Kathryn VS Malaria

I could not sleep for the life of me last night. I knew I was sick when I couldn’t find the strength to hold my book open long enough to read a page.

By the time breakfast rolled around, I was totally unable to function. I had consumed one bite of pancake before rushing to the restroom to throw up. B immediately started me on the treatment for malaria. (Note: For the sanity of my dear mother, I agreed to take the preventatives, but as we can now see, they don’t always do their job.) I slowly made my way to my bed, where I stayed laying down for a full 24 hours. I could do nothing but sip on sugar water and pray. The body aches were worse than I can even explain. I’ve been sick before, really sick. But this was almost unmanageable. By the time my second dose of meds kicked in, around 6pm, I could not even move. I was spiking a fever and getting shakes. To make even the slightest noise or movement caused pain to shoot from the top of my head to my tailbone.

B was such a great nurse. She brought her phone to me so I could call her if I couldn’t find the strength to yell next door. She got me all set up with a bucket and water and crackers (by this point it had been about 36 hours since I’d consumed anything but sugar water.) I drifted in and out of sleep, awaking four times with sweat dripping from my body. The fevers have to be the hardest part of malaria as there is nothing you can do but wait them out.

B came over at 3:30am to check on me. She had been having nightmares that I wasn’t going to be alright and that she would have to medivac me out of Mozambique. Luckily, by the time she got to my room, I was feeling much better. B said that I was the worse case that she has ever seen with the exception of a 20 year old man who waited too long to alert her that he wasn’t feeling well. It is surprising how okay I feel right now. I’m sore and I have another fever, but I was able to get out of bed and get to the office with little assistance.

I’m looking forward to being able to eat. I had a bit of lunch today, but my appetite is really nowhere to be found. I was looking forward to dropping some unsightly pounds while here in Africa, but malaria was not the way I wanted to do it!

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me. I am confident that I would not be feeling this well if it weren’t for your unwavering faith and support. I will update on this as needed, but hopefully this is the last you will have to hear about me and my new found amoebas!

And Mama..
I’m sorry I didn’t alert you sooner. I didn’t want you to worry. I’m going to be just fine! This is the life of a missionary! Constantly meeting opposition that will lead us on a path away from our goals. I’m still completely convinced that this is where I am supposed to be. My heart is so happy it could burst!