Malaria
Trip Start
Aug 19, 2003
1
10
16
Trip End
Nov 06, 2005
Miragoane, Haiti
Friday, November 14, 2003
Heres the update on me in Haiti. I arrived at my site last Friday. Three days later I came down with a nasty case of malaria of which I am just getting over. I'm still quite weak and my mind's a little fried but other than that I'm hanging in here. It's hardest to be away from home when you're sick. I ended up coming into Miragoane on Wednesday to call the peace corps nurse,because all the phone lines were down in Petit Riviere. My delegade and I waited four hours to find a machine, and ten minutes into the trip it breaks down. Then another thirty minute wait for a new machine to come along. The second machine stopped like a million times, and I had to ride on top of these huge bundles of breadfruit. When we finally got to Miragoane we went to the teleco to call the nurse but after like ten different numbers we still got no answer. Finally the eleventh number worked. The nurse told me she thought I had malaria and to go to the hospital for two blood tests. We went (the hospital was on a steep as mountain, great location huh). We had a consultation and then the doctor said come back tomorrow for the tests, I was ready to break down at that moment, after all the frustrations of getting into the city I knew I couldn't do it again the next day. We did get lucky enough to find a friend of the girl I replaced and they let us sleep in their house for the night. The next day we went up the mountain again, they stuck me and told me to come back at noon for the results. In the meantime we tried to go to the bank but I had left my crucial bank book at my house and so almost broke was forced to forget the idea. We went back to the hospital at 12 and the test was negative for malaria, but I had already started treatment and was recovering so when I called the nurse she said I definitely had it and the tests are not always accurate. So my money was pretty much gone and I had to come in once again today so that I could eat and pay my rent. We've got the Northeaster winds happening right now and it's pretty fierce the wind blows so so strong it's slmost unbelieveable and the ocean is angry. Not to mention insane downpours.. At least it only happens once a year. Well anyways I wish everyone my love, Shawn please write me an email, and dad too. And keep mom informed, I still don't know what her phone situation is.
Love,
Nicole
