Malaria

I have malaria... I can't believe I got malaria my last week in Ghana! I guess I have now had the true African experience. I do actually feel a lot better so although I ask that you do pray for me, don't worry too much about me. :) I woke up yesterday morning feeling sick and after rounds decided to get a blood film. To diagnose malaria they stick your finger and smear your blood on a slide and look for the malaria parasite. Mine came back negative, which doesn't rule out malaria but doesn't confirm it. Trying to convince myself I wasn't really sick, I tried to see some patients but only lasted for 30 minutes. After having a really bad afternoon and thinking I probably did have malaria but not wanting to take the medicine unless I was sure, I called Megan to take me back up the hospital and got another blood film. And it actually was positive – mps present +. I didn't know whether laugh or cry but was definitely relieved that I now had a diagnosis and could start the medicine.

I have been taking prophylaxis, which decreases your risk of getting malaria and makes it a milder case if you actually do get it. The milder case was bad enough though. Although I am still weak today, I feel 100% better than I did yesterday. But I just kept thinking about all my patients and how much worse they have it and how it's harder for them to get care. I was sick with a milder case for 12 hours until I started treatment and felt probably the worst I have in my life. But the patients I see daily come in with worse symptoms for 3 or 4 days, have to stand in line and wait for hours to see a doctor and then longer to receive the medicine. rI now understand why they lay down on the floor... cause that's what I felt like doing last night. They walk, ride motos or get on a crowded truck or bus to travel far distances just to get here. I live right next to the hospital and even so, was driven to the hospital to get my blood film and had someone get my medicine for me. I had people to take care of me, a comfortable bed to sleep in, the medical knowledge to make sure I was drinking fluids and medicine the first day I got sick... many of the people don't even have that. Malaria is an awful disease and one that affects millions of people worldwide. I pray that I never get it again, but I know that this experienced has given me insight into my patients' illnesses and increased my compassion for what they are feeling. Thanks for your continued prayers! The worst is over and I am on the road to recovery. I'm just so glad I'm sick now and not next week when I'm traveling.