The Big M...Not So Bad If You Have Big $
Trip Start
Jun 18, 2008
1
15
24
Trip End
Aug 17, 2008
Mwanza,
Tanzania
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The reality is that contracting malaria really is not a big deal if you can afford medical attention. In my first blog from Mwanza, I wrote that several of the volunteers had suffered from malaria. Most of these volunteers were not taking their anti-malarials, but the present strand of malaria in this area is heavily resistant to these drugs. I was prescribed the best ant-malarial medicine known to date, and my doctor even researched and confirmed this was the best drug for East Africa. I religiously took the pill each morning at approximately the same time. I used mosquito repellent day and night and slept under a brand new mosquito net. Still I got bitten as a lot of mosquitoes do get in our house. Jo has looked for holes in the screens, but believes it is due to six housemates and two Maasai constantly coming in and out. Perhaps I got bit in the shower where there are always a couple of mosquitoes, and where I am most vulnerable without clothes or repellent. Whatever the case, on July 24 I was feeling a little strange. I honestly did not feel that bad, just a little off. I only went to the doctor to confirm that I did not have malaria before leaving for Rwanda. Even though another volunteer, Anna, had been diagnosed with the illness despite her anti-malarials, I truly believed my pills were stronger and I was more disciplined in protecting myself. Although there was abundant evidence suggesting the futility of the anti-malarials, naively I believed the western methods would prove effective. Unfortunately, this was not the case and my malaria test came back positive.
Doubting my ability to effectively communicate how trivial worrying about this would be, I decided not to tell anyone at home. I need to do more research regarding this disease as I do believe more people die from this than AIDS. However, I suspect the severity of malaria is really a case of geography and economics. Fortunately, I was able to walk about twenty-minutes to get tested for malaria. Even if there was no doctor close by, I could afford a taxi if needed. Geography becomes a challenge for rural populations who are at a great distance from the doctor and lack money for transportation. I was at the doctor within an hour of feeling sick. My malaria test was done immediately and only cost fifty cents. It took ten minutes to discover I had gotten malaria, but the medicine cost five dollars. As an American, a five-dollar medication is a bargain, but surely this is not the case here. This could get quite expensive for large families and frequent sufferers of the illness. I imagine that malaria is such a horrific disease because thousands of people die from something that is so easily treatable.
Discovering that I had malaria, Michelle also went and got tested. She too was a victim. We had bus tickets to leave for Rwanda the next day. We honestly did not feel that bad and hated the idea of canceling the trip as it was the only time we had to spare. We knew we would greatly regret staying home if we felt fine the next day. I reasoned that since I was able to walk to and from the doctor with malaria, I could travel to Rwanda. We had our antibiotics and made a pact that we would turn around and come back if we began to feel worse. We also knew Kigali would have better medical attention than Mwanza if we needed it. I absolutely do not regret this decision.
Since I caught my malaria early, I honestly found it to be more pleasant than the flu. I was very tired the first full day in Rwanda. This explains why Michelle and I scaled back our excursions and were so thrilled with hot baths and TV. My main symptoms consisted of fatigue and back pain, but maybe was that just the side effect of a fourteen-hour bus journey? Would I have felt differently without malaria? I felt much better the next day though did easily tire. In total, I spent a week and a half lacking energy, feeling a little achy and cranky, and slightly mentally-challenged. Generally, I felt off and a little out of it, but not that sick. The most difficult part was the lack of patience and the resulting challenge in dealing with the children. I decided to split my classes in half and hold each class every other day as to preserve my energy and patience.
On August 5th feeling myself again, I confirmed that my body was without the malaria parasite. As warped as this sounds, malaria is a bit of a rite of passage for Hands of Mercy volunteers. As I write this, Liz sits across the couch experiencing her second day of malaria. Though the statistic is lacking from the volunteer packet, Jo informed me that only four volunteers have not succumbed to malaria. Jo has suffered from malaria five times, and today Sara was diagnosed with her third bout. Apparently there is even a Facebook group called, "I went to Buswelu and got Malaria." I am not a big fan of the Facebook groups, but that is one I just may join.
