Sorry you got so sick Ads. Glad to hear you're feeling better and that you are encouraging your host family to use bed nets. Their attitudes about bed nets/malaria are likely similar to my attitude toward bike helmets/head injury/death as a child. I thought it couldn't happen to me. Well, education has helped me a lot. Since studying personal injury and medical malpractice extensively--I am hyper aware of the many ways things can go wrong.... Anyway, why not try to make it fun for the kids/baby. Pretend as though the bed net is like a little castle--their own special place. Maybe they could decorate them---paint them, tie flowers or ribbons to the top...You always make things fun for kids, Adam--they love you =D BTW, I'm ready for you to be back in Winnipeg to hang out with now...
Truth be told I just got over a second round of malaria that was measurably worse... boo. But I am starting to feel up and chipper again! Turns out those few spread out beers probably took me down. Malaria resides in the liver and alcohol weakens your liver so I think I had a relapse (not a new infection, just the old ones building up lots of strength). I've now sworn off even the occasional beer. It's just not worth feeling like arse for 3 solid days plus the other residual effects (lack of appetite, lowered motivation, tiredness...).
I should have taken my own lesson and checked myself early, but by the time I checked my thermometer I had a temp of 39 deg Celsius (almost 2 deg above normal max). I didn't lose any underwear, but I did have plenty of diarrhea for 2 days and upchucked about 1 Litre in a single go. Still sticking to my belief that the bar for party animals is worse though! or.... at least similar. Kinda like stomach flu.
Great ideas on the making bed nets fun! I'll see what I can do. It could be a lot of fun :)
Great talking with you today Ads. Have fun a nice time in the village. I tell you sometimes I think it would be nice to get away to a quiet mud hut instead of being consumed by "To Do" lists here in the city... Hugs, Heids
I really like Heidi's idea about making the bednets fun for the kids; it's an effective method, similar to giving them a sense of power: ie finding a way of making the kids believe the bednets are, in fact, their own idea. You're very smart so I'm sure you have some tricks up your sleeve!
Regardless, I wish you better health for the rest of your placement. Twice already. Yuck.
Well that confirms it. Ghana's off my list of places to go to. If the malaria commentary hadn't sealed the deal the 'crazy critters from Ghana--the musical' did. You're a brave one Ads. I know who I'll be calling to come over if Christa & I ever have a spider at our house...love you, H
Christa ======== hahah... nope... don't need any new undies, but thanks!
Heids ====== Woah now! I bet if I made a similar video about Canada, I could freak you out from being in Canada! Remember that these are just THE coolest things that I have seen and aren't that common.
You bet your ARSE that you're coming to Ghana! The wonderful people are well worth the occasional malaria.
Also keep in mind that I have a horrible habit of not sleeping enough, in Canada and in Ghana. I love doing stuff and this cuts into my sleep and means that I don't rest enough. Low amounts of sleep preceded almost ALL of my health problems.
I firmly believe that if you take a few simple precautions (take your anti-malaria pill, sleep enough, eat well, wash your hands, exercise, laugh...) you can be perfectly healthy in Ghana.
But if you want to try and live an unsustainable lifestyle (too much work), maybe Ghana isn't the best place to be.
Guess what Ads, Mark this day in your diary. Today, Wednesday August 12th, 2009 it was HOTTER in WINNIPEG than in Accra GHANA! 29 degrees here in on the prairies as compared to a chilly 27 degrees in Ghana. Come home for the sun Ads:)
9 comments:
Sorry you got so sick Ads. Glad to hear you're feeling better and that you are encouraging your host family to use bed nets. Their attitudes about bed nets/malaria are likely similar to my attitude toward bike helmets/head injury/death as a child. I thought it couldn't happen to me. Well, education has helped me a lot. Since studying personal injury and medical malpractice extensively--I am hyper aware of the many ways things can go wrong....
Anyway, why not try to make it fun for the kids/baby. Pretend as though the bed net is like a little castle--their own special place. Maybe they could decorate them---paint them, tie flowers or ribbons to the top...You always make things fun for kids, Adam--they love you =D BTW, I'm ready for you to be back in Winnipeg to hang out with now...
counting down the days,
Heidi
Hey Heids,
Truth be told I just got over a second round of malaria that was measurably worse... boo. But I am starting to feel up and chipper again! Turns out those few spread out beers probably took me down. Malaria resides in the liver and alcohol weakens your liver so I think I had a relapse (not a new infection, just the old ones building up lots of strength). I've now sworn off even the occasional beer. It's just not worth feeling like arse for 3 solid days plus the other residual effects (lack of appetite, lowered motivation, tiredness...).
I should have taken my own lesson and checked myself early, but by the time I checked my thermometer I had a temp of 39 deg Celsius (almost 2 deg above normal max). I didn't lose any underwear, but I did have plenty of diarrhea for 2 days and upchucked about 1 Litre in a single go. Still sticking to my belief that the bar for party animals is worse though! or.... at least similar. Kinda like stomach flu.
Great ideas on the making bed nets fun! I'll see what I can do. It could be a lot of fun :)
Adam :)
Great talking with you today Ads. Have fun a nice time in the village. I tell you sometimes I think it would be nice to get away to a quiet mud hut instead of being consumed by "To Do" lists here in the city...
Hugs,
Heids
I really like Heidi's idea about making the bednets fun for the kids; it's an effective method, similar to giving them a sense of power: ie finding a way of making the kids believe the bednets are, in fact, their own idea. You're very smart so I'm sure you have some tricks up your sleeve!
Regardless, I wish you better health for the rest of your placement. Twice already. Yuck.
Looking forward to your next update!
Love Tricia
Awesome video kiddo.
Do you need some new undies?
Well that confirms it. Ghana's off my list of places to go to. If the malaria commentary hadn't sealed the deal the 'crazy critters from Ghana--the musical' did. You're a brave one Ads. I know who I'll be calling to come over if Christa & I ever have a spider at our house...love you,
H
Christa
========
hahah... nope... don't need any new undies, but thanks!
Heids
======
Woah now! I bet if I made a similar video about Canada, I could freak you out from being in Canada! Remember that these are just THE coolest things that I have seen and aren't that common.
You bet your ARSE that you're coming to Ghana! The wonderful people are well worth the occasional malaria.
Also keep in mind that I have a horrible habit of not sleeping enough, in Canada and in Ghana. I love doing stuff and this cuts into my sleep and means that I don't rest enough. Low amounts of sleep preceded almost ALL of my health problems.
I firmly believe that if you take a few simple precautions (take your anti-malaria pill, sleep enough, eat well, wash your hands, exercise, laugh...) you can be perfectly healthy in Ghana.
But if you want to try and live an unsustainable lifestyle (too much work), maybe Ghana isn't the best place to be.
just watch & see how much I can sustain;) who needs sleep when there are work calls all hours of the night & court appearances all day?!
Guess what Ads,
Mark this day in your diary.
Today, Wednesday August 12th, 2009 it was HOTTER in WINNIPEG than in Accra GHANA! 29 degrees here in on the prairies as compared to a chilly 27 degrees in Ghana. Come home for the sun Ads:)
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