Stepping on the brakes

After yesterday's post I had an extremely unpleasant night, feeling ice cold and very hot, fever, aching joints, headache, nausea, diarrhoea, and then, miraculaously, this morning the worst seemed behind me. The Coartem had worked. I had some real sleep during the day, and even ventured for a light meal in the evening with some colleagues, also to get out of the house. Take it easy tomorrow, and I should be fine by Monday, as far as I can tell. What a difference with the previous malaria episode.

Meanwhile my uncomfortable night gave me some time to think as well: after the delayed delivery of study materials, further delays because of work load at the office and now this bout of malaria I don't feel like making the extra effort of catching up in the weeks to come. Next weekend I'll leave for another four days with A. and the children, and, unlike in August, I don't want to cut back on the little time I have with the children and A.

One notion I've learned in my studies is useful: sunk cost (costs that are not retrievable whatever the decision; in this case: course fee, hours already invested) should not influence future decisions. And what's the hurry anyway: I study for pleasure. I'll prepare the 'Perspectives and Issues' exam on 29 September at leasure, and suspend this Public Financial Management course, to resume studies in February.

I decided all this after I realised that my 3rd malaria seems, again, to have been triggered by intense stress, in this case caused by the hubbub at the office last week combined with considerable work load, all on top of a certain fatigue that had set in after months of work and study. Malaria makes one aware of the importance of stepping on the brakes on time when needed. So that's what I'll do for now.