"Why did G-d create mosquitos?"

I asked this question to Liza one summer and she told me that they could say the same thing about people. But now I know the real answer: to give me malaria. Yes, I said it. The M-word. But don't worry!! I caught it early and I'm on treatment meds so I'll be fine but today was an interesting day. Right when you think you see the finish-line around here someone's like oh, by the way, go climb those 50 story stairs and then turn left, make your first right, go for a little while and then maybe, if the attendant is back from lunch then you can finish. Ha. No joke.

Last night I wasn't feeling too hot- a little nauseous, woke up in the middle of the night with bad stomach pains- not so good. Woke up this morning and I was like "I have a fever." Took my temp, 100.3, awesome. Had a wicked headache, my entire body was sore, and I was feeling a little woozy. My friends told me to either go to Nyaho clinic, one of the "good" ones that most people recommend, or the free student clinic across the street. (8am) I headed to the free clinic first cause its closer- bad idea. It was like a room full of people, just sitting around, no lines no nothing - no instructions. As a student I think we're technically allowed to cut everyone but I was so out of it and hot and tired I was like screw this- I'm going to a real clinic. So I headed to Nyaho. Oy. (9am)At Nyaho, I felt better cause it was clean and the receptionist was nice. I waited for a while to get my name called, I was fidgeting like a crazy person cause my body was so sore and my temperature was all over the place. So I paid $28 to register- there goes more than half of the $50 I brought. I got weighed and they took my temperature- but the lady took it out before it beeped and I was like uh.. it didn't beep. And she goes "no it doesn't" and I was like "its supposed to beep" cause it showed I didn't have a fever but trust me, I did. So I was like ok. Then I head to the exam room to wait longer. Finally I go in to see the doctor who asks me whats wrong, tells me that "I look ok" and puts his hand on my head to feel my temperature. Wow. Glad you have a degree. So then he says I need to take some tests. I go to get the invoice- $23. 75. Mind you, I only have $22.75 left. I went to pay and I was like can I pay for what I can now and then pay the rest later? And the woman was like no, you have to pay first. You go and come (the Ghanaian way to say like go back and then return) and bring the money. I was like no, I have malaria, I need medicine, I need it now. The lady was like no. Thats when I lost it. I was like listen, I'm in Africa alone, I have malaria, I need to get medication, I need someone to help me out. I was standing there like sobbing and freaking out so finally someone in this country did something quickly and I got some attention- ha. The woman called and sent me to talk to another man about payment. (11:30am)Luckily, I called Jenna and she came to my rescue at the clinic with money and love- so I paid them what I could so I could get the lab tests and pay the rest when she arrived. So finally she came, we waited, and waited, and waited, and waited- during which point I was like writhing from back pain and a head ache and me and Jenna were laughing and joking and making the best of it- it was great to have her there. Finally, they gave me my results and I went back to waiting for the doctor for him to read it. My tests were negative for everything (good because that means I don't have some other nasty disease) and he was like ok I'll give you malaria medication anyways. I was like could you have just given me the medication to begin with? and he was like yea, but we like to check for other stuff, and I was like I just wasted so much money!! Ah! (1:30pm)So then I put in my prescription ($11.20) and we finally got it and left. Jenna and I got lunch at Cuppa Cappachino/Josie's again- yum- smoothies and a salad- and then got caught in the rainstorm on the way home. We had to like jump over puddles and floods and it was a funny walk home, I was in a good mood. Got back here, called the travel clinic at home to talk to them but the receptionist was incompetent and being sassy and wasting my precious minutes so I dropped that. I took a nap, but its hard when you feel like you're like 48574 degrees and sweating. Now, just relaxing for the weekend. This is actually good timing. I have to work on my application for CHINA for winter term next year. I'm so pumped.

More on my health later- I'm off to nap some more! Don't worry about me!! I'll be ok and I have lots of people here to love me and worry about me. I do wish I had someone else here but its ok. Just getting excited for mom! Yay!