Concerning pictures

First: Check the blog post I made just before this one!

Then: Some people asked me about my week at work (on Facebook): it was good. I worked at the OPD (Out Patient Department) and weighed kids the entire day, as well as taking their temperature. When that was too high, I also got to prescribe some paracetamol. Not really incredibly intensive work, it's really something anyone could do, but - there's a but - I felt useful, really useful, for the first time since my work started. Which is a big YAY, I think!

And last but not least: I showered for the first time in 4 weeks today! No more buckets, hopefully, for the rest of my Ghana stay!!! :D

Doing some washing!

Group picture during Safari-ing.

ELEPHANT!!!!

Concerning Paga and parasites

I know, I know, I was supposed to blog more often and what not, but this time I have a legit excuse. Let me tell the story. (Although I don't have that much time, so it'll be a small small story.)

So, Saturday I went to Paga with my host family. We saw the crocodiles, we touched them, sat on them, etc, etc, which was incredibly scary and also felt a little like animal abuse. Pictures - in which I smile with scared eyes - will be online as soon as I'm back home.

We also went to the slave camp, which was surprisingly run by Ghanainans, not Europeans. While it doesn't justify what we did so many years ago, it does put things a little in perspective - Africans themselves apparently maintained slave trade... It was incredibly interesting. We saw the Punishment Rock, the Musical Rock, the Dinner Rock (in which bowls were carved), etc, etc. Paga is a rocky village.

Sunday I stayed home, while the host family went to Wa - after the week in Kids Ward, I needed some time to myself, and I was also tired. So, I did nothing all day, which turned out to be blissfully boring, and recharged my battery.

Until Monday, when I woke up a bit headachy, and during the morning at work I also got a bit stomach achy, and when I biked back to my host family I got a bit rib painy. And since I work(ed) at the hospital, I happened to know that rib pains are a sign of malaria. So to the lab I went, and they took my blood, and they examined it. And it turned out that those d*mned parasites had invaded my red blood cells, and my liver, which caused me to feel a little sick.

I bought some medication, stayed home for a day, felt better, and returned to work. However, I did not have the feeling it was totally gone, but I still had two pills to take, so whatever. After those two pills, though, I started feeling headachy and nauseous and kind of like before again, so on Thursday I once again went to the lab, and they took my blood, and they examined it. And I still had malaria.

I bought new medication, and this time it worked - right now I'm as healthy as can be after a day of traveling.

And just for the record: no one needs to worry. I did not once have a fever, I felt better than if I would have gotten the flu, or a nasty cold. It's just not a pleasant idea that I have (or had, at this point) parasites in my body, but then again, when you're sick, there are bacteria or viruses - not much better. And I'm better now, so if you'd start worrying right now, it would be a waste of your time, to be honest.

Yesterday I spent the majority of my time packing my bags, and doing my last "chores". And today I left my host family (after going to church with them at 6:30, ugh). I'm really going to miss them. I actually cried a little on leaving, can you believe it? (Ella: "... and then I cried!") I gave Bless a ball today, and when he saw it he started screaming, he was SO happy. And the entire family signed a card for me, so cute. But, I'll be able to call them, and I'll definitely do that. They really want to have some pictures, too, so I'll send those too.

I took a tro-tro to Tamale, where I am right now. Tomorrow at 7 we have the bus to Kumasi, and then the real touristy part of my journey can begin! I'm looking forward to it, and also to going back home. It's been a long time since I've seen friends and family, and I want to show them pictures, and tell them stories, and give them my gifts. But, only 2,5 more weeks! Time flies!

As for this blog: I don't know whether I'll be able to update it while traveling. If not, I'll give a brief overview when I'm back home, so you won't miss any of the most important stories.

And now: dinner!

Love from Ghana, as always, Jonneke

Concerning Karimenga and kids

Proof that time flies: this blog. When I left for Ghana, I had the intention to blog AT LEAST once a week, preferably more, not only to annoy you all to death, but also to chronicle this adventure for myself. Anyway, it's been more than a week since I blogged, so far so good for plans in Ghana!

What have I been doing past week? The male ward proved to be a little more boring than expected, at a certain moment we had 5 patients, and 10 staff members, so two staff members were appointed 1 patient to take care of the entire day. Unfortunately for me, my patient left at 9:30 to have an ultrasound of his abdomen made, and only returned at 1:15 - 15 minutes before handing over to the afternoon nurses. I hate doing nothing while I'm supposedly "working", so this was quite a test of my patience. I withstood it pretty well, though, don't worry. And whenever things threatened to get really, really boring, there was always the need for Kuse among nurses, and I was the ever-eager volunteer to get the Kuse (pronounced as Co-see), which meant half an hour of other surroundings than concrete walls and the smell of pee around me. I made a good friend there, though, and they taught me some things, so it wasn't as negative as I now make it out to be.

Friday we said goodbye to two of the volunteers, with a dinner at Swap's, which meant pizza! I really like the food at my hostfamily's, but sometimes I also want some Western food, and pizza is perfect for that.

The next day, Saturday, Berte and I went to Karimenga. Two weeks ago an eco-tourism project opened there, and we were one of the first guests. Everything did not yet go as smooth as it could, since we're talking about Ghanaians and a BIG project, but in a way that made it all the more fun to be there. I don't have a traditional home at my host family, so now I finally had the chance to sleep in a tradition hut. The huts were built in a circle, and in the compound created like that, there was also a thatch-roofed building, with chairs, which I sat under and in almost the entire Saturday afternoon. We also had a short demonstration of basket weaving, which is a lot harder than I thought. AND they taught us how to make rice balls, and since my hostmother is going to teach me how to make Groundnut Soup, I'll be able to eat that back in the Netherlands. Yay! You're invited - as the Ghanaians love to say (they're always disappointed I actually like the food, because they love nothing more than laughing at a Solemia). That "night" (more like evening, since I went to bed at 10) we sat on the flat roof of the reception, cup of tea in our hands, looking up at the gorgeous starry sky - for me, that's the ultimate holiday feeling: seeing the milky way.

The following morning we had a Herbal Tour by bicycle, which was very interesting. The most interesting part was seeing another community, though. They have a whole different lifestyle, more like nomads, and they look completely different, too (except for the skin color, but I don't think white Ghanaians exist). AND they had a couple of newborn babies, they were super cute.

Getting back to Bolga on a Sunday proved to be a little harder than expected, but after we called a taxi, we managed to get back pretty soon. However much I feel the need to be away from my hostfamily sometimes, I really do want to go back after some traveling as well. My hostbrother has really warmed up to me (at first I was scary), and now he continuously comes up to my room, to ask "Auntie, Auntie! Play ball?"

This Monday I started work at the Kids Ward, which is pretty tough. I've been on the brink of tears several times, and would probably have cried if there weren't several handfuls of Ghanaians around me, who don't really understand crying. There was one little boy, not much more than a skeleton. 1,5 years old, and he only weighed 5,5 kg. There's another boy, 6 years old, everyday more malnourished, and sicker, after he had an intestinal perforation from typhoid fever. Then there's the girl today, who died before the IV line could be passed. Or what about the twins, whose mother is continuously busy to soothe one of the other, and who probably have TB? But there are heartwarming moment as well: the boy with a broken arm, who always starts to smile as soon as he sees me. The girl who recovered from malaria, and who sang for me today. The baby I thought was going to die for sure, but who seems to be getting better. The little boy who started making little baby sounds of joy everytime he saw me.

It's both so much harder and so much more gratifying to work here.

This week I also had the chance to show someone what I'd been doing these past weeks. Berte stayed two nights at my hostfamily, and on Tuesday she came with me to the hospital. Absolutely forbidden in the Netherlands, and apparently also in Ghana, but in the end the Medical Director didn't have a problem with it. Huh? But it was nice to show someone, because now at least one person really knows what it's like to work at Bolga Regional Hospital.

And as of now, I'm the only Meet Africa volunteer still in Bolga. But, I also only have 10 more days here - why is it going by this quickly? This weekend, I'm taking my host family to Paga, to the Crocodile Ponds, and I'll try to help a bit more at home, since I haven't really had time for that yet (and if I have, such as in the afternoons, most family members are sleeping...).

Speaking of family members, I don't think I ever really explained who lives on my compound! I have a host father, Michael, and host mother, Christiana, and a host brother, Bless (he's almost 3). Then there's Eunice, I don't really know how she's related, but she's of my age. Then we have Mayveece (or however it's written) and her husband (I think, I don't see him around often) and her daughter, Balinda. My grandmother also lives on the compound, she loves teaching me Frafra and laughing at me when I don't understand her, and Winnifred, who I believe is my host mother's sister. That's it. Oh, since a week we also have Thanks, the dog, who's extremely cute and always happy to see me, but also has the nasty habit of pooping and peeing in front of my door - deja-vu to last summer? Balinda was extremely scared of me at first, but now she loves to be picked up by me, and she comes running to me when Thanks chases her - both Bless and Balinda are terrified by him; "He bite, he bite!" "Did he ever bite you?" "No, but he bite! He bite you too!" My family expects me to rest, a lot, so I have enough privacy, and whenever I feel like it, I come out of my room, to play ball, or maybe help some with sweeping the floor of the compound, or wash my clothes, or whatever. I hate doing laundry here, everytime I rub the knuckles on my fingers open. Oh well, I guess I'll come back stronger and tougher.

Speaking of that, it's amazing how I adjust to life here. I had expected to miss a lot more, but at the moment, I only miss a decent toilet. Bucket showers are OK, the heat is doable, no AC needed, sleeping without a pillow is not bad, either. Drinking water from a tap, instead of out of plastic bags (with sometimes disgusting tasting water inside)? Nah, not that much. I had half a stroopwafel last weekend, and it was the best tasting stroopwafel I ever had, so being deprived of some of the things we think of as normal is actually not all that bad. And you get so much back for it. The warmth of Ghanaian people, the way they always want to help you, greeting everyone you meet, stranger or not... I'm not yet ready to leave! Fortunately I have 4 more weeks - in exactly 4 weeks, I'll be home...!

Anyway, let's make an end to this, I've been talking for way too long. I hope all of you are doing well, I can't wait to hear all YOUR stories when I'm back.

Love from Ghana, Jonneke

P.S.: Els, you'll manage perfectly fine on your own, and in 4 weeks I can assist you where needed.
P.P.S.: Matthijs, I bought the fabric! I hope you like it! I'll drop it off at the tailor today or tomorrow, depending on whether she's still open.

Concerning a lot

I had this really cool title for this blog, "Concerning falls and female ward" and then it turned into "Concerning falls, female ward, Soultrain and shrines" but then that didn't even cover everything I have to say, so hence the above title (haha, in the hospital they ALWAYS write "so hence the above diagnosis" in their reports).

Anyway, remember how I told you I was going to the market to buy some fabric and blablabla? Well, I didn't. I mean, I went to the market, but as soon as I entered the market, I had the misfortune to put my foot on a slope with loose sand, and I stumbled, and stumbled some more, and ended up on the ground. Bruised hip, bloody elbow and ankle, and grazed hands. Ouch. So, instead of the market, we raced home to disinfect everything, and I have to say, everything is healing well. The wound on my ankle became a little infected (instead of red, it was white from all the pus), but other than that, it's looking fine. The scabs on my elbow are actually falling off already! It did put me off for a couple of days, though. It hurt, and I was really afraid of infection, and I just wanted to be home for a while. I wasn't homesick, or anything, but it would've been more convenient to be in the Netherlands.

Speaking of being afraid of infection, I almost fainted. I was helping with taking care of a woman's foot, who had a wound on exactly the same place as my ankle-wound, and it looked really nasty, and all of a sudden I wondered, "Is this room always so dark?" but then I noticed black spots in front of my eyes, and then I decided it would be better to sit down. As soon as I sat down, I got cold all over, and I started sweating, and for some odd reason I thought I had malaria. But then the cold feeling stopped, and I realized that there was no malaria or something else to be afraid of - I was plainly busy fainting. Fortunately I didn't, that would've been embarassing.

I did NOT faint when I was holding someone's broken leg. The lower part of her lower leg was independently movable of the upper part of the lower leg. Let me tell you, holding something like that is the weirdest feeling, possibly ever. But, I stood my ground, held it, while trying not to move the two parts too much. No fainting whatsoever. I felt very big and grown up, and finally like I was doing some good.

One of the nurses at the Female Ward had invited me to a wedding of one of her family members. Berte and I decided to go, and I'm happy I did. So much dancing and singing, and that all under the roof of a church. "Let's dance for the Lord!" and yay, there we went again! Unfortunately, the sermon after that, about marriage (apparently, it's ordained by God, but fortunately it's also for sexual pleasure and friendship), lasted 45 minutes, and we were very hungry, so we left after that, and didn't see the marriage vows. Oh well, it was an experience to remember - I didn't know church could be this fun!

That same day, Saturday, I and the other Dutch volunteers decided to go out, to the one and only "niteclub" in Bolga - the Soultrain. 90% consisted of boys, all toohappy to grind into you, not really my cup of tea, but it was something I would not have wanted to miss. Out in Ghana! The only drinks they served were beer and Smirnoff, and I think most of the Ghanaians were drunk after 2 beer... losers. I went to bed at the astounding time of 1:30 in the morning. And I'm not being sarcastic (OK, a little), because normally I go to bed at 9, at the most 10. That's because I get up early, but also because life in Ghana is very tiring; although apparently, it could also be a side effect of the Lariam.

Sunday we went to Tongo, a little village situated in a stunning hill country, where they also have a shrine, which you're only allowed to enter when topless. We first visited the Chief's house/palace. We talked with him, or rather, he talked to us, about Ghana, and Tongo, and himself, and then were shown around his confusing compound. It's a maze, really, but what do you expect, he has 17 wives and there are around 350 people living in his house (I don't know if extended family is also involved, otherwise I feel sorry for those wives - SO many children!). The walk to the shrine was a little more challenging than expected, and since I was still afraid to fall after my market disaster, I unfortunately did not make it to the shrine. So, no topless adventures for me. Apparently I didn't miss much, but I was still a little mad at myself for being such a pussy.

Yesterday - Monday - I started work at the Male Ward. Since there was not much to do, one of the nurses wanted to go to the Maternity Ward to look at babies, and she took me with her. We were being shown around by the "prof", when all of a sudden there was a Labour Alarm - there was a baby coming! We all hurried to the delivery room, where within 20 minutes time, I witnessed two births - two girls. For one woman, it was her first, and after seeing her pain, I think I'm going to wait a little longer for my own kid. OK, OK, the materials aren't what they are in Europe, and we have painkillers, but still. She didn't know how to push, or wasn't able to anymore, because of exhaustion, so one of the doctors pressed on the belly, and he basically pushed the baby out with his hands. Ouch. The other woman had to go off her bed, since the linen had fallen off, and while she was standing next to her bed, she got a contraction again, and while she was kneeling or something (it all went very quick) the baby was born right there on the ground. Fortunately, both baby girls survived. It was so exhilirating to watch!

As soon as we got back to the Male Ward, I also witnessed my first death. An old man started choking, and even though they started CPR and they used a suction machine, it didn't make a difference, and he died shortly after. I don't believe he was in much distress, though, and I don't think he had a lot of pain, so that's good.

Today we had a rather uneventful day. In the last 2 hours we had some more admissions, so I got to take vital signs and help with some other things, but it wasn't as exciting as yesterday. Oh well, that's life at the hospital, I guess. And life in Ghana, most days are uneventful here. I mean, yesterday I spent the morning mostly watching TV, because there was nothing to do (there was a really interesting snake documentary, Matthijs). The births and death happened after 12.

Anyway, I have the feeling I'm being way too brief about everything I'm telling you about, but if I were to write down everything, then I'd be spending a day behind the computer. At least now you have an idea of what's going on.

As for the spiders: it rained again, there are more to watch. Also, in the Male Ward, the ceilings are covered in spiders. Yuck. But, I'm managing, and rarely afraid anymore.

Love you all, and for those who miss me: almost halfway! Time flies by when you're having fun!

Signawama (or however it's written), Jonneke

P.S.: My Frafra name at home: Ayenema and at the hospital either Akulkpocka or Ayempocka. Hehe.