We have a diagnosis – atypical pneumonia - or do we?

Additional tests came back on Tuesday (last Monday being a holiday) and the PCMO arrived at an atypical pneumonia diagnosis.  It is also called walking pneumonia because it rarely requires hospitalization or long bed rest.  I don’t have many of the typical symptoms, but the sputum culture came back positive for a bacterial infection.  So I started the antibiotics on Tuesday.  By Thursday the cough was not better and I found out that I did not have an elevated white count.  Also, I did not have a temperature.  So we all realized that diagnosis was shaky at best.

The best fit for all the results and my history was an allergic response.  But an allergy that only impacted the lungs and not my sinuses and one that followed me from Upper West to the very different climate in Accra – where I do have allergies – did not make sense.  It was like I was breathing in something held close to my mouth that did not impact my eyes or sinuses.

Trying to fit everything together I settled on the possibility, remote though it may be, that some fungus or mold or something was growing in my beard so I cut it way back on Friday morning.  When I saw that doctor later on Friday he told me that he was also beginning to wonder if the beard might be a problem.  It was nice to hear that he did not think my idea was crazy and I hoped that he would let me keep the much trimmed version – but he requested a close shave.  Shaving off a beard is not easy when you only have brought a single old disposable razor.

 
Mr. Christopher and I a few weeks back with my full"ish" beard.

Trimmed - maybe even a little better for the heat in Ghana


Man - I look better with a beard.


Hopefully, I will start to see improvement soon.  The sacrifice made of the beard and whatever was living in it should be have been in vain.

While it would have been nice to have the cough settled weeks ago it is not a complaint against Peace Corps.  I know of several cases back in the states that took some time to diagnosis walking pneumonia.  Medicine and treatment is not always easy even in the best health care systems.  Things are missed and mistakes are made.  (My son recently sent me an article of a study indicating medical error as possibly the third leading cause of death.)

Adding the complications of tropical illnesses and the unusual stressors on Peace Corps volunteers does not make it easier.  I’m hopeful we have figured this out – or will soon.  After six weeks of coughing and the associated trouble getting to sleep and sleeping through the night it is beginning to get on my nerves.


On a related note on the internet you might find a report recently release about the quality of health care provided to returned Peace Corps volunteers.  It clearly states some historical problems and is pushing for reforms to improve the situation and the Corps.  Again, nothing is perfect and everyone and every organization have room to improve.  The Peace Corps is a good program that deserves our support – I encourage everyone to learn more about Peace Corps – to see if you want to volunteer at some point or to see how you can support the volunteers and their mission of world peace and friendship.



The extended cough cancelled my plan to travel on Thursday to a monastery in the region between Accra and the Upper West.  However, I might be able to shift it immediately after the close of service (COS) conference this week.  The conference will help me figure how to complete my service to the satisfaction of the Federal Government.  

 On another note:

 Happy Mothers Day ! 


On an another note:

 Happy Belated Birthday Day Samantha! 


Love always,

John

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