After three nights of unsuccessful sleep, a slight fever, body aches, and a headache, I gave in and hunted down an ever busy doctor for a lab test form. Dr. Danae, dressed to the nines in her new Fulani outfit while doing rounds, let me slide without too many questions. I get pricked but I then had to go into town with my mom who is visiting. I was fatigued but no worries, I made it there and back. Right before we head out, I got the verdict: positive at 0.05%. Not bad I guess, considering last time my count was 0.25% after a day of treatment.
Thursday night goes by quick and into a fitful
Friday night.

I felt alright in the morning but as soon as I stood up, I realized there was a limited amount of activity I could do. I could be up for about 15 minutes before I had sit or lay back down. We had a lot to do for a big meeting in the afternoon so I quickly made a list and gave it to Charis. She took charge while I sat with our temperamental printer and printed a couple hundred copies off, one sheet at a time. It can’t take more than one paper in the tray or else it eats them. It worked out though since I could just sit and zone out in my malarial state.

Thankfully, I had bought a bunch of peanuts when I went to the market so I would have some type of salty snack. There are very few salty foods here. Most snacks are sweet biscuits, cookies, wafers, or candy. Sweet foods simply do not agree with me when my stomach is not content. So rather than chance sweet foods and medication to result in vomiting and IV quinine (the worst), I happily munched on salty peanuts.

In the end, I was feeling 95% by Saturday morning. It makes a huge difference when you catch malaria early rather than wait and hope it goes away. Its similar to that awkward conversation you’re putting off or going with that idea you have. You’ve just gotta do it. And the sooner you do it the better off you’ll be tomorrow.

“A stitch in time saves nine.”

Zachary Gately
zchgtly
zgately.com
+235 91122492

L’Hopital Adventiste de Béré
ATTN: Zachary Gately
52 Boîte Postal
Kelo, Tchad
Africa