Sick as a dog

Trip Start Mar 27, 2008
1
6
21
Trip End Oct 01, 2008


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Flag of Ghana  ,
Tuesday, April 22, 2008

So the trip to Accra did not go exactly as planned. I started to feel fluey on Wednesday the 16th and when I got home I took my temperature and consulted all my medical books. It was clear, I would have to go get checked out by a doctor and probably get a blood test to see if I had malaria. Since it was after 5pm I wouldn't be able to get a blood test at the local clinic and instead I needed to go to the emergency room at the Regional Hospital. So I called Sossah and he very kindly agreed to come with me to the ER. After a short cab ride we arrived at, and what I was very relieved to see was, a normal looking hospital. Sossah registered me and began sweet talking the receptionist in the hopes that she would bump me up the line. The two Ghana cedis did help to oil the cogs and I was in to see one of the nurses rather quickly. It turns out that there was a guy from California doing a work placement at the hospital and he took my temp and blood pressure and chatted with me about the set up of the hospital. About an hour later I saw the doctor. His bedside manner left much to be desired, and he sent me to go get blood tests. After much cajoling the technician in the lab was finally convinced to run the test on me that night, and not, like he hoped, the following morning.
 
When the blood and urine tests results were in it was discovered that not only did I have malaria, but I also had typhoid. In Africa when you get sick, you really get sick- none of this home with a cold stuff. So I was sent back to the doctor who put me on a course of quinine for the malaria and ciprofloaxin for the typhoid, and then I was sent on my way. I was relieved to have medicines in hand and to be on the road to recovery. Man was I wrong.
 
After taking my first set of medicines I went to sleep, hoping that I would feel better the next morning. I awoke at about 3 in the morning with ringing in my ears and an intense bout of nausea. After vomiting and taking some more paracetamol, I tried in vain to go back to sleep. I finally got out of bed again at about 8 in morning when the construction workers working on the building next door started to arrive. After 3 very harrowing days under the unbearable side effects of the quinine (nausea, vomiting, ringing in my ears, partial deafness, and a pain in my chest), and several tearful conversations with folks back home I decided to go back to the emergency room to see if I could switch my medicine. I went back to the ER midday on Saturday and was relieved to see it was pretty empty. After about 40 mins I was into see a lovely lady doctor who, thank God, decided to take me off the quinine. I was also given an appointment card to come back the following Wednesday to run some more tests, and to check the levels of typhoid in my system. It's now Tuesday, and while I'm feeling tired and a bit run down on my new medicine, I feel human. I'm able to function and go into the office for the mornings, and then rest in the afternoon. I'm hoping that by the end of the week I'll be better and able to go to Accra to visit with the printers, and more importantly buy some cheese at the high end supermarket.
 
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