First Monday Clinic

Monday clinics have always been one of the busiest of the week, coming after two days without clinic. And today was fairly busy. I think I saw about 70 patients and that is not a lot compared to what Dr. Hewitt and I used to see when we were younger.

On the way to work this morning I met this little fellow:

Chameleon out for a stroll

 Since I am here to relieve Dr. Coppola and am using her office, I am ending up seeing a lot of her patients. And since she is an Ob/Gyn, I end up seeing a lot of women. I am sure they were disappointed not to see Dr. Coppola after waiting long hours to be seen. Here is part of the group waiting patiently outside the office:



Some of the ladies waiting to be seen 30 June 2014

Each patient has a "folder" with their medical record, vital signs, diagnoses, labs and treatments. No electronic medical records here! Here is what my desk looked like around the middle of the afternoon (there is another big stack in the window):



Folders of patients to be seen



I also found this memo pad among the papers on the desk and cannot figure out why there is an ice cream scoop with the medical instruments and medical bed. Are they doing some new procedures that I haven't heard about? And such a big scoop!









Sunday in Nalerigu

I was up for a couple of hours last night to do a C-section on a lady having a difficult time with her 10th baby. Fortunately, everything went well and she had a healthy baby, although the baby did have a very pointed head.

After sleeping a couple more hours, I got up and went to make rounds before going to church. We attended First Baptist Church when we lived here and we usually go there when we are back. It was a packed house today because they were winding up the three day funeral celebration for Madam Esther Lariba, who died unexpectedly a few weeks before I came.

Elisabeth and Madam Esther when we were here in April 2013

Esther was a good friend and a strong Christian witness. She was very active in the church and outspoken about her faith. Her husband has two other wives, so they were a big family and most of them were in church today along with many friends. She will be missed by all of us.

Inside First Baptist Church Sunday June 29, 2014



 

The service only lasted three hours with a one hour sermon on the Christian view of death by Rev. Isaac Wuni, who had been the pastor of First Baptist and is now principal of the Bible School in Tamale.

 

Rev. Isaac Wuni Preaching June 29, 2014



 



BATS!!

When we lived here, there were a lot of bats in the trees around our house. It seems that they have multiplied by the hundreds. There is a constant hum coming from the trees as one walks to the hospital, made by the flapping of thousands of wings! Pictures cannot adequately depict how many of these creatures there are, but here are a few pictures I took today to try and show some of the bats from a distance. I'm sure no one wants to see up close

In Nalerigu

Part of the road to the hospital

I made it safely to Nalerigu and BMC on Thursday just before lunch. But I have not been able to get access to the internet to post any new information or pictures.
I am now staying in the Coppola's house while they are gone and they have fairly good internet access.









There is a new sign at the entrance listing all the services we offer and it is no wonder so many people come for treatment when one sees what all we can do and that we have "24 Hour Outpatient Service"!










Station Meeting Nalerigu June 26, 2014

Thursday nights all of the missionary staff get together for a time of fellowship, singing, devotional and prayer. Though this is a small group, most of those present left today. Only Peter and Erin, Tim and Lori Cahill and their two kids, and I are left. Tim and Lori are both doctors and there are also 4 Ghanaian doctors here right now.

 

Arrived in Accra!

No pictures right now, but wanted to let everyone know that I have had an uneventful trip so far. Arrived at the guest house in Accra around 10:00 PM ( 6 PM Georgia time), almost 24 hours after leaving Atlanta. The driver said he will be here at 5:00 AM to take me to the airport to fly on up country. So it will be a short night.
Will try to post some pictures and more news when I get to the hospital tomorrow.

Almost Ready to Leave

Glad to have good help with packing

Trying to get everything organized and packed. Leaving today from Dawsonville around 4:00 PM and from Atlanta tonight around 9:30 PM.

Thanks so much to those who have contributed to the trip and to all who are praying as I go!

  

Salvation dolls ready to go!

Getting Ready

It has been nearly 5 years since Elisabeth and I left Baptist Medical Centre after working there for 22 years. We have been back at least yearly since then and once again I am getting ready to go. This time is a little different. In the first place I am going for 4 weeks and Elisabeth will not be with me. I will miss having her to help out and to keep me in line.
But the biggest difference is that the hospital has now been officially turned over to the Ghana Baptist Convention to manage. There is a severe shortage of doctors right now and it will be interesting to see how things are managed by the GBC as far as getting help.
One of the reasons I am going at this time is to relieve Dr. Lynn Coppola. She and her family are returning to the US for a much needed vacation. She has been working overtime to make sure that things continue to function and has been providing excellent care, especially for the women who come to BMC for care.
I will try to post fairly regularly about what is going on, how things have changed and what the needs are.