5 Nights in Korle Bu Children’s Ward Diagnosis: Type 1 Diabetes

It’s been a long while, I know, I know. Things have been busy and work has been steady and I could hardly find the time to do anything writing unless it was for money. Until now. I am now on a self-prescribed work slowdown. I have no choice.

About three weeks ago, we took Alexandra to the doctor for a check-up. She’d been listless, losing weight, waking up several times overnight to go to the bathroom, then sipping water before she even slipped back into bed. Now, at first I attributed the night time excursions to the toilet to the fact that she had wet the bed one night (sorry Alex, she begged me not to tattle, but it’s part of the story), and she knew I wasn’t happy about that. I figured she was trying to prevent a repeat performance by getting up 4 and 5 times. But the frequency to the bathroom, her thirst, her utter exhaustion, and finally, seeing the knobbiness at the top of her spine… I knew something was really wrong. I just knew.

I am not a doctor, by any stretch of the imagination, but I am “aware” of the symptoms of diabetes, and was worried sick because Alex exhibited all of them. I didn’t tell my husband what I suspected, this is his little princess, and he needed to hear the grim news from a professional, not his wife.

Unfortunately, after the GP ran a quick urinalysis and blood sugar test, he confirmed my worst fears. He sent us off to the lab for a battery of more blood tests. We were told to report to Korle Bu Children’s Unit to see the pediatrician in charge.

Dr. Renner is a very busy woman who took the time out of her hectic schedule to see us. She looked Alexandra over, read the referral note from the GP and the urine and blood test results, and then had an aide take Alex up to the ward for a weight check (19 kilos or 41.8 lbs – she weighed the same a year earlier!). While they went to do that, she told me to grab my bag and come with her, and she’d show us where we’d be staying. GULP! I don’t know what I expected to hear, but an overnight stay wasn’t it.

We went up to the ward, and I was introduced to the matron, Auntie Mary. The doctor told her that Alexandra and I should be given a bed in the “amenity” ward, which is separate from the regular “charity” ward. We were lucky enough to get our pick of the beds, since there were 2 doubles, a single and a crib, all separated by heavy blue damask curtains with the words “Donated by Angel Trust” embroidered in the middle of them. We opted for the double bed by the window so we could look out of our cell, um room, window.

We were also lucky enough to have our own locked toilet, at the other end of the ward, though. Unfortunately, that area of the building didn’t have running water, so you had to fill a bucket from the shower, and then dump it to flush. The first day, Alexandra and I must have visited that toilet at least two dozen times. I am sure that the other patients and their mommys were very surprised to see an obroni on the floor (one who wasn’t a visiting doctor), but someone just like them – a mommy taking care of her very sick child.

And that is exactly what I was, a mommy helping to take care of her very sick child. Alexandra was put on a saline drip to try to flush out the sugar that had built up in her body – her ketones were very high, and this was the only way to that. The doctor didn’t come right out and say it (that’s their way, unfortunately, and I’m forced to dig and press for answers), but I’ve since discovered that Alex had ketoacidosis, hence the drip in her hand for 36 hours. She was not happy about having this “thing” stuck in her hand, but we didn’t have any option. On the other hand, she thought it was “fun” that she could now take a leak in a bedpan. I, however, did not find that “fun” since her aim is awful, and it was my responsibility to mop up her mess, fortunately there was a sink and a mop in the room for that very purpose. The “amenity” part, I guess.

So, once Alex and I were settled into our room, and she hooked up to the drip, it was total boredom from there, at least for us. I did have my laptop with me, and the Wizard of Oz is on my hard drive, so Alex watched that to pass the time.

In the interim, poor Sly was running around like a chicken without a head. Hospitals (at least, this one in particular), do not have the luxury of a dispensary, and any drugs needed for treatment must be purchased, in advance, by the patient’s representative. So, off Sly went to the 24-hour pharmacy for the first of many many trips – insulin, saline drip, a glucose meter and strips were the first run.

As soon as he brought them, Sly had to rush home to get the things we needed for our sleepover – he still had to pick up the kids from school, so it was urgent to get home, pack, get back to the hospital and get back to Tema by 4:00 pm to get the boys (who were going to be very upset to hear that we were in the hospital). Pillows, pajamas, undies, clothes, slippers, laptop adapters, phone chargers, tooth brush/paste, soap, shampoo, towels… you name it, we needed it. This is not a luxury hotel.

While he was gone, the nurse came in and gave Alex the first of what will likely be more than 50,000 insulin shots over the course of her life time. I hope that Alex gets to live a good long life, and hope that in her lifetime there will be a cure for this horrible disease. It took all of my willpower not to break down and cry in front of Alexandra, but my heart was breaking.

Sly finally got back about 3:00 pm with two Hefty sized bags worth of stuff. He needed our driver to help him carry the stuff up, and poor Ekow, our driver, was really upset to see Alex lying in bed attached to an IV. This is not the Alex he knows, who fights to sit in the front passenger seat, and bangs on his car intentionally every day as she departs, and calls him Brother Ekow. No, this was not that Alex.

Unfortunately, Sly had to leave almost as soon as he arrived to get back and pick up the boys, and we were left alone for our first night in the hospital.

Stay tuned!

P.S… Just ignore the “Debt Diva” moniker… it pays for Alexandra’s blood sugar test strips!