helicopter rides and a city on strike...

our entire HRA group planned a wonderful end of the season vacation.  first, we were to trek over the famous thorong la pass.  then, we would travel to muktinath, a religious pilgrimage site, for a little spiritual enlightenment.  following that experience, we would take a jeep towards ghorepani and stay the night.  in the morning, we would hike to the top of poon hill for a beautiful sunrise and our first glimpse of annapurna one.  and after that fabulous experience, we would trek down to pokhara for a few days of relaxation.  whew…it would have been a wonderful trip, but plans have a way of changing.

about a week before our departure, i became quite ill.  i’ll spare you the details, but mention that it was severe enough that i had eaten/drank very little over the course of 6 days.  my body was, as you might imagine, weak.  and my ability to recover in manang was looking more and more unlikely.  when my condition worsened and the clinic had closed for the season, john decided it was time for a helicopter evacuation.  ugh, i hate flying.  still, i was sick enough to agree to fly without any additional sedation. 

on sunday morning, john and i took a helicopter from manang to kathmandu.  it was one exciting ride!    

we landed (thankfully) about an hour later.  an ambulence was waiting for us just off the landing pad.  (side note: i had to take a ambulance to the hospital because the city of kathmandu was on strike and there were no taxis available…or running…none at all).  so, feeling completely ridiculous, i climbed into the back of the ambulance and laid down on the stretcher.  i felt so, so stupid. 

i was admitted and treated at the CIWEC medical clinic in kathmandu.  everything in the clinic was so sterile looking compared to our clinic in the mountains.  it was amazing!  i was given numerous rounds of iv fluids and iv antibiotics over about 24 hours.  i was soon feeling a little better; i was discharged the following day.  my recovery has continued in kathmandu and i am almost feeling like myself again, which is wonderful.

i never would have thought my first hospital stay would be in a hospital in nepal.  never say never, i suppose...