37th

Well, I was all motivated to get blogging on a regular basis, but ended up landing in the 37th hospital for the last three days. Danaa's fever reared up to a pitch (over 42 degrees), so off we went to the hospital.

Now, for all of my life long desires to be in Africa, to live some kind of experience here, I can honestly say that I need to be much more careful for what I wish for.

37th is a military hospital. It was an intense experience, to say the least, and I don't want to wax on an on about how I feel about what I saw there, because I feel like that would degrade the real grief that I was witness to. A witness to two infant deaths, while I was watching my own wee one get better with each moment. Worse than watching the two mother's lose their infants, the response that the other mother's had to those who had lost was harder to bear - they had death spirits, and no one wanted to get too close. Even I was eager to move myself away, which was impossible because one of the mother's was sitting, sobbing, not two feet from my chair. All I could think about was, please, get me out of here. Fortunately, Danaa soon fell asleep and my own humanity started to creep back in to mobilize me. I could reach out, rub her back, offer her a fresh plastic bag to vomit into, offered her my cell phone (which was totally useless to her), offer her water. She couldn't speak English, and my Twi is limited to Ate sen (which is "how are you", a phrase obviously not appropriate at the moment), Medasse ("thank you", equally useless in this situation) and Dabi ('NO', which was what she was wailing while I sat with her).

So far, I have realized that to live here, either working as part of an NGO, or just because fate dealt you the hand that birthed you upon African soil, you cannot be weak. Africa is not for the faint of heart. AND THIS IS GHANA!!! The crown jewel of this continent. Things are supposed to work here, lives are saved here (which of course they are -- Danaa was febrile when I admitted him, and he is now happily pawing at his twin brother right now), things are supposed to work here.

And I guess that they do. But I am crying tears of happiness today that I am a Canadian, that I am lucky, and that all three of my boys are happy, healthy and obviously wise (of course, with our gene pool, how could they not be!)

So, on a happier note, Danaa is well. Dawin is even better -- and is hilarious. And with the typing of two words, they have both prompty fallen asleep tangled in eachother's limbs -- very cute. They do sleep (when well). It is a amazing. They like a wee snuggle, then PLEASE PUT ME DOWN AND STOP KISSING ME MOTHER!! I NEED MY SLEEP. So as soon as I hear that cry, down they go, and asleep they are. A happy side effect of living in an orphanage for the past 10 months, I'd say.

Being gone from the hotel for three days, I can say that my Mom has never looked thinner, and my two boys under her care have never looked fatter!!!! They've had her running, that is for sure. And if I haven't said it before, my Mother is, in fact, a miracle worker. She has been the calm and steady hand in an absolute tsunami of activity and emotion. I thought that I could probably endure this process solo. What a laugh! There is no chance I would have been able to cope -- not a chance. So thank you Mom! And thank you Dad! Because now my Mom is thinking about extended her time here to give me a few more days to deal with the embassy stuff, and I bet that Dad is likely running low on food. Good thing Michael is an amazing cook and is only a short boat ride away!

In terms of the fun part of traveling, we've done none of that. Our plan is to see a bit of Cape Coast and Elmina after our meeting with the Judge on Thursday. There is a nature reserve a bit past Cape Coast, and pending health of the kiddos, we may go for it. The Volta River and Dam, and perhaps Mole (to see some elephants!) is a possible plan, but we've been incredibly busy just dealing with the day to day. Fingers crossed we'll even get out for a dinner or two (it's been hotel cooking for a week now! No international restaurants... yet)

I'll look for some more pictures to post shortly. Keep thinking of good health, and wish away bureaucracy for us!