Sickly Season!

After my Mom left on Monday morning, I felt really bad as she boarded the plane, feeling ill since last week. She kept a brave face, and try to enjoy her last few days with us. I booked the doctor to come see Torden, as he has also had a very bad cough. This time of year calls for many germs and with the high humidity and rainy season in full swing, Malaria, the dreaded disease is also making another appearance. With Paul and Torden being so sick last year this time, we try to take all precautions but it's never good enough. At the moment, I have another friend, with her son of 6 years, being treated in Johannesburg for Malaria, and a few kids at the school also down with it. The good thing is that we have the medication available to treat it, but many children die every year here in the Congo, without adequate treatment. I know I've mentioned this topic before, so sorry if I bore you.
We as a family take the following precautions;

1. We always use a mosquito net while sleeping at night. We have one shaped like a dome tent with 2 zips on either side. The other ones also work, but you need to close it with a peg, so it doesn't flap open while sleeping.
2. We don't use prophylactics, as longterm use can damage the liver or other vital organs. It also doesn't show a proper diagnosis when having tests done for malaria, as it hides it. ( That's what happened to Paul, as he caught it while he was on Mefliam)
3. We use Tabbard, mostly the stick form, as it's supposedly the strongest ( more DEET).
4. That is our perfume for our evening when we go out, or outside. The spray is useful, but a tip from my husband, "don't use it in the house, or in the car, like I stupidly do, " I say " at least if I spray on my legs, while in the car, the car gets a free spray" About cars, there are loads of Mosquitoes in the car, don't ask me how they get inside.
5. We try to wear long sleeved clothing and pants with socks, ha ha, in this heat, but cotton is bearable!

And that is how we keep those darn things at bay!

Any other suggestions?