when I woke up in the middle of the night, cold. So I got three more blankets, buried myself and went back to bed.... (thought nothing of it, as desert nights get cold.) Woke in the morning with a fever. Slept the entire day, waking up for half an hour to have warm milk or oatmeal. Joked around about it being the end for me (as is my style), told the neighbor to tell my family I loved them, to scatter my ashes 1/2 in Kanyakumari & 1/2 in Lake Michigan --> I'm so morbid, I know. The next morning I had a headache but was feeling better, so I went into the community, helping women paint and cook and get water from the well. Evening hits; the fever comes back full force. I get Rishi to bury me under about 8 or 9 blankets and call a doctor to make a house call. He test for malaria but admits that he doesn't know how to use the test kit (his nurses usually do it). The blood test is negative, he concludes that it is probably viral, and then prescribes an antibiotic. Hmmmm.... I'm no dr., but aren't antibiotics for bacterial infections???
I don't trust indian doctors.
And so, we venture out to the city 2 hours away for a 2nd opinion. He does a professional blood test at a lab. The verdict?...
I have malaria.
Mom, no worries. I'll call you tonight. :)
4 comments:
hey girl
get well soon. and take care of yourself
FUN FACT: They use to treat syphilis with malaria. Because, the the high fever malaria produces, would kill the bacterium (Treponema pallidum) that causes...syphilis. Malaria usually presents in a cyclic fashion with fever. Since they could treat malaria, but not syphilis...they would purposely infect people ...with...(i'm sure you guessed)...MALARIA and then treat the malaria! But then penicillin was discovered....and malaria as a treatment plan...faded awaaaayyyyy..................
Well, don't worry about the malaria. If you were very old, or young (even though you act very old and young which happily averages out...to 24)...i would worry, but the infection should just run its course. I'm sorry your really sick, and i hope you get better soon. There is a bright side though! If you had syphilis, its cured! :)
I'm really happy to know your doing well (if you ignore the fact you have malaria), and i'm actually now inspired to do something like this. Yes, your dream of being a roll model has finally come to be. Or if it wasn't your dream, i hope you make it your dream quite soon, so you could finally...realize this dream. Hey! i'm proud of you!
Sincerely,
mr/ms anonymous <--- i'm shy :(
hey..YOU WERE IN THE NEWSPAPER TODAY!! it's all over the soni's. man, we're so proud of you. good to know u're doin good in India..hopefully we'll come visit you over the summer and remember...DON'T TURN INTO A FOB! i luv you and so does everyone else and we all miss you. by the way, this is foram. you know..your favorite cousin haha luv ya
hey rupal, chien here...
i've been offline for a month so i haven't been able to check your site... however,
DEAR GOD, GET BETTER!!!
you're well missed here in chicago!
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