He blinded me with science

Of all the things that one expects to deal with in Senegal, horrible itching for the 30 to 40 minutes following one's shower is not one of them. Heat, humidity, pests, rain, trash, traffic, and noise pollution are all fair game and must be overcome by the Dakar novice. Showering, on the other hand, is supposed to provide a refuge from the heat, sweat, and general stickiness that plagues the Dakarois. I myself prefer a three-a-day shower regimen, although on some days I can get by with two.

Alas, poor A has been plagued with some unfortunate malady that has made showering almost intolerable. The itching began last week, and now he positively twitches in pain after his shower until he is finally dry and the torment slowly subsides. The first suspected culprit was his malaria medicine, so we have a plan to switch him from Lariam to Malarone. Second possibility is that he is reacting to the high levels of chlorine in Dakar water. Third theory is that it is not the chlorine itself, but the subsequent dryness of his skin causing all the itchiness after the chlorine sucks all the moisture out of him.

In an attempt to test the chlorine theory we purchased 10 L of bottled water today that has low chlorine content, and then ran it through our Brita filter which is supposed to remove all chlorine. A then took a bucket bath with the magic water but sadly it did not quell the itching (or if it did, only a fraction of it).

Tomorrow morning we head to the German doctor who is used by the Embassy when the regular doctor is out of town. Hopefully she will help us get to the bottom of this medical mystery. Poor A has been a tremendous sport about all of this, not complaining at all and putting a good face on things. I'm hoping this will be his biggest hurdle for the foreseeable future and once it gets resolved he can start falling in love with Senegal!