Malaria!! It is a dreaded word here and across the world.
I have experienced my first case of Malaria since living in Uganda for two and a half years. The night I spent in the hospital with my friend Eve, I got a lot of mosquito bites and I kept thinking, "It is malaria season!" But when I was helping Eve in labor I just didn't care so much! My pain was nothing compared to her pain.
Malaria takes about two weeks to incubate, so I waited and just wondered, but I didn't worry so much. Steve and I were in Kampala when it hit me. I started feeling weak and then I started shivering. Uncontrollable shaking and laying in bed freezing! The body aches started and I went from cold to hot. Then the SWEATING started! I am not talking about a little sweat! I am talking about clothes drenched in sweat and bed sheets wet! It was so crazy! I have never experienced anything like it!
I woke the next morning and felt a little better so we went about our business in Kampala. We bought our groceries and I was so tired, but still not feeling so bad! Just really tired! By the time we were finished with our shopping, I just needed to rest. I was still denying that it was Malaria, even though I knew the timing was right.
Steve had meetings in the afternoon at the Embassy so I just stayed back and rested. By three in the afternoon, I was feeling a little better and but yet not better! I talked to the manager of the guest house and she called me a boda (motorcycle taxi) and I went to The Surgery! At The Surgery they tested me for many things, but malaria immediately showed up as my problem! They put me on Anti-malarial and made me drink lots of water. After drinking water, they moved me to a different room for observation. I had to stay for four hours before they would release me. Steve then came and waited out the last few hours with me.
Once we arrived back at the guest house, I was exhausted and I went bed. I didn't want to move! Again, I was dripping with sweat the whole night! It is awful! Steve went and slept in the other room! He was a good husband though and checked on my every two hours!
Now it has been a week and I am feeling much better! I still feel tired sometimes, but I don't ache so bad. I don't feel like my head is going to explode when I cough or sneeze now! I am so thankful for God's quick healing!
