This site may help you decide on how to treat malaria that you hope you never get.

http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/factsheet...ment/chap6.pdf

One of the drugs they recommend is Coartem. Safest one of all the choices and most effective for self administration.

Today seems to be have been the breakthrough - he's started eating solids, they have taken him off oxygen and fluid line and will be removing the line into his neck shortly as they no longer need it nor envisage needing it again.

He's looking really chirpy again and stronger. Still not 100% by any means and they said he's not ready to be discharged - they are saying Thursday is still their estimate.

But he's really turned the corner!

They have said that there is a slim chance of recurrence in between the time his current treatment comes to an end and before they can safely start him on another treatment which will aim to eradicate any of the malaria parasites hiding in his liver - this is what causes recurrences. But it is unlikely.

I really appreciate all your warm wishes and support. Thanks so much!

Kavey :D (smiling again)

:))

Yay!!!

Glad to hear it. So the good news is that he is on the road to recovery and his illness gave you the chance to publicize a useful cautionary tale.

Great to hear it!!!!!!!!! :-D

Thanks for sharing this good news!

Great news Kavey! Tell him everyone at Fodor's is rooting for him!
Dennis

Thanks for keeping us updated. Best wishes for his continued recovery.

Great news.

Glad to hear he's doing better!

Cheers,
Julian

Some advise for those visiting malaria areas...

Malaria has a ten to fourteen day incubation period.

When you return home and if you start showing signs of flu or severe cold, typically achy joints, perhaps a headache, and possibly signs of fever, calculate your travel period and if you were within a malaria zone: GO DIRECTLY to your physician and demand that your blood be tested for malaria.

Do not dismiss these symptoms as a cold, flu or similar and self medicate with asprin or whatever.

Malaria is treatable and cureable disease if caught early enough, however if you delay and if you do not have it correctly diagnosed you can be in for a tough recovery.

Most physicians not familiar with malaria will not consider this if YOU do not make them aware that you were in a Malaria area.

Kavey,
I am so glad to hear that your Dad is on the mend. You must also be exhausted. Take Care.

Hooray! So glad to hear your dad is getting better, Kavey :D

Kavey,
I'm so glad your father is better. Take care of yourself now!
- Joan

My best wishes for your father, too, Kavey. Glad to hear he is better.

As a relative newcomer to this kind of forum, I have to say I have a hard time understanding why many people seem to be happy to be guided by non-expert, anecdotal advice regarding their health.

You've got an important legal matter coming up, so you ask a Joe-blow what's the best thing to do, or you look for a good lawyer? It'd be more sensible to ask Joe-blow if he knows a good lawyer. And then double check with somebody else, because Joe-blow, like all of us, is full of prejudices. Granted, there are bad or indifferent lawyers, just as there are bad or indifferent doctors, but they're in the minority. And when travel health matters are concerned, why not seek out a specialist travel medicine clinic? Which of our "first-world" countries (I suspect most of the people who come here are citizens of such) is so backward that you can't find a travel medicine clinic?

This forum, BTW, is nowhere near as bad as another I've visited; there seems to be more intelligence here. But there are still unreasonable prejudices based on anecdotal advice. I have a good friend who used to react very, very severely to aluminium (aluminum). If he drank coke or beer which had been in an aluminium can, he would get very sick. He had to ask restaurants what they cooked their food in before booking a table. I still drink from cans and cook in aluminium pots. Personally, I react badly to aloe vera; I can't use shave cream, sunscreen, lip balm or soap which contains it. All the people I know still use things with aloe vera. Our modern world is full of poisons which we take for granted as commonly used products but which affect each of us differently, or sometimes not at all.

My simple message is always: forget what Joe-blow tells you, find a good doctor. Easy as pie.

cheers

Afrigalah, I totally agree with you.

Expert malarial advice is not based on guesses made on the basis of just a few cases (which may have been atypical anyway) but on rigorous research and years of experience dealing with high volumes of cases.

Anyway, just to update:

Yesterday Pops was even better and today he's very well and he's now getting bored stiff - a good sign! He showered and got dressed on his own etc. Should be coming home tomorrow.

great news on your dad, Kavey! Happy to hear he's coming home! Take care of yourself too.
Dennis

Kavey:

So happy to hear of your Dad's big improvement. Hope he continues getting stronger each day.

Jan