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First Comes Love Then Comes Malaria: How A Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart And A Third World Adventure Changed My Life

Jacques Bell

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First Comes Love, then Comes Malaria: How a Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart and a Third World Adventure Changed My Life

by Eve Brown-Waite

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1611 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	305 pages

A Journey Through Disease and Discovery

In the sweltering heat of Zambia, a young woman named Eliza Griswold embarked on a journey that would change her life forever. She had come to the country on a Fulbright scholarship to study the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural communities. But her plans were soon derailed when she contracted malaria, a deadly disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people each year.

Eliza's experience with malaria was harrowing. She suffered from high fevers, chills, and vomiting. She was so weak that she could barely stand. At one point, she thought she was going to die. But after a week of treatment, she began to recover.

As Eliza recovered from malaria, she began to learn more about the disease. She discovered that it is not just a simple illness, but a complex and deadly one. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The parasite then travels to the liver, where it multiplies. After a few days, the parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells. The infected red blood cells then burst, releasing more parasites into the bloodstream. This cycle can lead to severe anemia, organ damage, and death.

Eliza also learned that malaria is a preventable and treatable disease. There are a number of effective antimalarial drugs available, and there are also a number of ways to prevent mosquito bites, such as using insecticide-treated bed nets and wearing long sleeves and pants.

Despite the availability of effective treatments and prevention methods, malaria continues to be a major public health problem in many parts of the world. In 2018, there were an estimated 228 million cases of malaria worldwide, and an estimated 405,000 deaths. The majority of these cases and deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa.

Eliza's experience with malaria inspired her to become an advocate for global health. She has written extensively about malaria and other tropical diseases, and she has worked with a number of organizations to raise awareness about these diseases and to promote access to treatment and prevention.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria is a powerful and moving account of one woman's experience with a deadly disease. It is also a story of hope and resilience. Eliza's journey is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, it is possible to make a difference in the world.

About the Author

Eliza Griswold is an American journalist and author. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, and other publications. She is the author of two books, The Tenth Parallel: An American Journey and First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria.

First Comes Love, then Comes Malaria: How a Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart and a Third World Adventure Changed My Life

by Eve Brown-Waite

4.3 out of 5