I began the day with my favorite Erbs Palsy patient. I told the family it was going to be my last day and so they brought their other 2 children because they wanted a picture as a family with me. I thought it was awesome and felt so honored that they enjoyed the experience so much.
(They gave me permission to use this photo.)
The next few hours I worked with the physios to implement some of the exercises and programs we talked about at the inservice yesterday. It was really nice to see them using these new concepts.
I also got to evaluate an ankle sprain. I was able to teach the senior therapist joint mobs, cross friction message to the ATFL, and dynamic exercises. She was shocked how he came in with pain and after treating and reassessing he did not have pain anymore. She will be treating this patient during the rest of his time at the clinic so we made sure to practice techniques before he left. After the session she said she really wants to go back to school and learn more to have that kind of thought process. She also told me I need to come back and teach in Ghana! I was so pumped that I almost planned my next trip right in that office.
The physios used the exercise log today and also were writing objectives and assessments in the folders today. I was so happy to see the ideas being carried out!!
In the afternoon we headed to Axim which is a coast town about 1.5 hours towards Ivory Coast. We spent the afternoon in the ocean. The hotel was very nice and the showers were luke warm so everyone was very happy about that (compared to the cold showers we have everyday at the house). We had the dinner at the resturant in the hotel and the coconut chicken was pretty amazing.
My cast away outfit
The nice showers
Coconut chicken with jallof rice and veggies
I woke up pretty early on Saturday morning and spent a few hours relaxing on the beach and having some time for myself to take in this entire experience. The sun came out and I felt like I was on my own little piece of paradise . As I walked along the beach a few locals were collecting firewood but beside that it was me and the sounds of the ocean. Very refreshing after so many weeks of non-stop people.
After everyone woke up we had breakfast and set out for our trip to visit the Amanzule Stilt Villlage. It was built 600 years ago and is still maintained and inhabited by 450 people. We took a 45 minute canoe ride out to the village after the Tro-Tro. It was a nice workout but crazy to think that these people need to do that trip every time they need to go anywhere.
Once we got to the village we were given a history and tour by a few of the locals and a tour guide.
Family kitchen
Fish traps
Classroom
The village was very cool to visit and something that many people do not see while in Ghana.
Small block in the road on the drive back
Heard of cattle
All in all it was a nice weekend before I head to the village on Sunday.
Another student, Emma (nursing student from the UK), and I will be living the next week with a family of 5 in a small village called Fasin. It is primarily a farming village of Palm, rubber, and corn about 1 hour outside of Takoradi. We will be sleeping on mattresses on the dirt floor of the families home, be without running water and electricity (so bucket showers and no lights when it gets dark outside, and no more blog posts) and very little English is spoken. We will be working at a general health clinic Mon-Fri from 8-2 and then each afternoon we will participate in different aspects of the village (preparing FuFu, making wine, seeing how the Gin is made, visiting the market they sell the village goods, and learning more about the way of life/culture of a small village. I am so pumped for this week and can't wait to write about it when I get back!!!!
Just a recap of the beard progression...
Day 3 in Ghana
Day 28 going strong
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