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"First of all, I hope you are all doing fine in the on going Corona attack. It's Eastern Sunday and all is quite. Lock-Down as usual. I don't think Corona has arrived in full force in Ghana. Not yet anyway! Movements, Flights, Churches, Events have all been restricted and we hope the menace will pass and we will be able to travel to Switzerland. I can keep myself busy with reading, planning, cooking and shouting around..."

SlideShow: The Yard 2020

My 78th Birthday in Accra
27.06.2020

It was planned that we are celebrating my 78th birthday in Switzerland. Corona shattered this plan and I looked forward to a very modest Birthday. The picture brightened when I learned that my party was sponsored by Fritz & Xenia, Kurt & Mirela, Oliver & Lorena. So we went to our favorite place, the Regal Chinese Restaurant in Osu. With Linda, Angela, Fati and Ashetey we celebrated my birthday in style.

The Second Medical "Holidays"
1.09.2021 - 12.11.2021

... have passed and we are again in Accra since 12.11.2021! Since The various Doctors could not figure out the reason for my ailments and it seems I will have to live with them! Maybe it's just Old Age!

First of all many thanks to my family, in Switzerland, for their support during my ordeal.

A very special thank to Kastriot & Silvia for their very generous gesture by letting us use their comfortable apartment during most of our stay! That helped us more than can be imagined!

The "Hospital Story" 2020 / 21

Before I start with this chapter I want to thank all my friends and family members for the active and passive support given to us and, during this trying one year of commuting between hospitals. Accommodation became a pressing issue because of my worsening state of my health. All budget targets tumbled due to unexpected expenses. The needless and prolonged fight over my Health Insurance Card, resulting in a heart-attack and a visit of various hospitals as well as shortage of nurses due to Corona, did not help matters. The consequences of the "No Show" (resulting in the loss of all costs like tickets, Corona tests, etc.) for our planned flight home, due to a medical problem on the way to the ZRH airport, brought us at our limits. The help with providing us a shelter was really highly appreciated and in Corona times certainly not a given! Thank you Rita & Freddy. Thank you Frida & Harry.

To the Hospital in Baden I give Thumbs DOWN for to the unacceptable attitude, by no means by the nursing staff and doctors, but by the administration of this institute!- The story:

After the flight via Brussels and Frankfurt we landed in Zurich where I took possession of the rental car and drove to our Apartment Hotel in Spreitenbach. I felt dizzy and I almost feinted. and I just made it to our room. The next morning I could no more get out of the bed and had a major problem with my bladder. To check my prostate, was a main goal on this trip. My state of health prevented it now to honor my appointment with the urologist.

112 took care of the transport albeit the cost of CHF 1'000-- for the 15 min. trip to the Hospital in Baden! My wive was forced to make a CHF 3'000.-- deposit for admittance. The problem was that I had no chance to go to the city hall to report my return to Switzerland and to register. I was therefore unable to finish the process to get a Health Insurance (mandatory for Swiss Citizens resident in Switzerland). By a friendly hospital staff, I got the opportunity to leave the Hospital for my registration. At Dietikon's' City Hall (which has to be visited in person even when dead sick!) and after I finally got my papers from my home town Basel, we could complete the Health Care process. I we got the all important Insurance Card, desire of the hospital authority. My live as "Selbstzahler" or "2nd class" patient ended.

In the "waiting time" I suffered a heart attack as a result of the undo stress and after sent home and dismissed twice as healed, letting me go home with the inserted catheter, the urine bag and the untreated heart attack.

I was forced to call 112 at another the cost of CHF 1'000.-- (not covered by the health insurance) after yet another emergency not recognized and attended to by the Baden Hospital!

Because we where unable to manage the situation in our apartment, I decided to seek a solution with "Social Security" but got utterly frustrated by bureaucracy and indifference. Oliver brought me than to the Triemli Hospital where I got examined and after I could convince the Doctor on duty, that I was "dead-sick", I was transferred to the Waid Hospital (free of charge) and finally admitted. That was the first time I felt somehow secure and taken care of. It took than a long time to fix all the damage. The heart became a prime concern but because of a severe septic the "heart pacer" could not be implanted and surgery of the bladder and removal of the gall bladder had to be postponed.

I was sent to The REHA Clinic in Seewis (Graubünden) where I was very well looked after by the friendly staff (Dr. med. Irina Elayashi). A very pleasant mountain surrounding did also help. Thumbs & Toes UP The sepsis was taken care of and after 4 weeks and I was returned to the Waid Hospital where I got the "PACER" implanted by Dr. Tobias Höfflinghaus(Leitender Arzt, Leiter Kardiologie, Stadtspital Waid) a very competent and helpful man!. After noticing the blood, in my urine, just before driving to the airport, I rushed again to the Waid Spital. After a short examination I was transferred to the Triemli Spital to check the "urinary track problem" and was finally sent home without a clear diagnosis. I had enough and made efforts to get to Accra and succeeded in the end! (Still pending: the urinary track infection & gallstone problem!).

The journey back, or another set-back

After loosing two return air tickets to Accra due to the "medical" emergency previous to our former departure from Zürich, I carefully timed our next departure attempt from Switzerland. This time we choose KLM due to the refusal by Brussels Airways in refunding us the return flights of the forfeit tickets. Of course we had to make our PCR tests (2 x CHF 200.--) again and where finally ready for the baggage drop. We where almost the first in the que and the KLM personnel was not yet in attendance. After a while Nancy met a Ghana acquaintance informing us that the we still need a Corona quick test in order to be able to board the plane. No information in any form regarding this new requirement! The man guided us via a pharmacy to the test location a floor higher and we made our reservation. Nancy rushed with the friendly man back to the Pharmacy in the basement for payment. Meanwhile I waited anxious for the return and hoped that we will still make the flight. After all is was 45 min. before closing time of the check-in desk! We where not the only ones struggling to meet the deadline! We made it and thanks to the booked wheelchair-assistance, we where driven via the security check straight to the plane to Amsterdam.

Due to the delay at the check in because of the required additional Covid-test, the arrival in Amsterdam was delayed and we had to rush to the connecting flight to Accra. Again, thanks to the assistance we where rushed through the huge airport and through all the controls in record time and where brought straight into the waiting airplane. We sat down and the plane pushed back and we where on our way!

Accra was surprisingly well organized and with help of our assistance we sailed through the required and online pre-paid, Corona Quick Test, Immigration and Customs in a breeze and where met by Ashetey, Linda and Patrick. At home we found all OK and Fati welcomed us probably with mixed feelings!

Fall Back to Ghana Hospitals
Korle Boo Hospital & Nyaho Medical Center

Blood in the urine and a lot of pain forced me to see Hospital(s) in Accra. After the failure of Korle Boo I got went to the Nyaho Medical Center. The facility is fair. A 3-person air conditioned bedroom and a very basic toilet was all there is. The staff, doctors & nurses were friendly and tried their best to keep me happy. Nancy, Ashetey and Linda brought me my meals (Cornflakes, Milk and Chinese take-away). Otherwise I had to be content my Kindle (e-book reader) or "small talk" with my room mates.

After 10 days the bleeding and the pain was under control. A cystoscopy did not bring clarity and I was sent home! Still no idea was caused my condition or a final cure. But still better than what three Swiss Hospitals achieved in 8 weeks! This at a reasonable cost!