3 Hours in the Operating Room

Lately, I have been feeling a little discouraged about the lack of Rotary service projects I have been able to partake in this year. The issue is that a lot of the projects sponsored by Accra Rotary Clubs are based on funding or implementing things like toilets, sanitation technology, and wells. Instead of playing with kids for a few hours or going to a soup kitchen (like is so popular in the US) Rotarians will go assess a project site by looking at what the club has funded. So, I have found it tricky to get involved thus far.  Usually I go to Rotary Fundraiser events such as masquerades or gatherings at Rotarians’ houses.

This week, I got my chance -- not to do the work firsthand but to see some totally awesome super amazingly cool service. This week, volunteer surgeons, nurses, and dentists came from all over the world with an organization called Alliance for Smiles. Rotary Clubs in Accra have partnered with them to give free surgeries to anyone in Ghana who has a cleft lip or palette.

They had advertised in churches, schools, and communities in all regions of Ghana, telling people that they would be given free transportation and surgeries to repair their mouths if they desired. Patients of all ages showed up. It was heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time. Some children said that they had no friends- that people were afraid of them and could not look at them in the face. “People do not like me around,” one said.  One patient was 39, meaning she has lived through all sorts of stages with that problem. Some patients actually had teeth in their cheeks and holes in their faces that made eating nearly impossible.

I donned my scrubs and accompanied the surgeons in the operating room.

Me and Rotarian Moses. 

I saw the patients from stage one until finish, when their mouths looked amazingly normal (minus the blood and stitches).

note: the nose is to the bottom of the picture, with the mouth right above it

The surgeons were incredible and the atmosphere was light.  Bluegrass music was playing, prompting one surgeon to inform the Ghanaian technicians about the history of each singer and their involvement with World War II.  The anesthesiologist was from Brookfield, Wisconsin, right next to my hometown.

One surgeon also gave me some background on cleft lips while he was operating. Apparently 1 in 800 Africans are born with the disfiguration. It is the same statistic with white Americans, but African Americans only experience 1 in 2,000 because cleft lips are genetic and it is likely that most African Americans with cleft lips did not survive through slavery in the US. Doctors used to think that there was a part of the mouth missing when in actuality the muscles are merely attached in the wrong places. These simple surgeries cut the muscles and stretch them back in place.

One of Rotary’s 5 avenues of service is vocational service.  (The others are club service, community service, international service and new generations service.) This was the perfect example of how practicing high ethical standards in a vocation allows you to use your skills to do good.

The project will continue for a total of 2 weeks. This is their third time to Ghana.

How Salsa Brought Hollywood to Accra

In September, Lesego and I entered the world of salsa… and it really is a world of its own. It first started with a class at the Sports Directorate on campus. We met countless new friends, learned sassy flips and turns and spins, and began seeing more of Accra by dancing at new venues. Spending time with what we call our “salsa family” has been a defining part of our experience here. 

This past weekend was the final round of a salsa competition hosted by the toothpaste brand, Close-Up. The first round was in January and Francis and his group made it to the final.  Hosted at the International Conference Center in Downtown Accra and filmed for TV, the event was breath taking. It was complete with red carpet, paparazzi, and decked-out stage, lights, and music. In fact, on our way out of the show, I was pulled over and asked (4 times after 3 refusals) to be interviewed for TV.  Ralph and Mike, (Francis' cousin, right) thought that if they escorted me I would do it. I find this picture just too funny:

The stage was magnificent. There were also famous Ghanaian singers that came and performed their current pop songs. 

This is Francis' group. He is on the right with his dance partner, Memuna, a friend of ours:

 Unfortunately, Francis’ group did not win the competition, which was surprising to us as well as, I’m sure, much of the crowd.  We were confused why the winning group seemed to be extremely amateur.  Yesterday I learned that Francis had talked to one of the judges and it turns out that the winner’s uncle worked for Close-Up. Ha. Oh, Ghana. Francis’ group however won best choreography and best costume, which I’m pretty sure usually equates to best dance. Oh well.

I am so grateful to have such a wonderful activity to fill my time outside of the classroom. Over the past 5 years, I have forgotten what it is like to be around non-academics; when reading journal article after journal article, it is a breath of fresh air.

 Here are a few more pictures from the event: 

Things I’ve learned from salsa:

1) Following is a skill. You can’t always lead. Besides, following can be fun :) 

2) The more practice you get, the less dizzy you’ll be.

3) It’s okay for a girl to ask a guy to dance. If you wait around and get bored, it’s your own fault.

4) Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels.

5) Flair makes everything look nicer. 

6) Smile. Always. There’s no reason not to.