Tropical Illness

Dengue [DEN-ghee] fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name "breakbone fever." Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. A rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever. The illness can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children.

CDC Dengue Page

List above is incomplete; it also makes you fatigued and leaves an unpleasant metallic taste in your mouth. In fact it makes Tabasco Sauce smell like something on the floor of the flotation section of a heavy metal milling facility and taste only slightly better. Cyanide compunds come to mind. And that effect lingers for days...... How do I know? I had the damn dengue fever. Down for 9 days. No jogging, no kung fu, no... well you get the idea. Some people go straight to the hospital and stay on an IV for 10 days, so I consider myself fortunate that my hospital visits were limited to four times for bloodwork to make sure I didn't need to stay there on an IV. Other people don't even realize they have it. Only 304 cases in Chiang Mai from Jan 1 through June 7, 2008. I believe they are calling it an 'epidemic'.

The major complication is that apparently it messed with my liver. Pending a second opinion from my crack medical team back in the states, Doc Thailand says I can't have any alcohol for 30 days. Therefore I am drinking a Sprite at the Chiang Mai Saloon. Sobriety is depressing, yet intriguing. 28 days left........

My friend Azli is back in Chiang Mai. His photographic abilities never cease to amaze me. Check here for the best portrait shots I have ever seen.

Did I mention that Tabasco sauce tastes bad. Eggs without Tabasco... I don't know how I am still able to eat breakfast every morning..............

UPDATE:
Crack medical team has confirmed. No booze for 28 more days.