The Case of Dengue
Dear Blog Readers,
I am almost 100 percent positive that when sister sackley got off the plane here in brasil last July, every single mosquito and their dog decided to invite one another to the party that is sister sackley´s blood. More importantly, all up and down her calves. In fact, if you have been creeper and strange in the past 8 months, you would have noticed that indeed, the mosquitos like sister mad. Before my first week was over, Sister Arnell and I counted over 20 bug bites just on one leg. (You can imagine what its been like to sleep. right?)
Well to say the least, the first few weeks itched. And I began the search to figure out where to buy anti-itch cream THAT WORKED. Because sister friend here has tried everything under the moon already. And insect repellant? HA! My personal supply ran out before August and it wasnt like it was helping anyways. My legs got so covered in bites that an elder in the office gave me his supply of bug spray his mom had sent him.
yeah. that bad.
And I am totally cool with rocking little scars on my legs for the eternities. Thats fine by me. What got me worried though, was the reaction people were giving me here. To be honest, the very first day here in the mission I had already heard about the disease. Everyone talks about it to be honest.
Dengue. (dang-ee)
And when i say everyone, i mean everyone. As i am walking down the street people are all ``oi americana be careful with dengue!`` It comes from the bite of a certain type of mosquito, only after she´s biten a certain type of animal...so you are thinking its rare, right? its a lot more common than you would think. And everyone has some story to tell me about how they knew someone that got dengue and died. And how dengue shrivels you up and you become just this little mess and slowly and carefully dengue drags you down to misery and endless wo.
Okay. Sister missionary look out. You can probably imagine unexperienced, scared sister sackley every night as she crawled into bed FOR MONTHS praying not to get the dreaded disease. Because welp, if walking in the favela everyday doesnt kill a white girl, brasillian mosquitos will. Infact, I even had a few dreams equal to that one girl from the hunger games that gets stung and eaten by the bees. yeah. Seriously.
You see where i am going right? You get the point that poor sister sackley ended up with the dengue.
Actually, before i get there i should say that after 7 months of praying not to get it, someone gave me the insight that you dont die from dengue unless you are old or an infant. After hearing that pieceful information all prayers of the said dengue went out the window. And so my friends, that is when the little creature STRUCK.
It must have been last thursday. I think. All i know is friday came and sister sackley had no apetite and wanted to just sleep in bed all day long. But i went out and actually worked. (bad idea)... Until about 7 at night when i pretty much passed out in the road. (its really never a good impression for poor greenies when you start speaking in english and then make a few choking noises and fall over-poor thing thought i was dying.)
BUT DONT WORRY. After sleeping all saturday and most of sunday, a million cups of water, tea, soda, soup, oatmeal and even a few swigs of a nasty grape juice an irmã brought me, (and more importantly a blessing from the Elders) My temperature went back down and starting today I am walking totally normally and feeling great. But holy cow i have absolutely no love for the mosquitos.
However, life time goal of getting a virus that sounds like something you would get from living in the Amazon? check.
until next week, love you!
sister mad.
p.s. still praying for hector?
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