Here comes the monsoon and the fear of Scrub Typhus
It was August 2023.
I went to Rishikesh , a beautiful Uttarakhand town.
Not for a vacation, my in-laws were ill and unfortunately they passed away within a short span of time. As a daughter in law I was a part of the rites and duties. We came back after a fortnight or so. I had a fever with chills and malaise. (due to stress and agony, as everyone thought including me). As I had recovered from cancer a year ago, it seemed normal. Fever was over in days but I was too lethargic (might be viral). I started having confusion, digestive issues, breathing issues and so on . (I don’t even have the memory of the 10 days) .Was hospitalized, got tests done, detected low platelets. (might be Dengue). My friend who herself is a doctor came to visit me, she thought of something. I was referred to Max ( a super specialty hospital). Everything was low in the parameters including the chances of survival. The villain was SCRUB TYPHUS
Scrub Typhus
a bacterial infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi (from Japanese tsutsuga meaning "illness", and mushi meaning "insect") and transmitted by chigger bites (mite larvae)
I survived it because the doctors and my lady luck were at the same side. A delay of a day, my family members would have been writing an obituary speech.
A word of note to you-
- Just avoid the places with good vegetation, the green hill stations during the monsoons.
- Check with a doctor if you are having a fever after travelling.
- Do Not self medicate.
- Always check for rashes, bruises or cuts in any part of your body. Mine was in the thigh area . The bite mark is not painful at all.
Good nutrition really helps.
There was fluid in the liver, lungs , and heart. It got treated.
Good nutrition gives you immunity.
Avoiding processed , packaged foods, deep fried foods really helps.
Proper hydration (at least 2.5 ltr plain water, no juices, smoothies, shakes) , (I avoid rather abstain myself from alcohol, soft drinks, energy drinks ) and daily exercises (about 45 minutes) protects us during these critical times.
Accidental health problems can arise to anybody but it can be overcome with positive thinking and easy ways. (people make a joke about me that being a dietitian I had cancer and scrub typhus but being a dietitian has helped me overcome the problem, BE POSITIVE!!
I might not have reduced the increased weight (thanks to the cocktail of steroids) but my HbA1C , thyroid, blood sugar, blood pressure are perfectly fine till now.
Just believe in Yourself. Life is standing near an ocean, positive and negative waves will come, some will be big which will make you wet and some small which will touch your feet and go.
Prepare yourself with proper nutrition, health and hygiene and live.
