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Marriage and Malaria in a Month!

It was a big month and I know as far as blogs go I am not terribly consistent in posting. I guess it is what it is and I always think that it is better late than never. 

I just wanted to let everyone know personally I am ok and alive (that was in question for awhile). I was released from the hospital last Monday night and went home. I guess I want to share what happened so you can celebrate with me the absolute miracle it is that I am home without meds or any lasting consequences. The malaria was one of the forms (there are 5 varieties) that does not come back, and the last 3 test they did said I was completely parasite free. Gee was better the Friday I was admitted to the hospital because they treated him immediatly with the correct medication. Here is what I wrote while I was in the hospital: (WARNING: this might be kinda gross for some people, you can skip to the end section if you just want to know how I'm doing now and miss the details).   

I was at the hospital for 10-ish days (i lost some in a coma). I wanted to let everyone know what has been happening. I got back from Sierra Leone on the night of the 6th, went to work on the 7th. I felt awful but had been flying for 37 hours and thought it was exhaustion. I slept for 13 hours got up to go to work, grabbed an orange juice got to school and threw up in my classroom. I had fever, body aches, nausea (obviously) and a headache. I called Gee and he had been in the hospital in Sierra Leone with the same symptoms on the 6th. He had malaria. I went to the ER and told them I had malaria, they asked me if I thought I might be mistaking it for the flu, because "this is Cheyenne, Wyoming". They sort of placated me and started some tests that would have to run for 24 hours after a full day in the ER they sent me home and said to come back if the symptoms got worse. They got worse, I was back in the ER on Friday morning with my brain on fire. They got the tests back finally and said, oh you have malaria. Duh. So they admitted me to the hospital from the ER that afternoon to the hospital and started some basic prevention treatments. On Saturday my oxygen had dropped so low they put me in the ICU for more constant observation. Thankfully I had a doctor who did some calling to the CDC and found a drug not approved by the FDA but one used in most of the rest of the world (it is safer, more effective, lower mortality rates, fewer side effects, faster, etc...). They sent a special courier with the meds through the air force base to me by Saturday night at 11pm. However by then they had started me on a form of quinine (sp?). By early Sunday morning they had originally thought the malaria had attacked my lungs but now think it was the quinine, and I ended up with lungs full of fluid, there were 8 people in my room working with some inverted pressure processes to keep my lungs working for the 3 hours it took to get me put on a ventalator. Two pic iv's, one arterial iv (5 attempts), a catheter, a breathing vent, and a nose feeding tube later I was sedated and put into a coma until Tuesday. By the by to do all the hardwiring they paralyzed me so I wouldn't move, but in the rush to save my life they failed to sedate me so I was completely mentally and physically aware of every single procedure they performed. I woke up a little apparently and asked my dad to read 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' and 'Where the Wild Things Are' on Monday and a little Tuesday night to ask about some soccer matches (I thought I was in a different country and wanted to know about Gee's favorite team). They let me come out of the coma on Wednesday but I still had to be restrained to the bed for 1/2 the day so I wouldn't pull tubes out, but I could write. I think I went through a ream of paper talking with my dad. Thursday they took out the breathing tube, Friday they took out the arterial iv and moved me out of the ICU back to the hospital (I set records in my recovery). Initially they thought I would be in the ICU for 1 month and in the hospital for 2. Saturday I started really walking and got 1 of the 2 pic iv's out. I also got the catheter removed. I took the stairs on Sunday. They finished the meds on Monday and sent me home.  

I hope I didn't gross anyone out too bad, but I really am ok. I had a friend visit on the Monday I was released and she said it was hard to believe all that happened because I looked just like myself. They only thing I am still struggling with is really low endurance due to the build up of the sedatives they used to keep me in the coma in my body. I have 10 days off for sure before my doctor reevaluates my ability to go back to work. I am trying to get up and around a lot because the Physical Therapist said that was the only way my strength was coming back. I will be trying to get caught back up here but I will be taking it slow.    

I really appreciate everyone who sent cards and text messages. It has been a long month, but it is great to be alive!