Malaria - what does it feel like?

May 2013 Last week I started revising a grant for Imagine No Malaria (INM), a wonderful project under UMCOR - Health which joins hands with many churches and organizations in a major effort to eradicate malaria in the coming years. We in South Sudan know how this disease affects many in our small circle of friends, and many who lose loved ones to the disease every month. The truth is, even in 2013, ONE PERSON IN AFRICA DIES EVERY 60 SECONDS OF MALARIA! Most of us from the US don't understand much about malaria - because it was eradicated in the US in the 1950s. But Africa is so vast. What will it take? Then malaria struck me 2 days later despite bug spray and mosquito net, and my understanding of the disease became much more personal - not just as doctor and caregiver! It began with remarkable headache, body aches, fevers to 102.8*F and shaking chills. Wow! It had been more than 18 years since I had suffered malaria - and maybe due to my age, the symptoms and signs were much more intense. Or perhaps I have fewer distractions (like 3 young children!) that kept me from noticing what my body was going through. I knew that I was more than uncomfortable - and kept thinking what it must be like for young children to suffer these effects and have no understanding of what was happening to them. Or what it must be like to be a single mom with children who need attention and having NO energy to care for them OR NO MEDICINES CLOSE BY OR MONEY TO BUY THEM. Thankfully there is medicine to take to treat malaria, and I was able to get started within a day of onset of symptoms - but I must say, looking at the side effects of the medicine made me wonder what I was experiencing from the medicine and what was from the malaria parasites swimming around in my bloodstream. All my energy was zapped - the chills, nightmares, and sweats were pretty remarkable. I don't remember being this sick since I had the measles when I was 9 years old and Grandma came to help Mom care for the house full of spotted children! Thankfully my wonderful husband, Lynn, picked up the slack around the house and with the work that continued on this week. How grateful I was for his patience and understanding! I really am a terrible patient - as many doctors and nurses are! After finishing 3 days of strong medicine, I still felt pretty rough yesterday. Would I ever get my energy and appetite back? But thank God, as the day continued I felt slow improvement. Now today - I have fixed breakfast, washed a few dishes, listened to some inspirational talks on You Tube, spent time with my Healing Lord, and decided that I should write this blog NOW....and not wait! Yes, I am bushed at 12 noon.....and I trust I will continue to get better. But my passion to complete this INM grant proposal in the next week is stronger. I would challenge you to pray for understanding and solutions to this menacing disease of MALARIA in Africa and many parts of Asia. And learn what you can do to support the fight against malaria!You can go the the website UMCOR Health and click on Imagine No Malaria for starters. For many of our Prayer Warriors, I am grateful you were praying without even knowing the need. Thank you!