Hey, You! Out of the Water!

Yesterday I got to go into the water at Boracay for the first time on this part of the trip. And the first time in over two weeks. Geordie gave me a clean bill of health even though there was still a scab on part of my scratch wound at my ankle. It was lovely to be there with my brand new swim goggles so I could finally do a little length swimming too - to get ready for our return home in February.

Oh that things would stay the same! I had not shared with Geordie my little niggling worry that there was something going on with the area where I suffered when I was in Thailand - the time that I rode on an elephant in agony because I didn't want to spoil our holiday and the time I had to go to hospital in Chiang Mai for an operation, and a healing process that took a year. But last night I decided that I had better let him know. Things weren't looking too bad but we decided that, yes, I should go back to the medical clinic and have an expert look.

So today we walked up the path to the clinic. Since it was Sunday the doctor was not in, but she was called by telephone and was there to see me in 10 minutes. This woman was not the child that I was expecting from my last experience. It appears that she is in fact the regular doctor and the two who were there the last time were just filling in for her for 10 days.

She invited me in, got me to get my clothes off and examined me. At first she didn't see the problem but I made her look more closely and she was able to determine that my diagnosis was correct and indeed my old problem had resurfaced. But, the good news was that this time I hadn't waited so long to seek help so the doctor felt certain that we had caught it in time.

Then she did her prescription. First an anti-biotic. Then the pronouncement - NO SWIMMING! Sigh and double sigh - what's the point of being at a beach if you can't go in the water. Then she announced a few more things - a high-fiber diet, at least 2 liters of water a day, no alcohol. Hmmm, I think she had noticed my weight and decided to be pro-active and has put me on a diet. Nothing to do with my new infection at all. Seems sneaky to me!

But she was really wonderful. We laughed a lot. We had a good conversation - she was on an Alaska Cruise recently that had landed in Victoria, BC, she was thrilled that we were a married couple. We discussed finance - I gave her a couple of pointers so she could retire early like we did and then when we were saying good-bye she hugged me and then Geordie. Now when was the last time your doctor hugged you good-bye?

I have to go back to see her on Wednesday to see my progress, so I'm expecting another hug then. Maybe it's part of her therapy - hugs are said to help with healing, so I'm expecting a quick recovery and the opportunity to get back in the water by the time we get to the beach in Sabang, Puerto Galera.