Get that sickly bone working, my love! C'mon!

Knowing that your better-half is down with a potentially fatal disease and you cannot do anything to alleviate his discomfort is such a downer. Really. This long-distance relationship is taking its toll on both of us. If I could only turn back the hands of time, I shouldn't have applied for the First Gentleman Foundation to get that scholarship so I won't get into the Doctors to the Barrios Program so I can take care of my love. Oh Regrets, get off my thoughts.

Ever since I got married and having acquainted to the obligations of a wife under the Islamic law, my life plans were shaken. Instead of pursuing residency right after the DTTB Program, I have decided to join my husband in his Post so we can start a family and stay there until he gets recalled back in 2016 . Diplomats live a rather flexible life and being married to one means I need to adjust my selfish life priorities and go with the pliability. A two-year long distance relationship is too much to take. We're married for six months now but two-thirds of the whole time was spent on BBM (blackberry messenger) and Wechat. Well, thanks to the power of technology for keeping us in touch every single day despite the distance and the difference in time. However, physical presence is still A MUST for every married couple. No amount of BBM-ing or Wechat-ing can be compared to physical presence. If we are physically together, we can just sit and sip our coffee in silence, do our things individually but still feeling a sense of tranquility. We need to be together to fulfill our obligations to one another. That's the very essence of our marriage---to be together through thick and thin, in sickness and in health. And sadly, I breached it. Being far away from him especially now that he's sick gradually kills me. I take commitments seriously so when I committed myself to the DTTB Program, I stick to it even though I thought of leaving it a hundred times to fly to Nigeria. It appears to him as if I chose my work over him, but the truth is, I cannot leave a commitment just like that. The same feeling of loyalty and faithfulness I have for him. I tell him over and over again that immediately after the DTTB Program, I am all his. 100% his. InshaaAllah. 

God knows how much I terribly miss Jabar. This post can get mushy but he's the answer to my prayers.  He's the perfect person to tone down the hidden harshness of my character and at the same time he brings out the best in me. We share the same values but with contrasting educational background (he's a CPA and I'm a physician), our minds are wired differently. I love that I learn a lot from him, especially on the business side which I totally lack knowledge of, in the same way that he learns a lot from me. I miss how he delivers his tambay jokes which cracks me up almost instantly. I don't know if its just the hormones during the first phase of marriage but Jab never bored me out. I can talk to him all day and night without a dull moment. Or am I just like that to everybody? Haha! 

Breakfast at Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City. March 2013.

Oh c'mon Love, stretch your spine and shove those malaria parasites away!!!! Get here ASAP so I can boast my newly-learned cooking skills and we can do endless foodtrips!!!

Malaria Strikes!

Malaria is a parasitic infection that is endemic in tropical countries including Nigeria, where my husband Jabar works. He was having chills two days ago and low-grade fever accompanied by body malaise. I was already contemplating on malaria but I was in denial initially. This is his second bout of infection so he must have known the symptoms. He was telling me it could be malaria, I told him to observe it for 24 hours and have supportive treatment first. Forty eight hours later, his symptoms didn't relent so he took blood smearing test for malaria. His result is (+2). Subhanallah! Confirmed. 

Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by infection with Plasmodium protozoa transmitted by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. It has a high mortality rate if untreated but has an excellent prognosis if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. Apparently, uncomplicated cases of malaria in Nigeria does not call for immediate hospital admission. In fact, Jabar bought the meds (artemether/lumefantrin or Coartem) over-the-counter.

How do we prevent malaria? I've been constantly reminding Jabar to always put on Off lotion and use mosquito nets when he sleeps. But he can be stubborn sometimes, even feeling invincible. The only way to prevent is by wearing protective clothings, using insect repellent lotions and sprays and using bed nettings soaked in insecticides (yes, they are commercially available). Drug prophylaxis can be taken by travelers to places with high malarial endemicity. Presently, no vaccine has been approved to prevent malaria but scientific studies on the vaccine is already on its way. 

Jabar finished his first day of treatment (treatment lasts for 3 days with a total of 24 tablet intakes) and is experiencing the worst side effects---headache, dizziness and loss of appetite. And I feel so bad that I'm not even there to see over and take care of him. If I could have the power of teleportation, I would do so in an instant. :( Right now, I can only offer my prayers and making sure that he's taking his meds on time. 

Please get well soon, my love.