Malaria

Malaria is something that is discussed frequently among the SIP students. There are mosquitoes everywhere. We are constantly swatting at them and squashing them on each other. We are always applying more and more DEET - we're all going to get diseases in a few years or our kids are going to be born all funny.

Malaria pills are another aspect of the fun. There seem to be at least a dozen different pills available. There are two general types, ones that you need to take at the same time every day and ones that you need to take once a week at the same time. Most people are on the daily pills, but I am taking the weekly ones. There are problems with both. People are always forgetting to take their pills every day. Whoever remembers at dinner is always yelling in the dining room "take your malaria pills!", but even then, people often forget before they make it back up to their rooms after dinner. The problem with the weekly pills are that they can make you go insane ... literally. There have been many cases where weekly malaria pills have led to people attempting to commit suicide or experiencing other forms of mental distress. The only side effect that I have experienced from taking mine is very vivid dreams. Every Wednesday night, when I go to bed after taking my malaria pill with dinner, I have the most incredible dreams. They are long and complicated, colorful and bright, full of my favorite people (some who I haven't thought about in years) and excellent witty dialogue, and very memorable. Personally, I enjoy my 'malaria dreams', but I know other people here who really don't - sometimes their dreams are scary.

But the worst thing about malaria, and the reason that it has been on everyone's mind so much lately is that one of the most wonderful people here has it. My friend Sam (the blonde girl to my right) was diagnosed with malaria. She has been so sick for the last few weeks. The medication that the doctors gave her to treat the malaria didn't make her feel better. When they did more diagnostic tests on her, they concluded that the malaria led to her contracting hepatitis. She is being flown back to the states tonight. We are all hoping and wishing with all of our hearts that she feels so much better so soon. Travel safely Sam! We will miss you soooooo much!