27 Oct 06 Malaria
Monday 6 November 2006
I'm having a blast reading through my old letters posted to this blog. Funny stuff! Of course I get the feeling that not all those moments I write about are my best, in fact, I'd wonder if I sound a little crazy. Perhaps. Anyway, anyone reading these will get something of an idea, and for that, this will be a success. "Take what you can, give nothing back". <-- From Pirates of the Caribbean and so very appropriate here in Sub-Saharan Africa.
So, what's the occasion this time? Why am I in town and posting? Yeah, well, I got malaria and thought a road-trip would be fun. Turns out it wasn't. Actually, I was fine last Thursday before crawling into bed. As soon as I laid down a fever and headache hit me like a train, instantly. That was a sleepless night while a backache crept into the malaise. By morning I was hoping it was just the flu and would soon abate. Hahahaha, I was wrong. diarrhea started by sunrise and dizziness was common as I was walking back from the pit toilet. I spent Friday the 27th laying on a reed mat in the floor of my insaka, trying to stay cool in the 90+ heat with too little of a breeze. Sips of 80+ degree water was all that I could manage. A constant fever of 103F made me worried enough to think it could be malaria so I started the first dose of Coartem (four pills twice a day for three days) and Aspirin (or the Zam-equivalent called Panadol). Mrs Banda was so worried she arranged for Mulenga's uncle to lift me on his bicycle to St Mary's Clinic the next morning. Good thing someone took me, there was no way I could have even stayed upright on a bike. I dropped off the blood slides I took the day before (Peace Corps gives us several slides with strict orders to take samples if we suspect malaria), and was told they couldn't be read for a couple days. So I walked up to Bob's house and fell into a chair... he was out the morning to a farmer's place. He came back and took care of me for two days, at least I ate something, and he kept an eye on me. Monday morning was my last dose of Coartem and I was able to walk without too much difficulty so I went down to the clinic and asked for my slides. The Doctor (does a BA really mean you're a doctor??? I suppose that's the top of the ladder here) said the slides were positive and it was a high count, so there was little chance of a false positive. Good thing I immediately started the Coartem. Protocol now dictates that I go to town and call the PC Medical Officer. By Thursday I was on a truck headed to town, feeling a little weak yet, but but no longer ill. After talking to the PCMO I was on my way to Lusaka on Friday to do a follow-up blood sample to check the levels of the anti-malarial chemo-prophylaxis in my blood. Since I didn't miss any dose, I'd nothing to fear, this is just a check-up. The sample goes to the CDC, I think part of the reason is that World Health Org (WHO) is worried that the current drugs are becoming resistant to malaria like all the previous ones. We used to have Malarone to combat malaria but have had to switch to Coartem because too many tourists came on Malarone as a daily prophylaxis and didn't take other precautions such as mosquito nets, so malaria has been able to adapt. We now worry that our prophlylaxis Mephaquin is heading down that path. This is something the CDC and WHO are watching for.
In a few hours I will finish up my errands and head back to the village. Masuzyo called me last night and will also be headed out to the village, so I should have some company on the ride. This current trip was unplanned, but next week I was scheduled to come to Ndola to meet Elizabeth, so I'll be running around a bit. I've updated a few dates on my website mainpage indicating when I'll be heading to town. A busy schedule should make the rest of 2006 pass by quickly, at least I'm hoping.
The rains have begun with daily sporadic downpours and booms. Both afternoons thunderstorms swept through Lusaka, but they were brief with more wind and lightning than actual liquid precip. Last night the same thing happened in Kitwe, a line of storms swept through from the east (that's the prevailing direction). I'm sure it's been raining in Kantende since I've been away, the constant dust will be replaced by constant mud. At least a thunderstorm will knock the heat back. The last month (maybe more) has been in the 90s with increasing humidity. The highest temp of the year was last week at 97.3F. I've been dying for cold water to drink, dreaming about ice cubes, and no longer know what air conditioning feels like. I'm tired of drinking hot water, it's difficult to stay hydrated when you can'd cool off. Days of rain, drizzle, or storms should bring at least some temporary relief. However, this year should be nothing like last year's above-normal rainfall. In fact, the University of Zambia (yes, they have one) is warning that rainfall should be normal to below-normal. That means drought likely in Southern and Eastern Provinces. It also means that if there isn't rain every day, the sun could come out and make it like the Congo here... hot and humid and nasty. Last year was a bit more like Seattle with all the constant cloudcover and rain.
Anway, that seems to be enough tangents for one blog. I'll save something for later. Take care - nathan
I'm having a blast reading through my old letters posted to this blog. Funny stuff! Of course I get the feeling that not all those moments I write about are my best, in fact, I'd wonder if I sound a little crazy. Perhaps. Anyway, anyone reading these will get something of an idea, and for that, this will be a success. "Take what you can, give nothing back". <-- From Pirates of the Caribbean and so very appropriate here in Sub-Saharan Africa.
So, what's the occasion this time? Why am I in town and posting? Yeah, well, I got malaria and thought a road-trip would be fun. Turns out it wasn't. Actually, I was fine last Thursday before crawling into bed. As soon as I laid down a fever and headache hit me like a train, instantly. That was a sleepless night while a backache crept into the malaise. By morning I was hoping it was just the flu and would soon abate. Hahahaha, I was wrong. diarrhea started by sunrise and dizziness was common as I was walking back from the pit toilet. I spent Friday the 27th laying on a reed mat in the floor of my insaka, trying to stay cool in the 90+ heat with too little of a breeze. Sips of 80+ degree water was all that I could manage. A constant fever of 103F made me worried enough to think it could be malaria so I started the first dose of Coartem (four pills twice a day for three days) and Aspirin (or the Zam-equivalent called Panadol). Mrs Banda was so worried she arranged for Mulenga's uncle to lift me on his bicycle to St Mary's Clinic the next morning. Good thing someone took me, there was no way I could have even stayed upright on a bike. I dropped off the blood slides I took the day before (Peace Corps gives us several slides with strict orders to take samples if we suspect malaria), and was told they couldn't be read for a couple days. So I walked up to Bob's house and fell into a chair... he was out the morning to a farmer's place. He came back and took care of me for two days, at least I ate something, and he kept an eye on me. Monday morning was my last dose of Coartem and I was able to walk without too much difficulty so I went down to the clinic and asked for my slides. The Doctor (does a BA really mean you're a doctor??? I suppose that's the top of the ladder here) said the slides were positive and it was a high count, so there was little chance of a false positive. Good thing I immediately started the Coartem. Protocol now dictates that I go to town and call the PC Medical Officer. By Thursday I was on a truck headed to town, feeling a little weak yet, but but no longer ill. After talking to the PCMO I was on my way to Lusaka on Friday to do a follow-up blood sample to check the levels of the anti-malarial chemo-prophylaxis in my blood. Since I didn't miss any dose, I'd nothing to fear, this is just a check-up. The sample goes to the CDC, I think part of the reason is that World Health Org (WHO) is worried that the current drugs are becoming resistant to malaria like all the previous ones. We used to have Malarone to combat malaria but have had to switch to Coartem because too many tourists came on Malarone as a daily prophylaxis and didn't take other precautions such as mosquito nets, so malaria has been able to adapt. We now worry that our prophlylaxis Mephaquin is heading down that path. This is something the CDC and WHO are watching for.
In a few hours I will finish up my errands and head back to the village. Masuzyo called me last night and will also be headed out to the village, so I should have some company on the ride. This current trip was unplanned, but next week I was scheduled to come to Ndola to meet Elizabeth, so I'll be running around a bit. I've updated a few dates on my website mainpage indicating when I'll be heading to town. A busy schedule should make the rest of 2006 pass by quickly, at least I'm hoping.
The rains have begun with daily sporadic downpours and booms. Both afternoons thunderstorms swept through Lusaka, but they were brief with more wind and lightning than actual liquid precip. Last night the same thing happened in Kitwe, a line of storms swept through from the east (that's the prevailing direction). I'm sure it's been raining in Kantende since I've been away, the constant dust will be replaced by constant mud. At least a thunderstorm will knock the heat back. The last month (maybe more) has been in the 90s with increasing humidity. The highest temp of the year was last week at 97.3F. I've been dying for cold water to drink, dreaming about ice cubes, and no longer know what air conditioning feels like. I'm tired of drinking hot water, it's difficult to stay hydrated when you can'd cool off. Days of rain, drizzle, or storms should bring at least some temporary relief. However, this year should be nothing like last year's above-normal rainfall. In fact, the University of Zambia (yes, they have one) is warning that rainfall should be normal to below-normal. That means drought likely in Southern and Eastern Provinces. It also means that if there isn't rain every day, the sun could come out and make it like the Congo here... hot and humid and nasty. Last year was a bit more like Seattle with all the constant cloudcover and rain.
Anway, that seems to be enough tangents for one blog. I'll save something for later. Take care - nathan
posted by nathan at 02:29
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