Weeks 5-6

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Today was a day of endings - my last day of maternity, our last day at Military 37, and, amazingly, the 2/3 mark of our clinical placement in Ghana. Maternity has been quite the experience here. I feel as though I’ve learned a great deal (although a bit of it has been what not to do).

The maternity unit (also called Yeboah ward) consists of antepartum, labour and delivery, and postpartum. It is primarily for women with high-risk conditions such as hypertension, or those requiring c-sections. In Ghana, low-risk pregnancies deliver at smaller clinics with midwives. Yeboah primarily uses midwives, with the exception of very complicated births. The staff was very friendly, and always looking for learning opportunities for me. Ghanaians are given names based on the day of the week they are born, so I was known as “Adjoa”, or “Adjoa Kate” because I was born on a Monday.

Birth in Ghana is very different than back home. It is minimally medicalized, and women are rarely given pain medication. Women are often yelled at for making noise during labour and birth, and nurses will slap or pinch mothers to keep them quiet or if they aren’t pushing properly. Not something you would see in Canada. While I appreciated the more natural approach to labour, clearly there are problems with maternity in Ghana, as the maternal mortality rate is very high. Despite some of the more disturbing aspects, I had the opportunity to see seven healthy births (including the little boy I’m holding in the first picture), and I learned a great deal from working with experienced midwives. The running joke on the unit was that I was going to have 10 babies, since I spent so much time holding the infants in the nursery.

Life outside of the hospital has been relatively uneventful. I haven’t been travelling since returning from Egypt, and have spent my free time exploring the city. This weekend we’re planning some culinary adventures to recommended restaurants, and possibly a day trip to some nearby waterfalls. Next week I begin my psychiatric placement at Accra Mental Hospital with Ben, and the rest of the group will be moving to Manprobi polyclinic.

Thank you all for your messages and comments - it’s wonderful to hear from you. Have a great weekend!

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Comments

[Dad (formerly Daddy)]

Way to go Kate!!!
I hope everyone understands how unbelievably proud I am of Kate and this initiative. Despite the rather permissive approach of Nan and Carla I'm pleased to see that my refusing to spoil her is now bearing fruit .

[Gerry Sanderson]

Wonderful experience
Thank you so much for sending me the updates on your stay in Ghana. I'm certainly enjoying hearing of the all the activities and experiences you're having. I know it's a lot of hard work, but what a wonderful experience. I've also enjoyed the pictures that you've sent. It gives some insight into a kind of life that is so different thanwhat we have in Canada. I know you're time there is winding down, so enjoy the rest of your stay. Love, Gerry

[Aunty Shelley]

yelling
Hi Kate Deliveries in Canada are not so different from Ghana but here it is the dads doing the yelling and the moms doing the slapping instead of the nurses! Grandma dreamed you had a baby but I don't think your baby will be quite as dark as the one you are holding.

[Kathy Lowe]

Who knew?
Hope you don't mind Tris sharing this site with me..she is so excited for you and we're both very proud of you. It's hard to believe the amazing adults you've grown into. Take care. Love Kathy

[Mom (formerly "Mun-ya")]

Dear Adjoa Kate,
What wonderful pictures! But, sorry honey, you can't bring the cute babies home. How were the waterfalls yesterday?I am so glad you are relishing your Ghanian experiences. Looking forward to the Psych report. Love, Mom

[Carla]

Sorry for the delay in responding Kate. I was at a workshop in Chicago until last evening. Thank you for sharing your experiences. We are all very proud of you and miss you very much. I am wondering if you went to Willy Falls. I remember going there when I was in Ghana. It was a lovely place, the waterfalls amazing and very lush vegetation. I met a very interesting lady in Chicago who is involved with a project in Africa regarding the large maternal mortality rates. Ghana is one of the countries they are working in. I will tell you more when I see you. Love Carla.

[Mom]

Hope you are not "Psyched" out
Kate, I am so sorry, however it is my job as your Mother to inure you to bad puns (although your father runs a very close second :) How is the Psych placement going? Do they really sleep outside? It will be very interesting to hear how Ghana's system compares with Alberta's. Love you a lot and looking forward to your return to civilization! Mom

[Karma]

Love
I miss you very much. I hope that you come really back soon cause I really miss you. And the only thing that I just don't really get about Africa or wherever you are in is that I just don't know why there are no giraffes. I just don't know why. Every place seems to have giraffes except for this place except for France. I am almost learning how to read at school but the only thing I can't really read is letters because who can read letters mommy can't even read letters! There's lots of things I can write like oohhh like like like like like from f-o-m-r And the last thing I want to write is I really really hope you come home soon cause I really really really really really really really reallly really really really miss you. Love. karma