I've been very lucky throughout my life to have a varied and large group of friends. People who make me laugh, buy me groceries when i break my foot (!), enquire about my disastrous love life and put up with my stressful work life etc etc. My best guy friend is a doctor, Jamie is an expert with cars, John helps me negotiate at work etc etc. I also have a group of wonderful friends I've met travelling and who I often meet up to discover new countries. One of these friends happens to be a nurse. And this seems to be coming in increasingly handy.
In Japan, on a remote island, Naoshima, I got a large fishbone lodged in my throat - Maartje was on hand to help with the drama that ensued. Here in the Philippines it's also come in handy. After Bohol we were due to be on a 5 day trip of a lifetime. Sailing on a gorgeous wooden Palaw with a Philippine crew and group of intrepid travellers. We were due to sail from El Nido to Coron - staying in beach huts by night, snorkelling with turtles by day. Awful!
Unfortunately I got firstly a very high temperature and secondly a severe bout of hypochondria. Initially I was self disagnosing Malaria, then the symptoms of dengue fever sounded much more like what I was experiencing ( awful cough, sneezing, temperature of > 39 degrees and hot sweats). I had visions of cancelling the trip ( I felt genuinely terrible) and heading back to Manila for 10 days of incubation - nothing like an overactive imagination.....
Fortunately the local pharmacist diagnosed local flu - some magic blue pills were prescribed and off on the Tao boat we went.
My private nurse is going to get sick of travelling with me soon 😷
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