I'm sure you are better prepared to recognize it, than even an MD who has practiced only here in the states. Aren't you going to need an Rx if it turns out to be malaria?
Scary, VERY Scary. Does malaria lie dormant in the body and reoccur occasionally? Only once? Does anybody know?
HGTV will be showing the White House Christmas in 15 minutes.
Ah, sorry about that. A phone call came in from a colleague just as I was posting that last message. Her temp is a low-grade fever, nothing soaring.
I'm making the diagnosis based on symptoms and knowing the opportunistic nature of the diseas. Malaria camouflages itself very well and so I may have misdiagnosed and could be overdosing her. My starting her on these meds will make it harder to get a clinical diagnosis based on blood work. Oh well.
The malaria parasite lives in a person's liver for a long time lying dormant. If a person's immune system is compromised by a cold or operation or whatever it frequently will use that opportunity to flourish into the blood stream. That's when a person feels ill. The youngest was sick right before Thanksgiving and this is the toward the end of that incubation period.
Most people like me bring malaria meds with them and have them just in case a situation like this develops. It takes a lot of experience to be able to accurately diagnosis malaria. I just don't think there is a clinician quickly available who could diagnosis it. I'd rather start her on the meds and see if that handles it. If the temp goes way up tomorrow then I'll take it to a doc. I've heard horror stories of patients being put into quarantine over a slight case and then almost dying because the docs didn't know quite the right protecol.
Anyway, she's feeling pretty depressed right now. I'm heading upstairs w/ a Tom Selleck movie for us to watch together. I'll give an update in several hours.
Guennie, before I go, I am so excited w/ all the wondeerful newes of Jen ande Emily. What a wonderful gift. She sounds beautiful.