Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Visiting the doctor in Jaipur

When I was in Roopengarh (the castle) I remember having a very serene moment where I was laying on a bench on one of the balcony's off of my room- with the sun setting to my right and the moon rising to my left.
There was a cool breeze and Indian music playing the background. It was really beautiful.

It was then that I got bit.
I noticed the next morning on the way to Jaipur that i had a welt on the inside of my thigh. "Oh" I thought, "I must have been bitten by a spider or something."
Off to Jaipur we go. Upon our arrival I thought I would show my roomie my bite mark, only to discover, to my horror, that it had doubled in size. I drew a line around the welt to see if it would continue to grow. It did.
The next morning it pretty much covered the entire inside of my thigh- about the size of a... oh I don't know- a dinner plate?! Oh and I broke out in hives all over my face. I looked like I had elephantitus and should be out on the corner asking for rupees. So Sherry took me to the doctor that day (only because she didn't want me to start drawing lines around the marks on my face too!). Apparently this was one of the best doctors in town.
I was examined by two nurses first.
and then the doctor was brought in. I was covered up in a sheet with just a hole cut out that went over the bite mark. Even in medical situations modesty is of utmost importance.
The doctor spoke two words of English- "tetanus?" (yes I have had my tetanus shot) and "medicine?" (no I am not on any other medication, but I am allergic to...).

He gave me a prescription which I promptly had filled and started to take. By the next day the hives were gone and two days later I was bite mark free.
It was also ridiculously cheap- the visit to the doctor was about $2.50 and the drugs And I had wanted an authentic experience...careful what you wish for! : )

No comments: