June 2, 2002
I heard the knock-knocking at my door
My ass was the only place it could he said so I had to comply. But the pain was necessary if I was to get better. My head was light and tight with headache, fever had taken over and sweat was flowing. I tried to sleep but it comes small with only shivers/convulsions, hot flashes, cold snaps, spots when I closed my eyes. "Awake" in the morning and I go to the hospital to check myself in and in a few minutes (it's best to go in the morning) I'm in the casualty ward with another guy who's moaning on the ground. I.V's are hung and drugs administered. Then three more injections in my derriere. But fever comes and goes still and appetite is nowhere to be found Fanta tastes okay though. I daze in and out of the world and in the morning feel somewhere close to normal so I'm let free. Still a little dizzy I walk home in the afternoon sun on an extraordinarily hot day I felt like I was actually baking. At the house I rest but the headache returns, the fever returns it all comes back to me. I take some drugs and go into the room and my neck gives me grief and sleep doesn't come at all. Fever envelopes and the shivering is too much. I 've never felt this way. In the morning I took myself to the hospital again for a blood test to see what exactly is going on inside.
Again they send me to the casualty ward and while eating some rice and stew a German doctor sees me. He says bluntly..."You don't look
well." I stopped eating. He tells them to send me upstairs to the 3rd floor where he will take over my case. Once there I'm in a private room with a nice view and some rats too keep me company. I start a treatment of mefloquine..6 in less than 24 hours....I shudder. But we do it and I don't sleep. Daybreak comes and I feel better but the head is aching too much and the neck is killing me. Doctor comes....calls me stupid for coming here without prophylaxis(I figured it was worth the risk) and wouldn't be the first white man to die on this bed. Then I start thinking. I'm getting better but am I free of the malaria? So with three days of no sleep and most of those three days spent alone in room staring at the ceiling, I gathered many insights and ideas about everything. So I take it as a bonus. So the next day I feel fine no signs of anything malaria-like. Doctor is pleased and sends for blood. We test it but it says there's more. I'm sad.
But he lets me go home to come back tomorrow for another test. So I guess I'm okay now. The whole experience is kind of mind-blowing thinking about it but I wouldn't wish it on anyone....those who've been there know what I'm saying. Since Monday I've probably taken more pills, injections and sweat than in my life thus far. I gave myself a suppository, roaming the halls at night, saw the art in the dirt on the "seeling", eaten the least(except when I was fasting), and locked myself in a bathroom and used a broom the open the door. I should tell my parents about all of this but they've traveled.
Other than that the Northern region is awesome. I began dancing with an amazing fellow named Awal who has been with me since I became sick. A great dancer and teacher we should resume tomorrow or so. There's so much more but this is enough already. If it's too much I apologize in advance. Hasta luego...
curtis
I heard the knock-knocking at my door
My ass was the only place it could he said so I had to comply. But the pain was necessary if I was to get better. My head was light and tight with headache, fever had taken over and sweat was flowing. I tried to sleep but it comes small with only shivers/convulsions, hot flashes, cold snaps, spots when I closed my eyes. "Awake" in the morning and I go to the hospital to check myself in and in a few minutes (it's best to go in the morning) I'm in the casualty ward with another guy who's moaning on the ground. I.V's are hung and drugs administered. Then three more injections in my derriere. But fever comes and goes still and appetite is nowhere to be found Fanta tastes okay though. I daze in and out of the world and in the morning feel somewhere close to normal so I'm let free. Still a little dizzy I walk home in the afternoon sun on an extraordinarily hot day I felt like I was actually baking. At the house I rest but the headache returns, the fever returns it all comes back to me. I take some drugs and go into the room and my neck gives me grief and sleep doesn't come at all. Fever envelopes and the shivering is too much. I 've never felt this way. In the morning I took myself to the hospital again for a blood test to see what exactly is going on inside.
Again they send me to the casualty ward and while eating some rice and stew a German doctor sees me. He says bluntly..."You don't look
well." I stopped eating. He tells them to send me upstairs to the 3rd floor where he will take over my case. Once there I'm in a private room with a nice view and some rats too keep me company. I start a treatment of mefloquine..6 in less than 24 hours....I shudder. But we do it and I don't sleep. Daybreak comes and I feel better but the head is aching too much and the neck is killing me. Doctor comes....calls me stupid for coming here without prophylaxis(I figured it was worth the risk) and wouldn't be the first white man to die on this bed. Then I start thinking. I'm getting better but am I free of the malaria? So with three days of no sleep and most of those three days spent alone in room staring at the ceiling, I gathered many insights and ideas about everything. So I take it as a bonus. So the next day I feel fine no signs of anything malaria-like. Doctor is pleased and sends for blood. We test it but it says there's more. I'm sad.
But he lets me go home to come back tomorrow for another test. So I guess I'm okay now. The whole experience is kind of mind-blowing thinking about it but I wouldn't wish it on anyone....those who've been there know what I'm saying. Since Monday I've probably taken more pills, injections and sweat than in my life thus far. I gave myself a suppository, roaming the halls at night, saw the art in the dirt on the "seeling", eaten the least(except when I was fasting), and locked myself in a bathroom and used a broom the open the door. I should tell my parents about all of this but they've traveled.
Other than that the Northern region is awesome. I began dancing with an amazing fellow named Awal who has been with me since I became sick. A great dancer and teacher we should resume tomorrow or so. There's so much more but this is enough already. If it's too much I apologize in advance. Hasta luego...
curtis