Well, it's happened. I have diagnosed my first case of Dengue. I'm not excited to say my dear missionary friend is now in the hospital fighting this dreaded tropical disease, but to say it has been exhilarating walking through the process with him and his wife is an understatement.
Dengue is a vector born virus that requires a mosquito to transmit the disease from one infected person to another. This happens most commonly during the rainy season...and guess what season we're in? It produces a severe fever (the most prolonged I have ever seen...like 104ish, lasting for days), a rash, muscle and joint aches (severe), laboratory abnormalities, among others. It typically runs its course in 5-7 days. There is no treatment except supportive management and very rarely is fatal. The biggest complication tends to be dehydration. Have I lost you yet?? I am a medical provider :) Thankfully for my friend, tomorrow is day 5 so hopefully he will start to improve.
On Saturday we have our first short term missionary team of the fall serving with us, to be followed by three more consecutively. October looks to be a full month. We may be starting this with challenges as Dengue has already caused 4 times as many reported cases in the DR as this time last year. I have the job of warning and protecting our short term missionaries without completely freaking them out!
If you could please pray for my friend and another staff member who was also diagnosed with this virus. We are grateful that we have access to a basic hospital with the necessary supportive management, but there are so many in this country who are in compos (remote villages) with no access to facilities. I would be grateful that you remember us during this hurricane-dengue season!
Guess it's back to smelling like Off....I had a Dominican friend tell me that I finally didn't smell like one of those Americans....I didn't understand until I realized we all smell like insect repellent...yup another thing that causes us gringos to stick out...that and our incessant need to carry water bottles.
Dios Bendiga....
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