Thank you to all of you who wrote with get-well messages and prayers in response to Leslie’s message that I came down with malaria on Friday. It hit me really hard, but I’m much better after taking Coartem for the prescribed three-day regimen. The malaria test actually came back negative, but our doctor neighbor told me to take the malaria cure medicine anyway because I had all of the classic symptoms and there hasn’t been a stomach flu going around here.

On Friday morning, I threw up after getting up, but really didn’t feel that bad. Leslie had been up until 4 in the morning hunting, and she couldn’t drive; so I drove to school with the idea I’d go get a malaria test at the Diocese Medical Lab during second period at school. But during first period, while Henry’s class was watching a video, I threw up again and got much worse. I realized that I couldn’t drive, so I called Leslie. She got our neighbor, Robyn from New Zealand, to drive her to school to get me. Our other neighbor, George from Musoma by Lake Victoria, came with them to help get me to the Laboratory. Leslie drove me home and put me to bed. I slept the rest of the day, too weak to read or do anything other than get up a few times to throw up.

By Saturday morning I was feeling much better. I was able to keep some water and bread down. Sunday I was able to eat a little more, and today I’m almost all better. The only symptoms left are fatigue and a headache. I took today off. Leslie and our neighbor, Kate, are trying to talk me into taking tomorrow off, too. One of the things everyone has said is that people try to go back to work too soon and then relapse. The real problem is that the malaria parasite basically make your blood cells explode after they’ve multiplied in the cells and give you anemia. It takes some time to rebuild your blood supply.

We’ve heard that it’s not a matter of “if” you get malaria, but “when” you get malaria. We’ve had the first “when” for the family. Hopefully, we’ll be able to avoid other times. I probably got it while we were in Bagamoyo with side trips to Dar Es Salaam. We haven’t been taking preventative medicine because it’s the dry season in Dodoma, but it’s always wet on the the coast. The rainy season is approaching here in Dodoma, so we’re going to start taking preventatives this week. Wish us luck.