Stuck in Africa...the ramblings ensue

A lonely time in the life of a girl is when she is halfway across the world from her friends and family without the ease of modern communication. It’s so easy to pretend you are tough when conveniences are close at hand. It pains me to say that I am not dealing with the situation of being alone in Accra Ghana very well. I mean, I’ve gone through the motions of getting a cab to a nearby hotel to wait out the hours until I can fly out again. Had I not had my friend, Samson, here helping me – I think I would have gone to pieces. We have spent the afternoon together shopping for good souvenirs to bring home to the family and then ate some street food before hopping in a taxi to take me to the airport. Our first choice in taxis proved to be poor when at an intersection we stalled. After an onslaught of honking the driver hopped out and pushed the car to the side of the road. I thought it was such a funny experience at the time, and of course, it will soon be again. I jumped out and took pictures of the event my thoughts towards blogging about the smoking taxi. But, even though we jumped quickly into another taxi I was still just 5 minutes shy of being able to board my plane. I begged and pleaded with the Ghanain ticket officers. They wanted nothing of my bargaining. When I had exhausted that route and was headed toward the airport door I spotted flight attendants and a few pilots that were from my flight. I ran up to them and solicited their help in trying to get me aboard their flight and to their credit they went above and beyond what I ever expected anyone to do for me but in the end, even with a call from the handsome Dutch captain to the airport manager, I still was not allowed on the flight.

So, here I am at 2am in an airport hotel in Accra. I feel stupid for being so careless with my time. I am beginning to get the slightest inkling of home sickness. And to know that at this point the trip could be 1/3 over and I have a long hard road of negotiation in front of me tomorrow morning and afternoon, the largeness of it is exhausting even in thought.

This morning has brought no advancement in procuring a ticket home. I know my friend Christian was working with Delta last night to put me on another flight but I have no way of knowing if she succeeded because the internet is down here and that is my only form of communication with home. I suppose, really, that I could make an international call, however, at $2 a minute to a country where everyone is asleep in their own beds isn’t the best of options right now. After grabbing 2 cups of Nescafe (I really had thought I was done with that stuff…I’ve lived on it and Star beer for 2.5 weeks..I’ll miss Star) and trying unsuccessfully to get online and smoking a cigarette by the pool that is under heavy and loud construction, I asked the front desk whether they had a toll free line to Delta I could call. They are all smiles when they talk to me and their expressions seem amused that this white girl is trying to solve an African problem with American solutions. “Okay” they say which is how most Ghanains start their sentences “okay, there are no free calls here.” “Like, don’t you have toll free numbers, 1 800 numbers?”

“um, Okay, no free calls, we will charge your room”

It’s not like they are being fierce because these people are the kindest population I have ever encountered. I have met a few swindlers like our last taxi cab driver last night who wanted to take me to a “very nice hotel right next to the President’s house” which had I been alone would have sounded great. Being that Samson was in the car and knew the area he said “No, boss, this woman is a guest in our country and she has missed her flight and we need to find her a place that is safe for the night. I do not like the neighborhood you are speaking of” The taxi driver switched on the dome light and turned around whilst driving down the street to look at Samson in disbelief. Samson laughed and said “You do not have to look me in the face to know that I am telling the truth.” Thus, the taxi dropped us at the Airport View Hotel in Accra and Samson went up to the front desk with me and through this amazing dance of negotiation got me a discounted room rate and free internet.

More people than not have been incredibly helpful. Yesterday, when my 2 other travel companions and I were dropped off at the STC bus station in the outskirts of Accra we were approached by a cab driver. I told him I was going to see a friend but needed to use his phone to make sure Samson was waiting for me. I let him call Samson so that they would understand completely where to meet and after dropping my 2 friends off at another bus station for their destination east, we headed through the crowded streets towards my friend’s house. Samson called while we were enroute to check on me. Then when we got closer the cab driver said “You call your friend when we are there to know where he is standing” “Oh, that’s alright” I said “I’ll find him, just drop me off” “Okay, you flash call him now” “No, really, just drop me off, he’ll see me” “Okay, you call so I am not dropping you off at the street by yourself” When I didn’t say anything he started looking through his phone and said “Is this your friend’s number? I’ll call”

So, he called and Samson apparently told him we had passed him by 200 feet because the cab driver said “He said to turn around” Which is what I thought we’d do but the cabbie put her in reverse and drove backwards IN BETWEEN on coming traffic until I said “There he is!”

I haven’t had a dull moment in Africa and that is a fact!

After our mission the group took a long bus drive down to the coast and stayed in a reasonably posh resort called the “Coconut Grove” in a town called Elmina. On the way down I was reading in my guide book and found that the CG had horse back riding on the beach. “How Cool”, I thought, and spread the word through the bus that we should get a group to go with us. Two other girls, Caroline and Jeanette, who traveled with me to Dixcove the next day signed up and off we went the next morning to find the stables. The front desk told us that the guide was sick and wouldn’t take us but we said “No, we are medical personnel here from America, we can give him medicine for his fever.” I thought they were just putting us on to keep from going out but one look at the guide said that he quite possibly had malaria. We gave him malarone and Tylenol and he saddled two horses with the only 2 saddles he had, English saddles, and gave one of us the option of riding bareback. I chose the bigger of the two saddled horses and although I could tell he was a bit feisty thought that I could handle him. I didn’t feel comfortable upon getting on – I had two different stirrups and one was rusty and my shoe once in wouldn’t easily come out. We walked down through the trees and onto the beach and I was having trouble controlling my horse. “Whoa” didn’t seem to work on this one. Walking in the sand seemed weird and I thought “What am I doing? I am in Africa on a beach with a lovely view, but I could get hurt and that could be a problem out here in the remote village” But then I thought “Yes, but where is your sense of adventure, Jocelyne…you’ll be fine.” So, we walked and I tried to gain confidence and when the guide turned around and said “Would you like to canter?” I agreed and off we started. Just as he said that I spotted our handsome Italian anesthesiologist walking toward us after having a swim in the ocean. I kicked my horse and he started following the guide trotting and then without warning breaking into a roaring gallop right towards the water in unsure sand “WHOA…WHOA” I cried while pulling tightly upwards on the reigns “Whoooaaaaaa” I cried as started to lean towards the left for sure about to fall and then that stupid rusty stirrup broke and off I went into the Gulf of Guinea and a bed of sand. I sat in the water for a few full seconds letting the shock wear off and the relief set in that I hadn’t felt a thing. I was thankful for the stirrup breaking as I could have been caught and dragged. Then, I remembered the Italian. And all I could do was laugh because I realize what an awesomely goofy sight I am sometimes and it’s better to embrace that than run from it….because, you know, I’d probably trip.

So,enough feeling sorry for myself. I am a grown woman and have had a great time in this country and people miss their flights all the time and I am going to work it out. I will let everyone know when I arrive back home. I can’t wait for you to see my fantastic winter tan! Thanks for listening to my ramblings, there was nothing else to do but write. Well, I have become interested in a Ghanaian soap opera….I am dying to know what happens to Efua because she was accused of stealing a large sum of money but I know she didn’t take it and now has lost her job.

After 3 hours in the Delta ticket office and with the use of big fat American tears I have a ticket in my hand that gets me out of the country tonight! I will certainly miss this place however, I can't get out fast enough. It's time to be at home with friends, family and coworkers. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed, shower do laundry! Long set of flights ahead of me - I'll talk to you guys soon.

Love

Joce

Leaving Kumasi

It's about 2 am Ghanain time and I'm beat. We packed up our supplies at the hospital all day today in the heat of an un-airconditioned hospital. Today was so interesting because the group ended up meeting the minister of defense and it was big publicity for the group. It was also fun because we got to take lots of cool pictures with big military men and all the girls thought that was cool.
We had a going away party with the African people we've been working with. I've made a lot of fun friends these last few weeks and it was hard to say good-bye.
Tomorrow we leave for the coast for some fun and relaxation.

This last picture is of me looking very tired with my favorite patient of the mission, Christopher. He was 16 and so soft spoken but interested in what we were doing to him. ..... So much so, that he asked that I document every aspect of his surgery so that I could show him. His only request was that "you make me feel fine afterwards". I saw him and his mother this morning and Christopher was in street clothes ready to go home! He was a beautiful boy and I hope that he has a wonderful life!

One week down in Ghana

Well, it's been a little over a week and I still haven't figured out how to get my pictures uploaded. My little computer and the African internet are not friends I guess. It's a shame because I have some absolutely amazing things to show you guys.

It's been a very hard week for everyone. We are working on such sick patients with so little of the conveniences we take for granted in our respective countries. To our credit the things we have done with what we've brought is incredible. On the other hand, I'm struggling with the thought that perhaps we are overstretching our abilities and could almost be leaning towards doing a disservice to the Ghanaian people. I don't really believe that, I guess, I've been able to meet all of our patients and we've developed a close bond with them and to see that we will ultimately extend their lives is so fulfilling.

I am going so stir crazy here in the hotel. Most of the week has been a bus from the hotel to the hospital, work for 10 hours then bus back to the hotel to eat, drink and fall into the hardest bed imaginable. One night we had a group dinner at an Indian restaurant and then went to a real "disco club" where some people let off some steam on the dance floor. Not me!

Last night we had a case until midnight and it was agreed that today we would not operate until we were quite sure that everyone would be okay. I took the chance to get out of the hospital and went with a group to the orphanage. What an amazing day. When I first got into the gates I walked over to a building to take a tour and about 6 little black boys in the same uniform (navy shorts and a navy gingham shirt) ran out to meet us. One ran ahead of the others and for one reason or other ran right up to me and into my arms for a hug. I started filling out adoption papers right away! Then they all wanted hugs and they would stand around us yelling "obruni obruni" which means white person. We worked most of the afternoon in the baby girl's ward. We gave them baths and put new clean diapers on them and then put them down for naps. Then I and another girl took trash sacks out to the playgrounds and picked up trash. One little boy came and wanted to help so he lugged the sack around for me. Mind you, he was probably about 5 years old and he had an old terrycloth belt wrapped around his head twice as a sort of headband. He indicated (because he never spoke to me) that he'd show me where to take the trash so I followed him and the sack to a big smoking pile of trash they were burning and he and another boy climbed on the pile to unload the sack. I understand now why I see so many people in the burn units at the hospital and it makes me sick that these kids are working so close to the fires. But, as we've said often this week when there is just no other explanation "It's the Ghanaian way"
Four of us snuck out tonight and took a taxi to a restaurant. They are very overbearing on our whereabouts here and it was so rebellious to go out on the town. I had a blast. I was also able to go to a market and pick up some great souvenirs and I ate a fresh coconut from a fruit stand. Delicious.
Good night guys. Tomorrow, we do our last surgery and it will be a very difficult patient. He is 16 with severe mitral stenosis. When the operating is done we will pack up all the supplies we brought and that were left here from last year and store them in the hospital for the next mission. I am not looking forward to that work - bt then perhaps we'll have lighter schedules and can see some more of the area. And then, I have vacation time on the beach! I have completely forgotten that I'll be taking that trip because life here is so intense.
More soon - and someday pictures!
love
ps - ok so i got a few pictures to upload! The surgical picture shows me backing up my Ghana counterpart, Stella as she learns how to do cardiac surgery. The other is of some of the boys at the orphanage at playtime!

ok, I'm here!

My biggest disappointment of the trip to date came on the night that we checked into our first hotel in Accra and I realized I was not going to have internet service to update my family and friends in real time during this trip. I have gone to a lot of trouble to procure instruments that would allow me to conveniently communicate with America and they are useless to me as of right now. However, I will try to keep a journal on this computer so that when I am able I can post this to whoever would like to read it.

The flights to Africa were long, good and uneventful. I met some nice people that coincidentally I saw later in Accra. I didn’t sleep well on the flight to Amsterdam having only taken a half sleeping pill and realizing too late that it didn’t cut the mustard and taking the other half only led to a half sleep state. Thus, I was very groggy when we deplaned in Amsterdam yet determined to start my mission of taking a train into the city. It was a process of changing $50 USD into 30 something euro’s and then finding the train station to purchase a ticket into the city. After this was accomplished I found the platform and waited a few short minutes for the correct train to arrive. I had only waited a minute or two when a girl about my age came up to me and asked if this was the correct downtown train. I told her that I believed so but I wasn’t from here and couldn’t tell her for sure. The next thing she said to me blew my mind and I think you’ll be surprised as well. She said “We aren’t from here either” gesturing to a group of guys behind us “we’re from Waco, Texas and we want to go see the city before we head to Accra, Ghana”. It turned out they were with a church group going to Kumasi to build basketball courts, the first ones ever in the city. When they found out I was alone they asked me to join them and they totally took me under their wing as we walked around the city. However, I was the only one who had researched what to do…so I was the one who told them where to go. It was so foggy in Amsterdam and I know it marred my sightseeing a little bit, but it gave the architecture of the city such a cool creepy feel that I’m not really disappointed in my time there.

The flight from Amsterdam to Accra was so long! I was lucky enough, though, to spy an empty row in the Exit section and was able to sit in there after takeoff and stretch my legs. Landing in Accra was when the real action started. We had to exit on the tarmac and then take a bus to the terminal and as soon as I left the plane this intense heat and humidity hit me and I had to strip out of my coat and sweater that were so needed in Amsterdam. We were lucky to make it relatively easy through customs and then found the man from our hotel who was waiting with a bus to take us away. A strange situation developed, though, because there was not enough room for us all to go at once so three of us had to stay behind and it fell to me and two other girls. I’m not sure why, as were shouldn’t have been left alone in our first hour in Africa. The porters were very nice to us and there were about 5 guys who stayed with us, welcoming us profusely to their country. And then, they started asking for money. I gave them the only cash I had handy, which was 5 euro’s and he still wanted more. I knew that they were swindling us and I refused to pay more but the girl I was with ended up giving them $20 which I thought was pretty stupid. Eventually, the bus came and we got to our hotel, had an African beer, and promptly went to bed.

I met most of the group the next morning as we ate breakfast and then checked out. Checkout was hectic and confusing and took forever. It was my first taste of how slow and frustrating things can be here. After about 2 hours of us all trying to pay for our rooms we finally boarded a “bus”…(really a large minivan, type thing) and rode for a total of 5 hours up from Accra to Kumasi. I got to know some of the people in the group and had a really good time just viewing the sites and the people on the side of the road. It is amazing here. It’s just like the movies only about 10 times more fascinating. I will try but won’t come close to describing how wonderfuly different it is here in Ghana. People are everywhere even in the more rural areas. On our bus trip up t Kumasi there were constantly people on the side of the road. Some were walking and some had stands and were selling oils, cooking pans, fruits, etc. But a lot of people seem always just to be waiting and 4 days in I have yet to figure out what they are waiting for.

Our hotel in Kumasi is very nice. There is a pool and a nice restaurant where you can eat inside or outside by the pool. There are two bars which we use heavily. The group that I am in is comprised of so many interesting people. Most of the group is from Portland , Oregon. That is where the founder of Cardiostart operates and thus the bulk of the volunteers have had a lot of advertisement of the group. Some people are like me and have found the group through the internet. I am sharing a room with an anesthesiologist from London and I quite think I may have a spot of a British accent by the time I return home. There is another anesthesiologist from Italy who is practicing in London and that totals 3 from there because one cardiac surgeon also resides in the UK.

We take a bus every morning from the hotel to the hospital. It is only about a 10 minute drive and on the way we pass a school and it is so much fun to see all the children in their uniforms walking into class with their backpacks.

The hospital is very nice! The section we are in is only about 2 years old. There are four operating theatres (as they call them) and from what I can tell they do mostly small accidents and I have seen quite a few burn patients going in for surgery. The operating theatre we are in (#4) is not frequently used and was empty of supplies when we arrived. We had a storage room full of boxes that we had to unload our first day and delegate spots for them, either in the ICU or the OR. I think at the end of day 2 we are halfway through the room and have completely filled every spot possible with all kinds of donated items. And I shudder to stay that a large container has just arrived by boat today and some unlucky volunteers will be unloading it tomorrow. I will be scrubbing in on our first mitral valve, however, teaching my Ghanaian counterpart the in’s and out’s of cardiac surgery. I’ve also been told that I am in charge of showing the Ghana resident the proper techniques for assisting and that is going to be a fun challenge. I love bossing residents around!

We have stayed at the hotel for dinner the last three nights and I think tomorrow, Wednesday, we are going to go out on the town for something to eat because we are a fun group and are all getting antsy just drinking by the pool.

The only other thing of note I can think to tell you about what I’ve seen in Africa so far is that there are fires everywhere. Small fires on the side of the road that are just burning and nobody seems to care about them. The smell of smoke is always in the air but especially at night and I assume this is because of cooking fires. On the way to the hospital yesterday morning we passed a fire station. It was a large area of land with a fence around the perimeter and just inside the fence I saw three unmanned fires!!!!! I don’t know! Also, there are chickens and goats running free everywhere. I don’t know if they share them here, or they all know where to go to get fed.

Today is Thursday...I think and we have done two surgeries. Both were mitral valves, the first one we replaced and the girl today was a repair. She was only 13 years old and weighed about 50 pounds and was very sick. I want to write more and will give a better description but I can't tonight as internet time is short. I also have some great pictures to show you.....in a few days!!!

I love you guys and miss you but I don't think i want to leave here just yet! :)

I hope my expansive readership has waited for me!

I finally figured out how to get back into my blogger account! Expect more posts soon.