It’s been raining and gloomy for the past four days here in Addis Ababa. On the afternoon we arrived back from Southern Ethiopia I started to feel unwell and by dinnertime I had a fever and runny nose. I braved it out for a while, resisting the urge to panic and assume it’s malaria—according to my guidebook malaria presents with flu-like symptoms.
By the third day I was getting worse and dropped into the hospital to see what was wrong. After I paid 35 bir for the consultation I was told to sit and wait. After ten minutes I was called and brought into a second waiting room where fifty locals sat with their eyes glued to CNN. It was amusing being there with so many people who most likely didn’t speak English, watching the weather report for the US.
Within one hour I had my blood pressure and weight (but not temperature) checked by a nurse and was examined by a nice English-speaking doctor. After I agreed to try the local raw meat dish he proclaimed that my lack of appetite was not because I don’t like Ethiopian food… it was because I had the flu. Apparently there’s been a bad strain of flu going around here for the past two months and I’m it’s latest victim.
After a few days of medicine and sitting around watching DVDs from the rental shop next door to my hotel I’m feeling a little better. Today the sun is shinning, I had banana bread for breakfast and I found a minibus to Bahir Dar tomorrow for 100 bir less than my hotel was charging. I’ve managed a measily one gallery of photo uploads for you guys—The Mursi. Enjoy!
4 responses to “At Least it’s Not Malaria”
If you ever think you have malaria, ask them to take a pin prick of blood and do a malaria test. I’ve had malaria before, in uganda, and I wouldn’t want you to not get the medicine you need to cure it. Once you get the meds it takes about a week to clear up.The test takes like 3 minutes or so.
Get well soon!!!
well, wishing you a fast recovery! hey, by any chance are you going to try Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania? Just a question, You’ve blogged before that you dislike hiking, but if you get the urge to do so, mt. kili is the way to go….it’s the tallest in africa, close to 20 thou, and just amazing ecosystems!
Pura Vida,
Claudia
Lashema,
I will be more forceful in the future. I’m getting bitten horribly by somethign at the moment but I think t’s something like bed bugs, not mosquitoes. My right arm is even swolen, bastards.
C,
I don’t think I’ll be doing Kil. It’s not an easy trek and I think I’ve totally confirmed that I don’t rally like hiking unless I have to… I think it’s a bit pricey too. If I’m plunking down the money it would be to see the gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda or something.