We never even felt the bite. They tell us the bug takes ten days to germinate so it means we were bitten on December 1st. Sue and I woke up on the 11th feeling achy, feverish, very tired, and light-headed. We were scheduled to make a trip to Kampala to get things ready for Christmas so we forced ourselves to finish packing and get in the car.

The trip in brought no relief. Tom, our driver and associate wanted to take us to a clinic, but we thought we had a touch of the flu and refused to go. This was a mistake. Sunday we felt some better and thought we might be on the mend. Monday was awful, just awful. By mid-day, Tom convinced me to at least visit the clinic and find out what was wrong. Not far from our accommodations is a clinic called "The Surgery", recommended  by the American Embassy. He took me there and signed me in. I was so sick I could barely sit up. Happily there was a slight breeze or I know I would have collapsed from the fever. After 20 minutes or so, the doctor saw me, gave me a quick exam, a blood test, and declared, "You have malaria."

Tom went to get Sue and bring her in as well. They confirmed it was malaria for her too. They immediately began treatment and admitted us for the night. I was seriously dehydrated so they hooked up an IV and piped in 16 liters of fluid. We spent the night, tossing, turning, vomiting, and trying to sleep. By mid-morning the next day we felt some better so they let us go home, warning us to take in lots of water and rest.

It is now the 30th of December, 19 days since we first came down with the disease. We are yet quite tired, have not gotten our appetite back, and are very careful. We tuck in the mosquito net more carefully, have committed to a regimen of anti-malarial drugs, and drink lots of water.

If you're coming up country in Uganda or anywhere in Africa, learn a lesson from us. Be careful. Malaria is nothing you need to experience. It is nasty, nasty stuff!!