Morning Magpies and Malaria

I was happily asleep in my bed at 7 am this morning when I was rudely awaken by a noise at my window.  In my sleepy state, I was rather confused.  I live on the 4 floor of a tall apartment building.  I tried to ignore the tapping noises, but couldn’t.  I got out of bed to find a large and scary looking magpie trying to pry open my window with it’s beak!  It’s beak was huge and rather frightening.  I managed, in my terrified state to make enough noise and movements to scare it off... but then it came back!  Stupid bird! 

I noticed it’s mate in the jack fruit tree below, and was suddenly grateful for the specific magpie I was struggling with.  It’s mate was even more massive!   These things are freaky!  I’ve heard them before in the morning, but never on my window ledge trying to pop open my window!  I might have to get creative about deterrent methods. It was a terrible way to wake up.  I would like to fly Martin Moran to Africa with his magpie gun to help me out.

But I was fully awake, so I played guitar for a while (cause my housemate has a guitar!) and wrote a letter.  There was still no power in my place (36 hours off), so I am now in a cafe after having visited the post office.

I have now officially had malaria for the first time.  On day 5 I am still feeling weak, and would much rather be at home in bed then in this cafe. 

Malaria is terrible.  It makes you feel like you are going to dying in about 10 different ways.  Every part 

of your body has some sort of pain or problem, and you just want to cry.  You think about how nice it would be to die at different points in the process.

My malaria came on in Gulu, 7 hours from home.  That journey back was horrific.  I wasn’t able to eat for over 40 hours, and when I did there were consequences.  Fever comes and goes, but my brain has been strangely clear.  That’s frustrating because I want to do something, but then my body reminds me that any kind of action is forbidden.  Movies are great.  Thankfully I got the first part of Bones season 7 after I tested positive for malaria.

I’ve been in Africa for 2 years, and never had malaria.  I have to say that is pretty good.  I went off of preventative drugs after only 3 months of being here.  They are expensive, and I don’t really think worth it.  I have decided to stay on the malaria treatment for the next 2-3 weeks.  For some reason I’ve been getting eaten alive recently by a variety of insects... it’s not fun.  The medication isn’t cheap and will make me tired, but I think it’ll be worth it to clear the malaria from my system. 

Thankfully everyone understands.  All you have to say is “I have malaria” and all expectations are dropped!  Everyone knows how bad malaria is.  I don’t think I’ll make it into the office this week, and will need to take it easy next week.  I hate taking it easy, but I’ve been working myself to the bone over the last 6 weeks.. so I really need to ease up. 

I am tired.  When you are sick with malaria, it is totally ok for you to ask people to do things for you.  Which is really helpful... I didn’t have to do my own shopping this week.  I don’t think I could if I had wanted to.  

So.  I don’t recommend malaria.