Easter Monday

Easter Monday is a holiday here so we got our paperwork all together with the letter requested by the Immigration Officer, copies of our return ticket and lots of money and headed into Adum.  This would be our 3^rd trip and already our frustration was showing. 

 

When we arrived and climbed up to the 3^rd floor, Fred asked to see a more senior officer than the ones we had been seeing, so we waited outside on wooden benches with everyone else.  When it was our turn we went into a crowded office with many desks and tables and sat and showed him the letter from the Volunteer program we had to have sent from America.  He said this was not required and we needed a letter from someone in Ghana.  This was directly opposite from what we were told before.  We had sent to America for this letter especially and now were into April so another month’s penalty will have to be paid.  So after many more explanations he crossed off some of our reasons for being in Ghana on our request form and had us write we were there to test the environment for future business.  This was acceptable to us and so we did.  Also the prior officers had said we could only get an extension for 60 days and he gave us 90, for extra money, of course.  So we left having paid our $280.

 

It was now after lunch, in the heat and Fred, who has not been feeling well, is not well enough to drive.   I am hot and hungry and do not like driving down town in the heavy traffic.  We get to the very first traffic light and there is a policeman directing traffic.  He looked over at our car and then walked to us and said our road permit has expired.  I know we have insurance until April 21^st, so we so not know what he I talking about.  Their insurance is not tied to the car license, we found out, and ours had expired March 24^th.  He climbed into the back seat and directed me to the police station.  They have me park and take us in and we sit on a wooded bench and wait.  The policeman had told us that our car would be impounded and we would have to come to court tomorrow.  Fred is very ill by this time and I am frazzled.  I do not have enough money for this because we had to pay so much more than we expected at the Immigration office.  So I sit there and a few tears trickle down my face.    A long time goes by without any paperwork being filled out, just threats of what will happen.  I think that because I do not clue in to what is happening anther policeman comes and asks me if I want to go to court.  When I say No he says for me to tell the officer why I should be dismissed and finally Fred rouses enough to say, What is the fine?  So a $30 bribe later we are dismissed to go to the License office, about 10 km away.  We head straight there.  

 

On our way we are stopped at another intersection and a young policeman spots our expired sticker.  We have had no license for almost a month without anyone noticing and now we get stopped within 15 minutes of leaving the police station.  After our exclamations of how we had just left the police station having paid our fine, he believes us and tells the older officer with him that there is no problem and he waves us on.   We have to ask directions several times on how to get to the license station and when we get there it is 3:04 and they close at 3:00.  You have to pay at the on site bank and the bank closes promptly. We must return in the morning.  Every intersection has policemen directing traffic because it is now the rush hour and I am so tense at each one that I arrive home with a headache, not having any lunch or water for a long time has not helped.    Fred is very tired and he has a nap when we get back home. 

 

The next morning we decided that he has been ill long enough and has taken the medication we brought from Canada and it is time to see a doctor here in Ghana. So after we are finished with the license office we will go to one of the small hospital clinics near by.  Our pastor host has graciously consented to be the one to actually drive the car through the checkpoint because we are sure they will treat him differently than we would be treated.  The car passes with flying colors and we pay our $8 for the fee and $3 for the reflective stickers that are required.  And on to the hospital.

 

After a blood test we now know Fred has malaria.  This is a big shock because we have been faithfully taking our anti-malaria medications.  Apparently you can still get malaria even if you take the drugs but his parasite count was in the hundreds instead of 2 or 3 hundred, so he has a mild case, no fever or headache, just diarrhea and extreme tiredness. 

He has to stay at the hospital for 8 hours for 2 bottles of intravenous drip into his wrist and 2 shots, one for each buttock, and we must come back for 2 more days for a shot per day.  So I arrive home around 2 pm to take back some water and food for Fred because again we haven’t had lunch as well as his reading glasses and book. 

 

The unexpected admittance to the hospital means that I must phone Fred’s appointment and arrange to meet him and give him the payment.  So I have to go to the hotel parking lot where we have agreed to meet.  I waited for about 1 ½ hours for him to arrive.  Here in Ghana it is only approximately an appointment for a specific hour, so I have learned to take my book with me and find somewhere to sit in the shade.  Luckily, you can buy sachets of water at every intersection. 

 

The last 2 days have me harried and Fred napping.  But today he started to get his strength back, although they say it will be a long haul.