Giovanni's World!

7th January 2017 Our first day in Mumbai and what a hectic day it has been. India has redenominated its currency and the forex bureau in the hospital has closed. I had to pick a tuktuk (rickshaw taxi) to lokandwala market to change money, I left the hospital at about 6.30pm and stood on the road looking for a tuktuk that would go. Nobody was willing to go. I saw a nice looking young man with his son in pyjamas and no hair on his head, looked like they had just been discharged from the hospital. The gentleman realized how much I was struggling and when he got a taxi he offered me a ride. I was elated. Of course I hopped right in, and he seemed quite safe regarding his situation. As we were in the taxi, I thanked him and smiling I watched him interact with his son. They intrigued me because it's always nice to see father/son bonding and also nice to see a father being actively part of their child's healthcare which isn't very common to see in Ghana. Me: Is he your son...

Traveling with a toddler with special needs... Traveling with a child with special needs is really something else. Giovanni has grown taller and bigger and he still can't walk or sit up by himself yet. We took ethiopian airlines to Mumbai for our medical review, I must say the flight was much cozier than emirates. Seats were more spacious although the flight was fully booked. The journey was also much shorter than passing through Dubai and the air hostesses were much nicer. Giovanni has outgrown the bassinet on the aeroplane  and also outgrown average sized changing tables in most restrooms. Now I'm faced with what most parents of kids with special needs face...how do I change my son's diaper? Especially when he does the number two. I truly didn't think this period for me would come so fast but here we are. So from Kotoka International Airport in Accra, two rest rooms I went to didn't have any changing table at all and I had to change Giovanni at the ...

 Actions speak louder than words: Ghana elections, why I chose not to vote, policies on disability... Ghana is currently having its presidential and parliamentary elections, several people took the opportunity to go to their various polling stations and vote. I think my whole family also went out to vote. While people were voting on 7th December, I decided to go have a look whether my name was even in the register and unfortunately it wasn't there. Now I was a little melancholic about the fact that it wasn't there but then again if it was there, who would I have voted for?  Truth be told, my mind wasn't 100%  made up about who to vote for because for the past two decades of my life I had been disappointed, and since my son was born even more disappointed with government; why because they simply do not care about the people. Each government comes in for their own selfish gains. From the few manifestantes I had access to no political party really covered realistic,...

Societal attitudes and hospital life... We have been in and out of hospital since 8th September. Poor Giovanni has been sick for a whole month and we've been admitted, discharged and readmitted. Poor baby. Almost every 2 weeks we are on admission at 37 hospital. 37 dun kill us ooh! Hmm so here we are again being detained at 37 (detained LOL that's what they call it). Today I just wanted to break down and cry. I get here with the nanny and head straight to pediatric emergency unit. We see the doctors and I'm asked to go look for my folder. The lady I spoke to was so damn slow in looking for the folder, like nothing was at stake (she is probably used to people rushing in shouting for folders during emergencies) she looked tired and unbothered. I had to bite my tongue and just cooperate. So to my dismay and extremely patient face she tells me she can't find our file in the system and starts asking when I first brought Giovanni to the hospital etc.😩Lord help me not ...

Me and my boo at Nkrumah Ward 37 Hospital Yup, it really was a storm in a tea cup 8th September. With the birdge in East Legon being closed due to Ghana Water Company doing some works there. Hot afternoon, I took the day off in search of a new nanny since nanny number 4 finally gave up and left (I'm even happy she did). Came home and the little man was just not feeling great, had to rush him to 37 hospital in the traffic! That day, the traffic was exceptional because the tunnel was closed. Those in Ghana will remember it well, the whole of Accra was at a hault and people were stuck in traffic for a minimu of three hours.  Hmm anyway and so we 'rushed' to the hospital and for some crazy inexplicable reason, people decided to block us hmm: the people that blocked me that day as we beeped through the traffic, I've prayed for them and forgiven them for their selfish ways.  So, we've been falling sick, been admitted twice to 37 Hospital in two weeks and been sick...

I'm singing a redemption song so that my Father in Heaven will have mercy on Giovanni. It's hard as a parent to make decisions that will affect him forever, and if anything goes wrong I will be responsible. So far no medication has been able to control Giovanni's infantile spasms and so the doctor's have moved onto the next level. That level where the drug is super dangerous yet we have absolutely no choice but to use it? Yup we have finally reached there and it hurts. It hurts that I'm going to give Giovanni medication that may possibly impair his vision after just a few weeks of using it (no I'm not lying I will post the link and you can check it out yourself) however I've been told by doctors it will definitely stop the spasms. Now how do you leave a decision like that in my hands? I wish the world knew the love I have for my son, I would lick the ground for him. And yes these are the exact moments when I ask God why and if I have done something wrong he...

I thought me lying in a public hospital and having surgery was my worst nightmare until Giovanni got very sick and we had to go to 37 Hospital. Giovanni hadn't been feeling well all weekend. In fact I thought he was tired from the party we went to on Saturday. Sunday he was too quiet and not his usual self. Monday he had a serious seizure that lasted a total of 20mins (my poor gio) worried as I was I informed the doctor and gave him his medication. Tuesday afternoon he had another long severe seizure but this time developed a high temperature. No amount of sponging helped. And even the suppository didn't bring the temperature down. Our usual pediatricians funny enough were both outside the country. So we had no choice but to go to a private clinic in East Legon. We saw a doctor at Acacia Clinic (Thanks to an amazing friend Vanessa who helped us get in touch with him), he was very helpful and referred us to 37 hospital. What I'm about to tell you will begin as a marathon b...