It was just the heat

“Comment vont les enfants?” (How are the kids?)

“Zane a une fievre encore. (Zane has a fever again),” I say.

“This will pass, it’s just the heat,” a chadian comforts me.

It’s been in the 100’s and down to the 90’s during the night.  Zane’s room is quite hot too.

I want to explain all about infections, disease processes, and how yes, Zane does sweat... it’s not just the heat.  But I just smile and say thank you.  

--

Last wednesday I got a stool test for Zane.

Giardia lamblia.

What?  Giardia?  Amoebas?  That’s what the villagers get.  That’s what stupid Appalachian Trail hikers who don’t purify their drinking water that they get out of the stream while admiring the ‘nature’ that is a deer taking a dump in the same stream upriver get.  That’s not what we get.  Our water is clean.

I studied in med school.  No really.  I remember it distinctly.  It was a Tuesday in 2003.  That wasn’t on the tests.  People don’t get fevers with giardia.

I search our books.  “17% of people with giardia get fevers.”

It still could be something else WITH giardia.  But for now we treat the giardia.

He’s been on metronidazole for 4 days now.  Today is the first day he’s been without a fever in 13 days.

Zane’s playing, eating well again, and laughing at his older brother playing.

Of course it’s cooled off too.  The rains started a couple days ago.  We slept with a top sheet.  Today it was down to 73 in our house.  It was drizzling outside all morning.  It feels cold to take a shower again.  Zane’s fevers are gone (at least for a day).

It was just the heat.  (Husband’s editorial note: This last sentence was delightfully tongue-in-cheek. It wasn’t just the heat.)

PS. Zane is now 2 days without a fever as this is a day late getting sent.  Thanks for continued prayers.

Checking out the swimming pool with Daddy and brother Lyol

Swimming with Brya's son, Benjamin