So I am 3 months into a 10 month deployment to the Horn of Africa. So far it hasn't been to bad. Extremely hot, but I have already put an extra $10,000 in the bank from per diem. Things were pretty good till yesterday. I woke up in the morning not feeling overly great. Went and seen doc, and had some test run. Found out I am positive for Malaria. I take my antimalaria pills like I am supposed to and wear my bug spray, but still got it. Now I'm on a new med to kill the malaria. I have the worst stomach ache in the world, but overall not too bad. I guess its just another day in the life of a Seabee. I am the second person on my det. to catch it. The first guy caught it twice. The second time we medevaced him to South Africa. After I caught it, we tested the rest of the det. So far an additional 5 people have tested positive, but noone else showed any symptoms.

How many of you guys have ever had Malaria before?

Marshall

 

Never had it but you are in our Prayers.

 

Marshall, hope you get better soon. Which NMCB are you attached to? Keith

 

I had it 3 times, i don't think they ever really get rid of it.

 

KT,

NMCB 7. Which ones did you do?

 

Thanks for watching our backs!

That sounds like a rough time. Get well and we're thinking of you up here in the PacNorWest.

 

Marshall, I was never in a Green Machine. I did 1 year Public Works Diego Garcia hauling trash, Delivering potable water and other EO stuff. 2 years in Point Loma, Ca. at the Sub base operating the cranes on a floating drydock. Over 3 years Operation Deep Freeze/ Naval Support Force Antartica. Keith

 

Had it a couple of times in Kenya and Uganda. Ain't no fun. Found out years later that I could not donate blood for transfusions because of it. They would accept my blood for experiments and other stuff, just not for humans. Guess that proves I must be sub-human.

If you are in a mosquito area, were you not issued mosquito nets?

Thanks for sweating it for us out there.

 

My prayers are with you for a quick & complete recovery ! Thank you for your service, it is appreciated much more than words can convey !

Dan

 

Gotta Love The Foot Print of Freedom LOL

 

They didnt give yall Mefloquine over there?

 

They put us on doxy, then switched to mefloquine, but neither of those is 100% effective. I had to go through 2 rounds of treatment meds, and now my tests all come back negative. Back to full duty for me.

Marshall

 

Yea, the only combat I was combatting the cold from freezing my butt off and the Skua Gulls from stealing my food.. Keith

 

I work in Angola. I am on Malarone. It has proven to be highly effective. Most guys that I work with are on it. Some take Larium and it is very effective also. I have been working here for over 6 years now and so far so good. I rotate 28/28 so I have spent 3 years actually in Angola.
Many of our local workers have had Malaria many times. They don't take a Chemoprophylaxis due to being semi-immune.
Falcipurum is the type of malaria here and it is probably the worst. Be sure to take your meds. It is nothing to play with