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Dr. Forna's Blog
Papa’s 85th birthday.
Last week was our Papa’s 85th birthday and we had a wonderful birthday party! We have every reason to celebrate – the life expectancy in Sierra Leone is 50 years, so it is truly a remarkable feat and a blessing for us to be able to celebrate his 85th birthday.
The goats at Papa’s house.
The goats at Papa’s house are so darn cute! There are somewhere between 3 to 6 of them – I’m not sure of the exact number because they run away when I get too close, especially when Sheba is around. There is a black one, a brown and white one,
Renovating our home.
I had NO intentions of becoming a builder, but here I am, deep in building construction! When we decided to move to Freetown, we weighed all the pros and cons of different living arrangements. Should we move in with my Dad? He lived in a massive house with a huge
Driving in Freetown.
I conquered one of my biggest fears today – driving in Freetown. Driving in Freetown is not for the faint of heart – and my heart is very faint – so faint, it can barely generate a pulse! The city is congested – there are cars, Okadas (motorcycle taxis), a
First Week In Freetown – Beauty and Death.
Today marks the end of my first week in Freetown – a week filled with beauty and a week filled with death. Flying into the Sierra Leonean airport at Lungi, you are captivated by the beauty of the lush green forest that touches the Atlantic Ocean. As your plane descends, you see
From Atlanta to Freetown – Tears and Sheba.
Leaving Atlanta was really hard because I left my husband and kids – they will join me once school ends in May. I had never been away from my kids for 2 months before. How would they cope? Would they have enough food to eat? How would my husband cope
Full Circle – Moving to Sierra Leone!
In a few weeks, I will be leaving the US and returning to Sierra Leone. When I left 26 years ago, I was a scared girl of 15 who wanted to be a doctor. Not just any doctor, I specifically wanted to be a doctor who would keep women from
Use diverse children’s books to bridge our empathy gap
When was the last time your child read a book featuring someone different from them? When did they last read a book about an African American girl celebrating her birthday, a Mexican American girl celebrating her quinceañera, or a Jewish American boy celebrating his bar mitzvah? What about a book
When should you talk to your teenage daughter about sex?
So, have you talked to your teenage daughter about sex? Have you really talked to her about sex? I’m not talking about the superficial birds and the bees conversation; I’m talking about using words like vagina, penis, and condom. Yes, those words! As an obstetrician-gynecologist and a mother of girls,
