Last night at our pre-port lecture for Vietnam, we got a medical update on one of our students from the shipboard community. In India, this student entered the ICU with advanced stages of the severe strain of malaria. It had already affected her brain and her organs were shutting down. With excellent care in India and the grace of the gods, she recovered from dialysis and her kidneys started performing again. We were hoping that she would be able to meet us in Vietnam after recovering.
She got the malaria in either Ghana or South Africa. Everyone asks how she got it. There are two things that may have contributed. She didn't complete the course of her prophelactic malaria pills taken in Ghana. (It is supposed to be taken for 28 days after leaving the country.) Also, she was in a high risk area of South Africa and did not take the malaria pills there. This is the first Semester at Sea student who has ever gotten malaria on a trip (I think). Many students and staff elected not to take the malaria pills at all.
Last night we learned that her lungs are now needing help and that she is on a ventilater at times. She is not out of the woods yet. Archbishop Tutu led us in a unified sending of good thoughts from the MV Explorer. I thought that maybe you all reading this could help add to the energy that is being sent to the Chennai ICU.
That is very sobering news about the student with malaria. I hope she recovers soon. This must have been quite a blow for your SAS community. Laura Jensson and I will play a "pretty little tune" in the student's honor when we jam together on Friday.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to the student and their loved ones. We will certainly focus our positive, healing energy and send it their way. Im sure hearts are heavy and feelings are intense. Another reminder of the fragility and amazing resilience of the human body and the human spirit. Love to you, Nico, Leo, and Chris.
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