Recovering from Malaria

in Weekend Experienceslast year (edited)

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Hope everyone is doing well and in good health.

After almost a week of fever and pains, I finally got my diagnosis on Saturday. It was malaria, as I suspected from the beginning. On Friday, when I last went to the hospital, the students of “community medicine”, or whatever they call whatever it is they are studying, concluded that I had hepatitis.

I got hepatitis when I was 13 and I knew it was not hepatitis this time. The thing with the malaria parasite is that it is a tricky mother fucker who can make its final detection difficult. It has fed people’s whims and superstitious. I ended up having the positive result even though I had no fever at the moment and I had taken medication the night before to ease the pains.

I started taking the malaria treatment that very Saturday. I had to go to another outpatient hospital because the one we had been going would not give me the treatment (even though they had previously said they would). Apparently they had some demographic divisions and depending on where you live you are assigned to a certain hospital.

We went to the one nearest home (Cumanagoto) and were gladly surprised by a good looking facility (recently repaired and painted) and very nice attention. We had been so used to chaotic filth and nasty treatment that for a second we thought we were dreaming or worse.

The young doctor gave us the doses for the weekend and my wife had to go pick up the rest of my treatment on Monday.
Some people say once you start taking the anti-malaria pills, you start seeing and feeling some improvement. In my case, it was even worse. The pains and fever were back even stronger and the stomach became a mess. I was weaker than ever and slept very little. Whatever little sleep became nightmares in a loop.

By Monday, I felt a bit better, went to a lab for more tests, just in case, and got an amazing gift from a veteran doctor who is associated to the language institute I teach for. He deserves all my admiration and respect because this is not the first time he has shown such kindness. He asked my wife to take me to his office to have my stomach and other organs checked. Besides that, he provided a whole vitamins hydration treatment free of charge and left one his nurses in charge of coming to my place to repeat the treatment (which I just got). That really brought me back to life.

Malaria is a bitch. It’s a tough disease, even if there is an effective treatment to make it go. It can get complicated and hurt other organs, especially the liver, kidneys, and spleen. There are plenty of cases in our hospitals (both in my hometown, where I am sure I got infected, and in Cumaná, where I saw lots of young diagnosed patients), combined with other related diseases, such as dengue. I see no prevention program, no fumigations, and no emergency accommodations in hospitals to better take care of the increasing number of patients. But try to find that in the news.

I have to take the pills for 12 more days until I can go back to normal routine. No fats, no citrics, lots of fluids, chicken soup, and rest; that's what they all prescribe to recover from malaria. Hopefully, there won’t be complications.

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Sorry to hear that you have malaria, but glad that you got some treatment. Wishing you a speedy recovery with no further complications!

Thanks, @kenny-crane
Much appreciated

Oh, I am so sorry to hear that you and your wife have been afflicted with malaria and you so badly. My husband had it so badly as a child they called it blackwater fever - kidney damage. He's terrified of getting it again. Fortunately he no longer lives in a malaria area. I am glad you're getting such good care. Get well soon!

Thanks, @fionasfavourites
My wife is actually, ok (knock on wood). She's been terrific taking care of me. I have been afraid she might get it too, or just sick out of stress and tiredness.
The irony of all this is that despite our climate, malaria, dengue fever, and many other diseases had been eradicated from most places thanks to a well organized and excited program. None of that remains now and people in charge are as incompetent as they are cynical.
More than a health problem we have a political problem that ruined everything else and brought health problems back (with a vengeance).

Oh dear. I am aware of a little of this. We have had a similar journey and I have to believe that things will improve.

Glad to hear your wife is well.

Sadly, this is true all over the world:

More than a health problem we have a political problem that ruined everything else and brought health problems back (with a vengeance).

May your wife remain well! She sounds like the best medical care you could get....

Thanks. She is indeed 😍

Oha, I never had malaria, but that doesn't sound good. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Thanks, man. I hope you never get it.
Some of my relatives have had it several times. It's like you never get immune. And if you keep living in a mosquito-infested area, well, you can get it back anytime.

In Germany, malaria is still very rare. About 500 cases a year. Mostly due to mosquitoes that enter the country in luggage. But with rising temperature here in Germany as same as in the rest of the world, the mosquitos getting more and more here.

That is quite interesting. Stowaway mosquitoes! Biologists would cringe at the idea, but I think we'd be better off without those suckers

@hlezama Get well soon. You are right Malaria and Dengue are very dangerous and makes a person weaker day by day if not properly handled.
Nowadays, in subcontinent, Dengue is widely spread and affecting lots of people. Take care!!

Thanks. I have read quite a few stories about how bad these mosquito-borne diseases hit regions in India and other areas. So many decades, so little done. I mean it's great that there's a treatment but the fact that thousands of people still die of these diseases is just appalling.

it is so true that people still die due to malaria and dengue in this region after so many years of working and with such new technologies, we are still unable to defeat or decrease the ratio as it should be. Hope is the only and best option for us.
Take care and wish you speedy recovery!!!

Wow second person in one week I have learned about getting Malaria. My nieces son is in hospital as I write with Malaria, he does not live anywhere near infested region, it took a couple of days testing blood waiting for results before discovered.

Glad to hear you are on the mend, this youngster should hopefully be home after a week in hospital tomorrow.

Take care and look after yourselves no good two of you down at the same time!

!LUV

Thank you very much, @joanstewart
I can't imagine how a young person/child can experience this disease. I can't complain about cares. My wife has been superb at that. So much so I fear she may get sick (even if not malaria). I feel bad for many people I here who go through it without proper foods or cares.

Main thing is being diagnosed correctly then getting good treatment to recover, wishing both yourself and your wife well. We can never know with mosquitoes as they hitch-hike with people travelling ending up in cities where on least expect them.

Hi Mister. I'm so sorry to read about this.
So bad you are having such a hard time with this disease. But I'm glad that you at least are receiving a treatment to get well soon and that you are not struggling with this alone. Thanks God your wife has been there for you during this difficult time.

Hope you can recover with no future complications.

Take care!

Thanks, @marvic-1194
It's been quite a season. Hope you're doing better of your 🦶

Hi
Yes, I've been better. Almost ready he, he.

I wish you speedy recovery. It sounds like malaria is no joke. thankfully you have your wife taking care of you. Stay safe!

Thanks. It is no joke at all, especially when it delays your going back to being productive. Here, that's rubbing salt to the open wound

I totally get you! we don't have malaria but dengue is as scary as it can be.

Hi Henrry! I'm so sorry to hear that you and your wife got Malaria. I hope the treatment does well and pray for your speedy recovery. And it is so sad and frustrating to know the authorities are doing nothing to do some prevention campaigns. Saludos y cuídate!

Thank you very much. My wife is ok. She is not sick. On the contrary, she has made sure I get better sooner. I am not surprised about authorities passivity, but one can only hope that one day a miracle happens

I'm glad to hear your wife is fine. So you take care and have a speedy recovery

Hola amigo @hlezama deseo se recuperes pronto, cuidese mucho sobretodo la dieta . Saludos

Gracias. La dieta. Esa es la parte difícil. La gente dice sopa de pollo todos los días, por quince días! Yeah, right. Easier said than done.
Hasta ahora la recuperación marcha bien. Saludos

Malaria on the rise - and RSV, and more variants of Covid - and more young athletes dropping dead of cardiac arrest. I'm glad you seem to be on the mend, Henrry! And I'm surprised if "lots of fluids, chicken soup, and rest" is pretty much the only treatment. May you and Marianne (Covid) make a quick and complete recovery.

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Thanks. Lots of weird shit in the air these days. Our hospitals look like war hospitals. Then you go to the barrios and see how these people are living and you are surprised there are not even more people in the hospitals or falling like flies on the streets.
Did not know about Marianne. Hope she gets better soon.

Buenas noches. Que bien que te estes recuperando de una enfermedad tan nefasta. Mucho animo y a recuperarse se ha dicho, gracias a Dios te cuidan tus seres queridos. Da impotencia que estas enfermedades esten resurgiendos con fuerza en Venezuela, realmente se siente que estos Gobernantes no estan pendientes de la salud de las personas. Saludos amigo y que tenga pronta recuperación total.