Week 9 - I loved Malaria.

As you know, I posted my last blog later than usual. Not that I didn’t write it already. My one and only big problem was that I couldn’t do anything for a couple of days, absolutely anything.

Symptoms detected

As well as Armando early on our journey here in Manica, James and I also got malaria. Last Sunday, as James was getting pretty ill, I started to make fun of Armando and him for being the only one not getting malaria. I should have kept my sarcasm to myself this time.

On Monday morning, I felt absolutely wonderful and decided to train with the first team to get myself ready and fit to play on Thursday’s game against Vumba, the other team from Manica. The first hour of training, nothing came out of the ordinary. But during the last half hour of practice, I started to feel tired in my back and my legs. My head wanted to play like usual, but my body didn’t. On the moment, I wasn’t sure what was going on with me, I thought it was temporary.

On the walk back to the clubhouse, I told Armando how I felt and nearly passed out at some point. I got myself a Sprite as soon as I got back to the clubhouse to fill up my body with sugar. I really thought it was temporary. I took a shower to clear my head. Once in my room, I slept for 2 hours straight. I couldn’t do anything else than lay down there, my back and legs on fire.

I missed lunch because of that but I wasn’t feeling too hungry anyway. I finally got up and walk around for a few minutes but my stomach put me straight back to a sitting position. And then the inevitable happened, I threw up. At this point, I knew I was going through Malaria. Armando told James and I to go eat something at Flamingo’s, a restaurant place just up the road. Once again, the only fact to get up and walk a little killed me. I asked right away where the toilets were before even sitting down and threw up again. I only ordered chips and didn’t even finish them. By the time we got back to the clubhouse, I threw up 3 times at the restaurant. I felt like shit to be honest.

Sleep. Wake up. Sleep again.

I slept for the rest of the day. Usually when I’m sick, I watch movies, read books, listen some music or write things down. I just couldn’t this time. I didn’t even have the strength to put my headphones into my ears. I just slept. Woke up. Slept again. Woke up again. And so goes on…

With the medicaments for malaria I got from GDM, I finally felt better in the evening and thought I could watch the Champion’s league game just fine. What a bad idea. I watched the first half with a bad feeling. I should have listened that feeling but I didn’t. I threw up again on my way to the toilets.. Then I went to bed, too tired to watch the end of the game.

I spent the next two days feeling the same, only sleeping and taking my meds waiting to get better.

Never forget to take your pills. That’s what I learnt from getting Malaria. It’s on me.

Job’s almost done

On Sunday, GDM played against Vumba after Thursday’s game got cancelled because of the rainy weather. Another 0-0 at the end but GDM performed well in the Manica derby. After the game, James, Armando and I told the player to meet us back at the clubhouse. We then gave each one of them an Arsenal jersey to wear. It made me realized I only had 10 more days in Manica before going back to Johannesburg and then home, in France. Next week is our final full week of coaching and I’m going to train and get ready to make an appearance in Mozambican football. I’ll tell you now, I’m going to score.

#Mozambique