Bonaire- a truly unforgettable experience

[LiveTheDream]

Bamboo Bali is pretty spectacular! I liked it much better than Harbour. Fortunately, I was only sick the first night there, so I really got to enjoy it and the shore diving. And if you can believe this, I would absolutely go back. The diving really was that amazing. I kept eating the fruit because we'd already returned the rental, and didn't want to pay for a taxi, and I already had traveler's diarrhea, so what's the risk, I tell myself. Live adventurously and learn, huh? The part that does confound me is that there haven't been any other reported cases. WHO says that typhoid is often spread through the manure used on fruit, so maybe I just got that lucky piece. I'm curious if the fruit comes from Venezuela. My guess is , if there was a carrier or infected person in the kitchen, I wouldn't be the only one.

Yes, except you can get dehydrated when you have diarrhea and you were diving. Dehydration + diving = DCS. You know, DCS. Not just a cool story to tell, but can be life-threatening.

It's just not worth the risk or the "adventure" --- you could learn the hard way and end up in a decompression chamber.

 

[The Chairman]

@dianna912, Do I need to change your username to "Typhoid Dianna"??? I hope it's not too soon for a little humor.

First, I'm glad it's treatable. I read every word and it was an awesome and detailed report. Good job.
Second, I'm glad you had enough fun to want to go back. Your should try Bonaire's wild sister, Curacao when you feel up to it.
Third, I always feel bad for not eating more of the local fruits. Maybe I'll cut myself some slack on that.
Fourth, we travel a lot to Scuba dive and that takes us to areas that can overcome our immune system. Be sure, and I mean really sure, that you get inoculated before you head out. Do this far enough ahead of the trip so you can recover from any possible side effects. A pound of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Finally, get your DAN in order before you leave. Make sure you include trip insurance as well. Sure, it's an extra cost, but you don't want to be counting pennies when you are sick in a foreign country. There are other options for this but I'm a huge fan of Divers Alert Network.

 

[KathyV]

If you don't mind me asking, when was the last time you had a DPT Booster shot? I try to get one every 10 years and now I'm a bit concerned. Thanks!

Typhoid is not covered by a DPT vaccination, that is for Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), and Tetanus (Lockjaw). It would not have helped in this situation, but it is still good to keep your immunizations current.

Typhoid is caused by Salmonella - but it is the very worst type of Salmonella that you can get. You get it from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

You take an oral vaccine for Typhoid, but it is not a long-lasting vaccine. We have taken the vaccine several times before trips to Belize and Honduras but we have never taken travel medicine precautions for trips to Bonaire.

I am very surprised, but you can get "food poisoning" most anywhere in the world; although it is much more common in some areas. I once got very sick form a cousin of Salmonella while I was enjoying a weekend in Indiana!

OP, I am not trying to scare you but Typhoid Fever is very serious. It can kill you - although it sounds like you have gotten beyond the acute phase, which is great - but it can still lead to some long-lasting complications. Don't push yourself too hard even if you start to feel better and follow exactly the advice of your Infectious Disease doctor. Good luck!

 

[WarrenZ]

I have to admit DAN did absolutely nothing for us while we were in Curacao, but they did reimburse us for the cost of seeing the doctor in curacao eventually.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Dianna, truly incredible trip report! I loved your diving excitement. So sorry about the illness though. Looking forward to reading your next trip report too! Hopefully it won't have any tropical diseases in it.