Malaria Moments

When I awoke on Friday I knew that something was amiss. My stomach was feeling really quite awful, but I thought that maybe the bike ride to work would make things feel better. After all, a few times I have had a queasy stomach that has settled down over the course of the day.

This time, no such luck. As I continued at work, I kept getting more and more tired,to the point where I was asleep on the director's couch. Fortunately, one of my MCC colleagues was at school working on the computers so I was able to get a ride with him to the doctor where it was confirmed: I had malaria.

I figured that this was a mixed blessing: if I had to suffer it might as well be something recognizable as opposed to miscellaneous but miserable stomach ailment. At the same time, one hears enough malaria horrible stories to want to tempt fate too much.

For the rest of the day I was confined to bed, hardly able to think let alone move. Sometimes I was chilled and had blanket after blanket piled on me, and at other times I was really hot. The upset stomach continued throughout the day, culminating in one unfortunate moment late in the afternoon. Otherwise I slept, and slept, and slept.

By Day 2 the cure had really started kicking in. I was tired and not up for a whole lot but was able to be up and about reading and watching TV and eating relatively normally. Day 3 was even better. Today I went to the clinic and was proclaimed cured. I am still pretty tired - to the point where I'm doubting my ability to teach this afternoon - but otherwise feel pretty fine. The anti-malarials I take regularly helped take the sting off it and the cure worked pretty efficiently.

I guess now I can say I have had the big M. It wasn't pleasant, but at least its over.