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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

On the mend!

Thanks to every one of my wonderful blogger friends for the kind comments, thoughts and prayers while I've been ill. 

As usual, nothing is simple in Africa. In South Africa I would phone the doctor's surgery and book an appointment, get into my car and drive to the doctor. Here I sent a text message to my friend, Amanda at about 8.15am. It was Monday morning and Grant had back-to-back meetings and appointments so it was no use bothering him. At 9am, Amanda texted me back and said she would pick me up by 9.15 and take me to the hospital.

Once I arrived at the hospital, my friend, Matron Goudensia spotted me on the veranda and took me into the reception office. There the clerk opened a file for me under the new administration system which has been set in place since my last visit there in 2012. I took my file and walked  along the corridors of the hospital to the doctor's rooms which are set to one side. The doctor was in and beckoned me to enter. 

When he asked how I was, I said, I'd not be coming to see him if I was fine. Then I told him all about my aches and pains over the past two days. He said it sounded as if I had malaria so I need to go back to the lab technician for a blood test. He also requested that I be tested for typhoid. I walked along the corridors again, past the reception office where I found the lab technician. He took a large blood sample and told me to return at 2pm when he'd have results for me. 

Amanda dropped me at home and said she'd be back after lunch to take me back to the hospital. (What a darling friend she is!) When I returned to the lab technician in the afternoon, he told me my results would be ready in another five minutes. I retired to the wall on the veranda and waited along with about two dozen other patients. Eventually he came out and gave me my file with the results. I walked along the corridors once more to the doctor's rooms.

When I arrived, the door was locked! I sat and waited on the wall wondering if the doctor had returned from lunch. It was now 2.30pm. The doctor arrived and asked me to come in again.He checked my blood test results and the verdict was that I had malaria and a urinary tract infection. The good news was that I didn't have typhoid! Thank goodness for this.

I am on a series of antibiotics for the infection, and a three day course of anti-malarial drugs to rid my body of the parasite which causes this horrid condition. So while my headache persists (he also prescribed painkillers) I feel vastly improved from 48 hour ago. 

When I came home from the second visit to the hospital, Ginger was waiting at the kitchen door. I beckoned him to come into the garden without the other two cats noticing. We sat in the late afternoon sun and relaxed while I waited for the first of the medication to work its magic


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16 comments:

  1. Oh, I'm glad you got things taken care of and that hopefully soon you'll be feeling brand new before too long!! Thanks for letting us know the good news! Take care of yourself, Jo!! And have a good week!

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  2. Hope you get well soon. Here in Malaysia, the sun is extremely hot these few days and lots of people had fall sick. Even I had just recovered from fever, bad cough and flu. Your cat looks chubby. Lovely colors too. Hope you have a great week ahead

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  3. Bless your heart... Glad you did see the doctor though even though it took so long. Please take care of yourself and get well.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. Thank goodness it wasn't typhoid. Seems that the malaria will keep acting up. Can you get cranberry juice to help with the urinary? Keep on resting and healing my friend.

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  5. Sorry to hear about your illmess - always a bit scary! Hope you go from strength to strength. x Caroline

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  6. Glad you are on the mend - I think you should make like the cat and just lie about for a bit!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  7. Oi. Wish I could send some cure-all chicken soup down to you.
    Shalom Jo, be well!

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  8. slow service, but effective at least. glad you're mending. cat purrs can only help too.

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  9. Jo...enough of this malaria business. Get well very soon!

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  10. Jo, so glad they found out the problem quickly and you are on the medicine. I hope you are back to normal soon, take care!

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  11. I hope the "magic" of the medicines has begun. Sounds like you've been seriously ill. Please take care and get well quickly, Jo.

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  12. Oh Jo! I'm so sorry it's back again!
    Take your meds and Get Well Soon!!
    hughugs

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  13. Just got back from Indaba and catching up on everybody. Hope you are feeling better by now.

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  14. I think I would have gone mad in that hospital, walking up and down corridors when you feel so bad ! I would have asked for a wheelchair and let me push up and down corridors ! And then returning home and coming back ! What are they doing when you are disabled ?? Crazy ! I once had to wait in a hospital, they had put me in a room and said the doctor would be there immediately, after half an our of "immediately" I got so furious that I lit a cigarette ! You should have seen how many sisters and doctors where suddenly available ! They told me that smoking is not allowed. I said yes I know, but it is the only mean to get your attention. The doctor said nothing stayed and did his job !

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  15. So I was unfortunately right that it was a recurrence of malaria. I instantly had a nasty feeling. I am so glad you went to the hospital to get treatment. Malaria is a nasty affliction.I hope the scientists can find a drug to cure it permanently.

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  16. Oh, I am so sorry you've had malaria again, Jo. But I'm very glad that you got the right treatment as soon as possible. Malaria sounds absolutely horrible!

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