Is there a doctor on the island?
Every year, millions of people escape the cold and snow of winter. Into their rolling suitcases, they pack tooth brushes, bikinis or Speedos (hopefully not the latter), and a few changes of clothing, then head for a tropical island . . . be it in the Caribbean, south Atlantic, south Pacific, or elsewhere. Too soon, too many will learn that they are not in Kansas, nor Chicago, nor New Hampshire anymore. Tropical islands threaten those denizens in many ways, but the two most prevalent perils are sunburn and insect bites. So, what is a gringo to do? Certainly, treating the problem with tooth paste or a band aide, much less a Speedo, just isn’t going to cut it. In nearly ten years of wintering (from one week to three months) in Puerto Rico, we’ve experienced two exotic bee bites and countless (at least a dozen) red ant bites. If there is one thing we’ve learned, the longer one waits, the less effective the cure is going to be. Local friends have told us the best treatment for an insect bite is to urinate on it. My mother would roll over in her grave if I even thought about taking that advice. So, let me propose a more civilized solution: arm yourself with After Bite, Benadryl, aspirin/Tylenol/Advil, Hydrocortisone cream, and Imodium or Pepto Bismol. I recommend that you don’t leave home without this kit because, if the insects don’t get you, the rich fried foods, or the terrible drivers will. As they say: That’s life in Paradise.
So are you going to tell us the most recent story? 🙂
Since you asked, Becky: Three years ago, I was playing golf when a palm tree frond unlatched the strap on my golf bag. The bag fell onto the fairway. When I retrieved it, I didn’t realize it had fallen onto a nest of red ants. They were all over my arms in an instant. I had a golf glove on my left hand, so only was bitten a couple of times. The right hand and wrist were another story. I was bitten so many times, with resulting blisters, that was my last hole of golf for a month. The insects down here don’t screw around. Two days ago, Marla tried to move a bee that was floating in the swimming pool. She got too close when she splashed it, and it stung her. Her pinkie is now bigger than her index finger. Those are our stories. Do any of you have medical-travel nightmares to report?
Hey keep my mom safe down there!
It seems like no matter how well prepared I think I am, one disaster or another always necessitates a trip to Walgreens. Next year I’m going to pack a better first aid kit, but I’m sure I’ll still need to do a drugstore run. Thank goodness we travel to an area where everything we need is fairly easily accessible!
How about when you stepped on the hornet’s nest, Marla? Or was it a wasp’s nest and I’m getting you confused with the girl with the dragon tattoo who later kicked the hornet’s nest!
No nest, thank goodness, Mary. If one bee could wreak such havoc, I don’t even want to think what an entire nest would do. As you know very well, medical care can be spotty in this region. Successful treatment at one of the local clinics is a matter of whether the doctor is in the house, and does she/he speak the same language as the patient.
Hope you feel better Marla!