different art here”.  We also met Dr. Akosua’s father who is a hematologist at Kurle-bu. He said that the hospital is over crowded because the referral system does not work and people are not being treated in the outside hospitals they are just being referred quickly.  Our visit was cut short because Dr. Akosua’s son was still sick and his school called for her to come pick him up. On our way back from the hospital she dropped us off in Osu so we could eat lunch. We ate at the Osu Food Court where I had a salad with my chicken pita. We then walked down to shop at the multiple shops along the road.  We bought fabric to have a local seamstress make us authentic Ghanaian dresses.  We brought groceries at Koala then took a taxi back to the house.  We tried to drop our fabric off but the shop was closed already.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that Elizabeth and Andrew, two medical students from Virginia were back at the house.  We answered some questions about how to get around and helped them get phone cards to call home.  We cooked some chicken with a bag of mixed vegatables with rice and called David to see if he wanted to come eat.  We really enjoyed dinner and then afterwards David was nice enough to teach us a song in Ga. I have to admit I do not actually remember the words this morning but they are written down at the house. I will have to review it later.  We took the lap top from the hospital back to the mission house last night so we were able to watch a movie and eat  some of the popcorn that Andrew brought.  We finished up and headed to bed around 11 to get some rest for another day.

This morning we did not have devotion because of the staff meeting so we have a little extra time before clinic.  Dr. Akosua told us yesterday she wanted us to run our own consultation room like Tuesday so I am sure it will be a busy day.  We have a doctor’s meeting at 2:00 pm where Dr. Akosua will be doing a presentation.  Next week Ashley and I will be presenting during the meeting.  I will be talking about Typhoid and Ashley will be doing a presentation on Malaria.  We worked on this on Monday night and we are almost finished.  I am sure we will have time this week to complete them.  We are hoping to go to Cape Coast this weekend and we are waiting to see if the other students would like to go with us.  There are four other students from Virginia who will be coming but due to the snow in London their flight was not able to take off and they won’t be here until Friday. We will probably help Andrew and Elizabeth find the grocery store today so they can get some food. That is my brief highlight on the days plans.

Other thoughts: I have been getting the blog posts (thank you Ms. Braden) and please keep them coming. There might be some delay in my replies.  To answer a few questions: I am doing a combined residency program in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.  I will be able to see both children and Adults and I can specialize later if I would like.  The program takes four years and I will find out in March where I will be doing my residency.  The majority of the places I applied are in the southeast. As for international medicine in the future, I am sure I will do something in Africa again at some point and I am hoping to do a couple months during residency.  My long term plan is to practice medicine in the U.S. with various medical trip through out my career. Peyton would also like to do medical work abroad so it is a good combination (Peyton did a residency in Internal Medicine and is working as a hospitalist currently in Mississippi near Mobile).  I am looking forward to residency but scared at the same time. It will be nice to finally have a salary but it is not a big one compared to the number of school loans. Medical school can be costly.

Well, I hope all is well back home. Please keep your comments and questions coming. I will try to post pictures later in the day.  The computer will not read my card from my camera so I have to get them from Ashley’s camera and I have to be on the lap top to be able to post them (I am currently using the office’s computer) so it might not be today.  Please update me on what is going on in the U.S. I feel very out of touch. My email is kimmarie82@gmail.com if you need anything.

Talk soon,
Kim

Day 16, 17, 18

Hello again,

It is currently Monday afternoon in Africa. We had a busy morning but first let’s recap the last few days:

Saturday Evening

After we used the computers at the mall we grabbed a pizza and a few groceries then headed back to the misson house. 

Sunday:

Church started around 8:00 am on Sunday morning. We were some of the first people at the service.  It was a very lively service with dancing and singing. It lasted til after 11:30 which is probably one of the longest services I have ever been to.  They did communion as well as a sermon and lots and lots of dancing.  Ashley and I left around 11:30 to head for lunch and the pool at La Palm.  It was very sunny at the pool and apparently the dust has settled. If we were missing out on a tan before we both caught up quickly.  I was very pink when we got back last night.  At the pool, we met a couple from Canada here to work in the local orphanage.  We might go by and see the place in the next few days.  The couple pointed out that they do not have running water and are using buckets to take baths and heating water on the stove.  Suddenly I began to feel like we had it pretty nice.  Ashley and I walked down to Ladodi beach resort to eat dinner after the pool.  I had the same meal as before (chicken and Jollof rice).  It was a good evening.  We took a taxi back to the mission house. This was probably the first rude taxi driver we have encountered.  After a couple cold showers we were both fast asleep.

Monday:

Today we got to the clinic around 9:00 am to discover that Dr. Akosua was not able to come in because her son was ill so Ashley and I ran our own room for clinic.  We saw a pretty even mix of adults and children.  If we had any questions we asked the doctor in the room next door.  I saw a lot of hypertension, diabetes and people with malaria.  We had one girl with some significant periorbital swelling who we had to admit to the hospital.  It was really nice to be in control for the morning.  I am sure it was only a small taste of what residency will be like.

After clinic, we ate lunch at the canteen and then walked down the road to talk to Gilbert’s wife about making a couple of dresses for us.  We were lucky enough to have a chance to come back and type a blog.  This is kind of the abrided version because we have to leave the office so they can close.  Hope all is well back home.

Thanks,

Kim

Day 16 At the mall

Greetings all!

I am writing a quick blog from the internet cafe at the Accra Mall.  Ashley and I decided to come here when we finished up in clinic today.  To update you on the events of the last 24 hours won’t take very long.  Last night we stuck with the plan to stay at home and relax. We cooked pasta and I was able to finish New Moon.  It was an early night and I was asleep by 11:00.  I forgot that I made a deal with Junior and Linda to go running this morning so when he knocked on the door shortly after 6:00 am I was caught a little off guard.  I quickly realized why he was there and jumped up to get ready. 

I rode with Linda and Junior to Coco beach where Junior played football (soccer) with a large group of people and I went running with Linda (his wife).  We run back to where Ashley and I had seen the boats earlier in the week. I was even greated by one of the men on the beach who remembered my name. We went up and down the beach running a few times and then we backed up to head back to the mission house.  Junior wanted to stop to clean his car on the way (a red pathfinder) and we stopped at Dr. Ablorh’s house where I met Junior’s mom and Linda and I watched as he washed the car.  After leaving the house, Junior grabbed some bread from a local stand to take back to his mom after dropping me off. I was back at the mission house before 8:30 am with enough time to shower before heading to the hospital just before 9:00 am.

It was a busy morning at the clinic.  Dr. Akosua saw emergency cases and several patients who were following up with her from the week. We had 2 patients with CVAs (strokes), a child having a seizure and a woman in pre-term labor.  We had to refer all of these to larger hospitals but we did the initial triage.  There was also a boy in need of stitches and a newly diagnosed diabetic.  It was  busy morning.  We were finished by 2 pm. I think Dr. Akosua was very ready to be done at this point and Ashley and I were also ready to go.

After clinic, Ashley and I caught a cab for the Accra Mall (where I am currently typing this). We ate a late lunch, ate some icecream and settled in to watch ”Yes Man”.  It wasn’t as good as ”Australia” but still good.   We walked up the road by the mall to see if there were still vendures but they were done for the day.  I was able to buy a fairly cheap shirt at the mall and another book and then we found the computers.

Tomorrow we are going to La Palm for the day. The travel book mentioned that they have a buffet so we are hoping it is available. I will be out of email contact for the day but I will be back on Monday. I hope all is going well.
Talk soon,
Kim

Day 14-15 Fun Adventures

Hi once again,

I hope all is well back home. It is Friday afternoon here at the mission. I thought I would take a moment to update you on the events of the last few days…

Wednesday afternoon: Ashley and I took a cab to Coco beach to the Ramada Beach Resort where we chilled by the pool for a few hours.  We then decided to walk down the beach toward the fishing boats.  We had plenty of company as people on the beach swarmed us to ask where we were from and why we were in Ghana.  We walked to the boats and were able to get a few great pictures.  Teshie is a traditional fishing village and they use boats that look like canoes to fish.  There were more than a hundred boats distributed between the banks and on the water.  As we walked back, one of the guys pointed out something about the driving in Ghana. I hadn’t thought of a good way to describe it until he told me “People drive like they walk in a crowd”. So imagine a huge group of people walking and the ones that want to walk faster go around whenever there is a clearing and roads to not really apply.  He pointed out that “if you can drive in Ghana you can drive anywhere.” I think this is a very true statement.  Back at the hotel we had dinner before heading back to the mission.  I had a chef salad and a chicken sandwich with fries.  It was all very good. We took a taxi back to the mission just as it started to get dark. 

When we arrived back at the house I wanted to take a quick shower before bed and then quickly realized the water was no longer working.  We used the pump to pump water to the tank on top of the house. I waited a few minutes and then had a cold shower…which was better than nothing. I read for a few hours and then darted off to sleep.

Thursday: Dr. Akosua has the day off on Thursday and since we are working with her we took the day off. This means we will be working on Saturday.  We called David for a ride around 9:30 and we were told to go talk to the secretary at the hospital about the car. We walked up to the hospital and the secretary (Tina) told us that the car is for “emergencies and for taking people to the airport”. This was fine with us because it was much easier and more reliable to grab a taxi.  We walked to the front steps of the hospital and negotiated a taxi to take us to downtown Accra to the National Museum…it was 8 cedis.

The cab driver had a bit of trouble finding the museum but after asking directions a couple times was finally able to locate it.  It was 3 cedis for students to go in the museum and both Ashley and I had our insurance cards with us that said “Student”.  Inside the museum was very interesting. It was a small museum by American Standards.  There was lots of information on the slave trade and various cultural aspects of Ghana.  We learned a little about the “Akuaba” dolls which are the dolls you often see with flat heads.  Woman who want to get pregnant wear them on their back.  I can not tell the story of how it originated very well so I will have to update this part later.  I also learned in the museum that 10% of the slaves from Ghana went to the United States and that the trenches that were dug by the ships during the time of the slave trade still are apparent on the ocean floor…I thought this was interesting.  We looked around the gift shop without buying anything and then headed outside.

After the museum, we went to a restuarant right outside.  We both had chicken with rice and vegatables. We split a huge bottle of water which was great because we were both very thirsty secondary to the heat.  We then walked down the road to find an ATM which is when the day started to become more challenging. We passed the Accra Psychiatric hospital and YMCA which we both found interesting.  We came across an ATM at the shell station where Ashley was able to use it successfully. I was not this lucky.  When I put my card in it was “detained”. I called home so my Mom and Dad could call and find out why it wasn’t working.  We then called the bank in Accra and they said that someone would come get it out but it would not be until after 3:00pm so we jumped a taxi for the Accra Mall and planned to go to the bank later that day to recover my card.  Ashley also had an interesting turn of events happen to her at the ATM…she discovered that her SIM card that goes in her phone was gone.  She had to call so it could be shut off so that no one would put it in their phone and use it.  In the cab I was slightly grossed out when I saw a man with rats on a string walking by the road.  The cab driver said they were to demonstrate that his rodent killer worked.  I didn’t think it was neccessary…also I really don’t like rats. The cab driver took us to what appeared to be a market downtown.  This was not where we were trying to go.  After calling his friend and asking directions he finally figure out where we were referring to and then we were off (but charged a little bit more for the ride).

The mall was wonderful.  It was like being back home.  It was clean and there was a food court and a movie theater (cinema). I was very excited when we found the bookstore.  I purchased a few books. I was hoping to find the next book in the Twilight series (Eclipse) but they said it would be two weeks before they would get it in.  I guess I will have to wait to read more about Bella and Edward.  We ate in the food court and we both had chicken pitas and fries with Coke light.  We were happy to find “Frankie’s” which is a local icecream shop.  The icecream was great after my spicy pita (everything is spicy here).  My dad called me back to let me know there was an error at the bank and my card was reported stolen.  I called the bank in Accra back so they could just destroy the card.  It was inactivated anyway. We then decided to see a movie at the Cinema.  We saw Australia which was great.  Being in the movie theater made me feel like I wasn’t so far away from home.  It is a brand new theater and it seems like many people in Ghana don’t even know it is there.  I think we might go back for another movie on Saturday after work.  We were hoping to use the internet cafe at the mall but the computers were down.  We also wanted to grab some groceries at the store at the mall but the movie finished at 8:50 and the store closed at 9.  We walked out the front of the mall to where the taxi stand was located and we started the bargining again.  The man wanted 12 cedis to take us back to Teshie. I said “No” and we settled closer to 10 after some negotiating. It seemed like a lot to pay but it was late and we were both ready to be back at the mission house.  He took us a different way than we were used to going so we both were a little on edge. I spotted a sign that said Teshie and a church in the distance that was familiar so I was more relaxed.  We finally made it back to the mission house and were happy to be safely back.  I read a few more chapters in my book and then fell fast asleep.

Friday: This morning we were both off to a sluggish start.  I think we were both tired from the events of the day before. We saw patients with Dr. Akosua this morning.  It was very hot in the exam room and I couldn’t help but think about how hungry I was. Our lunches at the hospital typically consist of snacks we brought from home.  Ashley and I plan to rest today and catch up on some reading and sleep.  I think that pasta we keep meaning to cook might get put to good use.  Tomorrow we will be working again and are planning to go back to the mall for a movie and food.  Everything seems to be coming together nicely.  We are both more comfortable with the surroundings and feel more confident.  Sunday we are planning to attend church then head to La Palm resort to work on our tans.  More students will be joining us at the mission house on Tueday.  We are planning to go with Dr. Akosua to Kurle-bu teaching hospital on Tuesday to see where she trained.  She is very excited to show us “the nice” hospital.  I think we will also be making a stop at the cultural center on the way back.  It should be a good day.

Hope all is well back home. I am not sure if I will have a chance to blog tomorrow but we shall see.  Have a great evening everyone.

Thanks!

Kim

Day 13 Middle of the week in Africa

Greetings from Ghana!

It is Wednesday afternoon and we just finished up clinic. Yesterday after writing my blog we went back to the house to change for the pool and were called by the secretaries shortly after changing into our swimsuits. They let us know that there was a Doctor’s Meeting and that we needed to attend.  We quickly changed back into our scrubs and darted back to the hospital. In the meeting, Dr. Aborhl was discussing the challenges that physicians face in developing countries.  He expressed that there is often difficulty getting supplies for the laboratory and that often the laboratory findings are not very reliable.  He expressed that it was very important for there to be donations from Missionary groups and other people from the states.  Dr. Aborhl asked us about the upcoming match and how apply for residency differed from the Ghana.  Dr. Aborhl actually did medical school in Tulsa (with Emily’s Father) but I am not sure where he did his residency.  Dr. Akosua was also in the meeting. She will be giving a presentation next week on Otitis Media and upper respiratory tract infections.  There was some confusion between Ashley and I as to if the doctors have done residency or just intern year. Dr. Akosua mentioned doing procedures during her intern year but then when asked later by Dr. Aborhl what specialty she wanted to do in residency later she suggested she liked Internal Medicine. I am not sure where she is in the training process.

After the meeting, Ashley and I darted back to the mission house again to quickly change into our swimsuits. David was available to give us a ride to one of the local hotels for dinner. We arrived at Labodi beach hotel a little after 5 pm.  We walked through the gift shop and then decided we were both starving and it was time for dinner. I basically ordered the same meal at this hotel as I had the night before at the Ramada at Coco beach: spicy chicken and jolof rice. It is hard to try something new when you skip lunch.  We ate dinner and had a great dessert with icecream and a chocolate brownie. We planned to walk along the beach but didn’t feel like paying the entrance fee for such a short visit so we gave David a call to come back and get us.

Back at the mission house, I was very tired and had a headache so I didn’t do much. I was asleep by 10:15 but woke up around midnight and couldn’t get back to sleep. Ashley was also having trouble sleeping.  We were both very tired this morning.

Wednesday (today): We started the morning slowly. We were both very tired. I have not been feeling quite myself today and I am hoping that I am not getting sick.  Dr. Akosua was running late this morning because her son was sick. She got to the hospital around 10 and then we starting seeing patients. It was a light morning. We had two patients to see on the wards: a patient in sickle cell crisis and the patient that was hit by the car two days ago. The sickle cell patient had malaria and we helped manage his pain and hydration status. The man hit by the car was feeling better but still having times when he was not completely lucid. I think Dr. Akosua might transfer him to the larger hospital in Accra where she did her residency. They have access to a neurosurgeon and a CT scanner. Dr. Akosua is planning on taking us to visit this hospital on Tuesday because she wants us to see a larger hospital in Ghana.

I wanted to clarify a few things from yesterday: The dry dusty wind from the Sahara is called the “Harmattan” according to my book on Ghana. I did not spell it correctly yesterday.  Also, I was asked about how the beaches are here and I wanted to say they are very nice. Not the crystal clear blue water you see in Destin but very nice in their own right. Please keep your questions coming and I will try to answer them.

Today I think the plan is to rest and relax. We are also planning on making more pasta for dinner. I will probably take a nap and read my book. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my exhaustion is not a hint that I am getting sick.

Miss you all!

Kim