Time flies (when you aren't dead yet)

Alex holding what he thinks is a mosquito

I've run away from home. Alex is, I think, recovering from malaria/man flu as slowly as possible so he can carry on his 'death blog'. He rather likes it. It's his new friend. Surely that's a heading in itself?

Up and Atom

9.30 Saturday morning and something is different. Alex is up. Our bed, a crumpled mass of crumbs, sweat, paracetemol and thermometers looks like Tracey Emin has been visiting. Alex has declared himself cured. I'm considering whether or not to continue blogging as it seems to have served it's main purpose - to humiliate him out of his sick bay. I might just wait and see how the next 24 hours progress before giving it up. It was last Saturday that he took to his bed - only to emerge and attempt the week on Monday, before collapsing again on Wednesday. Is this another false start? Will he make it despite the (not real at all) possibility that it could be dengue fever, meningitis, rabies or sickle cell anemia....

Sixteen Twenty Three

Disturbing news to report: Alex, despite his temperature dipping below the healthy recommended 37.2, has gone downstairs do whip up some supper for the children. Our daughter, on seeing him in the kitchen says 'LOOK! Daddy has his CLOTHES on!!' and laughs hysterically.

If things carry on like this I'll have to forget about this blog and return to my dissertation.

Man Flu - It's very serious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXLHWmjA5IE

View From the Spare Room

It's day six of Alex lying in bed 'dying' and aside from finishing my dissertation (less than three weeks tomy deadline), looking after the children, providing him with cappuccinos and room service, I have nothing to do - hence this blog.

He is so very ill. So ill that today he's only called me twice into 'his' room (used to be 'ours' till his nocturnal temperature-taking and groaning became too much) to tell him how funny his blog is.

I have my favourite book on my lap 'Where there is no doctor: A village healthcare handbook for Africa' and under malaria it says

Signs of malaria:
1. It begins with chills - and often headache and weakness. The person shivers or shakes for 15 minutes to an hour.
2. Chills are followed by fever, often 40 degrees or more. The person is weak, and at times delirious (not in his right mind). The fever lasts several hours or days.
*(the bit about not being in his right mind is the only bit I'm sure about so far)
3. Finally, the person begins to sweat, and his temperature goes down.


There's a bit more and then a section called Treatment, under which there is nothing about starting a blog.

I've searched the entire book for a section on 'Man Flu' but incredibly there isn't one. Do men not suffer this horrendous killer disease in Africa?