The Mozzie that got the Auzzie
Trekking in Chiang Mai – Thailand
‘How did the trek go mate?’ ‘Fantastic, I totally recommend it’ replied Chris, a tall skinny 20 something Australian, he and his partner, Tik, had been in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand for a few days and had decided to participate in a three day organised trek in the Chiang Mai Province. They had recently traveled through Japan and Korea and were loving the laid back atmosphere and the genuine friendliness of the locals. ‘The scenery was amazing and we had an awesome trip down the river on a bamboo raft.’ We decided to discuss their latest adventure over a few beers at the Guitar Man, a local bar that plays Rock and Roll and Blues to a good hour most nights of the week. We wandered over the Ping river from our Guesthouse and drank like we were Burke and Wills’ camels in the outback of Queensland after coming across a waterhole. Much was spoken, most of it nonsensical, and at 4.00 am the next morning we decided to call it quits.
Chris, Tik and another Australian, Andrew, on the long way back from Europe, all headed off to Pai for some more Indiana Jones type adventures in the local jungles. Upon their return to Chiang Mai Chris became seriously ill and had to be hospitalised. With excruciating pain in his joints and muscles, experiencing fevers and chills, diarrhea and vomiting he was diagnosed as having Dengue Fever. According to medicinenet.com, Dengue fever is a disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes. It is an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows a benign course with headache, fever, exhaustion, severe joint and muscle pain, swollen glands (lymphadenopathy), and rash. The presence (the “dengue triad”) of fever, rash, and headache (and other pains) is particularly characteristic of dengue. Dengue goes by other names, including “breakbone” or “dandy fever.” Victims of dengue often have contortions due to the intense joint and muscle pain, hence the name breakbone fever.
Thankfully Chris wasn’t doing much contorting, probably less than John Howard will do if Maxine McKew wins his seat this Saturday in the Australian General Election, but he was extremely ill. He was put on IV fluid and closely monitored by the medical staff at McCormick Hospital and his faithful partner, Tik, stayed with him day and night until the fever broke and he started to recover. After visiting him in Hospital a couple of times I wasn’t sure if Tik was concerned only about his physical well being but was keeping a vigilant eye on the nursing staff as well. The Nurses all looked as though they could easily qualify for Miss Universe trials. I myself swooned and felt faint several times, the nurses were comparable to the Cafe owner I had come across in Glasgow with my Glaswegian friends Gary and James a few weeks earlier.
Dengue is not common in the Chiang Mai region, some long term residents have stated that this is the first case they have heard of ever. As there is no cure for Dengue except time, the best course of action is prevention through the use of a good Mosquito repellent and sleeping under a mosquito net.
The cost of staying a night in Hospital in Chiang Mai? 300 Baht plus medical expenses, less than a down at heel backpackers room in Bangkok. The total cost of Chris’s stay for eight days care totaled $600 Australian. He is now fit and healthy and planning an excursion into Laos.
Lawrence O'Grady