My Malaria Experience

Usually I don't have a good excuse for not posting on my blog as often as I mean to, but this time I do: I've had malaria.

Malaria is a serious disease - this is all many people know about it.  However malaria is also easily diagnosed and treated.  (One man I know who worked in PNG said he'd rather have malaria than a cold because malaria can be treated effectively and its recovery time can be short, compared to a lingering head cold!)

Sunday morning, I woke up feeling vaguely sick and spent part of the day sleeping (although I spent another part of the day running around playing ultimate frisbee!).  On Monday I still felt sick and left work mid-morning to come home and sleep.  In the afternoon, I realized I had a fever and suspected malaria.  By the time my first round of chills had come and gone, the on-center clinic was closed, but the on-call nurse met me there and did two tests for malaria.  However, both tests came back negative.

Tuesday morning I was feeling tired but not running a fever, when a doctor came to my house to tell me I did in fact have malaria.  (A lab technician had rechecked my tests from the previous night and found malaria parasites in them.)  I started my medicine immediately and within the hour was comfortably resting at the house of some kind neighbors, as arranged by the "member care" department. 

This compassionate couple looked after me in their home for the next two days, while I mostly felt better but also had one more bad cycle* of the malaria.  I came home this morning, feeling better except for being tired and weak, probably a lot due to the fact I haven't been able to eat much for the past few days. 

For those of you who heard about me being sick, thanks for your prayers!  I'd appreciate continued prayers for my health as I regain my strength, and for wisdom as I consider what to do about going on a survey next week. 


*Malaria comes in cycles.  Between fevers, people with malaria often feel much better, or even completely well (like I did Sunday afternoon when I played frisbee).