The adventure continues

Once again I feel like the last few days have been a week! Since Saturday it has just been Anna and me at the home base for the next week. We had a relaxing weekend and were able to go to church with our cab driver Prosper. It was such a wonderful church! It was a quaint little chapel made of cement and painted white. The only room of the building was the sanctuary. I really enjoyed the singing because it was all songs I recognized from church at home with a little bit of a gospely spin. It was so nice to be back in church and I was invited back for next Sunday when the bishop will be coming from Accra to preach! Later that afternoon we went to the waterfalls that we have visited earlier and were able to cool off in the water. We finished up our evening with a few cold ones (cokes) at Obama’s Garden, a local hotspot. Overall it was a really nice weekend that made me feel a bit more at home with Hohoe.

Anna and I in our Ghanaian dresses after church

Yesterday, Anna and I went back to Mary Marquart hospital and worked in the lab. This was the first time I had visited the lab. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about how they identify diseases through urine and blood samples. I was even able to assist in preparing the urine into a sample for the lab tech to view under a microscope. After placement Anna and I walked to the market and of course bought more fabric to make into dresses J We had a relaxing evening at the home base and watched How Harry Met Sally.

Today was a great day! Last week when the nurse from the HIV clinic at Hohoe hospital came to speak to us, she invited Anna and me to come see the clinic and that is what we did today. When we arrived at 8:30 the inside waiting room and outside area were already packed with people! Every Tuesday they host a clinical day for all of their HIV positive patients. We were greeted by Emma the nurse that had invited us to observe. She said that each Tuesday clinical begins with a fellow patient talking to the crowd about the importance of making your scheduled appointments and taking your medication properly and on time. I was really impressed with their approach and Emma told me that they treat every patient as a brother, sister, daughter or son. They have created a loving and understanding environment that I felt immediately when I observed the first counseling session. I was not only impressed with their approach to helping these people, but also their technology. They have a comprehensive approach, which includes having a pharmacy, laboratory, physician appointment, and counseling available in one location. This is much different than the other hospital I have been working at, where the HIV patients must travel to all of the other departments on their own to find the care they need. The only bump in the road today was when we were in the laboratory and the tech was teaching us how he takes a blood sample. I have seen much worse things since I have been here and it was actually great that he had the same vacuum system that we use in the states to collect samples. I think it had to do with the women’s face as he was taking the sample, but I began to feel pretty woozy and I passed out and as Anna said, “hit the deck” in front of all of the patients who were waiting for their blood to be drawn. Emma and Anna had to carry me to her office before I realized what had happened. I was fine, but a little embarrassed. As I was leaving all of the patients got a good laugh and so did I. I think it may have had such a large effect on me because the lab tech suggested that I help draw the blood, which is something I am definitely not into! Oh well, I survived and besides that small detail felt like I had a very successful day at the clinic!

Later on today I had Ruth and Ella, the girls that work for CCS braid my hair! I look a bit goofy but it’s so fun. They added hair so it is a lot longer and looks very similar to the African women that have their hair done. Enjoy the pictures! I am excited for next week when we will be having 18 more volunteers join us, but I will be sad to see Anna go!

More to come!

Elizabeth