memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Malaria update


Thank you everyone for your kind wishes, prayers and concern while I've been ill (yet again!) with malaria. By the time this post is aired, I should be feeling well again. To answer some questions you've asked:

As a rule, we don't take prophylactics - disease preventitive drugs - while living in a high-risk malaria area for an extended period of time.  The side-effects of taking these drugs on a regular basis are very unpleasant. I'm not sure why I have had malaria three times in the past four months, but hope I've built up a resistence to the disease by this. When I first arrived in West Africa, I had malaria three times in six months and for the remainder of the three years I lived in Guinea, I never, ever had it again.

I take all the precautions I can: I avoid being outdoors early in the morning and just before sunset when the mosquitoes are at their worst. I apply anti-mosquito lotion to my arms and legs every day. We have gauze screens on our windows and Grant has had screen doors fitted to the three external doors, which keeps the insects and dreaded mosquitoes out.

Till later, bless you all and have a wonderful weekend.

14 comments:

  1. I just hope you are better. Guess you don't have any spray there --like Deet or Off or something. I cannot go outside without spraying myself. We don't have many mosquitoes here---but we have tons of other gnats and little ones that are just annoying.

    Take care, Jo.
    Hugs and Prayers,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, no, Jo. Not again!
    Well, I guess I can pray just as well in Russia as I can in Canada. Please take care of yourself.
    Love, K

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for explaining more about the sickness here and in earlier posts.
    A young friend and her husband are in Tanzania several years managing an orphanage and school
    http://ourjourneyingodslife.blogspot.com/
    and I see snippets from time to time about their recurring malaria. But they never tell about it in detail.
    I worry about them.

    Be well, Jo!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So sorry to hear that you have been ill. Malaria is a horrible illness and will come back even when not living in infected areas.I was lucky never to get it after 7 years in Papua/New Guinea. However, I did take quinine tablets every day. I didn't have any side effects. Hope you don't get it back again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope you will feel better soon. Doesn't the Malaria vaccination help ? I remember these biting mosquitos in Egypt it was terrible. Each evening they went through the whole Hotel garden with a special product which stank like pure petrol but it kept the mosquitos away.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hope this time you really have built up resistance!! Take care and keep well. Diane

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm sorry I was not around to help support you through this ordeal. I do sincerely hope that you have built up immunity.
    You say you have screens on windows and doors but do you also sleep under mosquito netting? We do in the summertime to guard against other mosquito borne diseases.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jo, I do hope you are feeling better now. And I hope you are able to build up an immunity to the malaria. Take care!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I hope you're feeling better and back to your normal self. I've caught up on your adventures...wow! You've been busy enjoying nature. Thanks for stopping by. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jo! I think you have reached your quota for getting malaria. Hope you are back to normal now. Your header shot is stunning.

    Have you heard from Lynda?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glad to know you are feeling better. And I know you are right about the preventative meds and their side-effects.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm hoping and praying you really are well again. What a horrible disease!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am so sorry to hear that you have been ill. I hope you will be healthy very soon!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Things have been very busy around here of late and so I'm finding I have less and less time for blogging. When I get the chance I try to catch up with as many missed posts as I can. I can't believe I missed so many of yours, Jo.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo