Wednesday, March 12, 2008

malari...uh?

sittin in my chair
sittin in my chair
waiting on malaria results
sittin in my chair

that's the song i'm singing in my head right now... which is slightly crazy... which proves that i am not quite myself and thus a candidate for malaria, though i doubt that to be the case.

it started as an innocent sinus infection, and i doubt it will amount to more. but i have random weak spells and hot flashes, which could point to that most favorite of tropical diseases (it's right up there with amoebic dysentery) malaria!

getting a malaria test is easy as pie and only costs $7, so it's a good thing to do every now and then. i took a zemi ride to the clinic and sat waiting 5 minutes for a young girl to get tested before me. the lab guy pricked her finger and squeezed blood onto two glass slides (this is called a blood smear). the girl was about to cry, so i told her she had very pretty blood. i realize now as i type the words that i must have sounded ridiculous, but she smiled, so i'm guessing that's okay. she left and it was my turn... ooooh needles. i will voluntarily and gladly subject myself to an acupuncture treatment any day of the week... but needles in a clinical setting? shots and the like? makes me whoozy. not wanting to be shown up by the little girl though, i took a deep breath and got pricked. whew. two blood smears and a cotton ball later, i was paying my bill and out the door.

now i have to wait 3 hours for the results. i could call, but i struggle with french on the phone... so i'm just chillin around the corner from the clinic at my friend rhett's office... doing a whole lot of nothing. hence this useless post.

chances are i won't be back online to post the results (which will more than likely be negative) till tomorrow. till then... you're welcome to sing the malaria song in your head too.

6 comments:

agoblog said...

Good luck, I love Africa and I risk my life many times because of malaria.
Sitting on....
last year
I stayed three months in hospital
(Falciparum) and now I can sing
oh happy day!.
Ciao Lauren
Agostino from Italy

falco.gabu@libero.it

Rob Baker said...

What does the tune go like? Then I can sing it next time I'm waiting for my results!

Michael Young said...

The very idea of malaria is terrible to me, and I'm not even sure what it entails. Prayers to you. I'll hope for positive news tomorrow.

meresalge said...

Ohh, I love how positive you stay! I am praying for you and am looking forward to seeing you in May!!

Susan said...

Updates???? Hoping you are ok!!!

lauren said...

i'll teach you the tune when you get back from togo, rob.

no malaria here! woohoo! guess i'm just loopy.