CWS530

No, the smell was enough. Of course, many of my Asian friends think the idea of eating cheese, essentially rotten milk, is repulsive.

I've been sick a few times while traveling. Usually it's my own fault for eating something sketchy. I've had two friends get food poisoning here in the States as well, so it can happen anywhere.

The worst thing that happened so far was being bitten by an insect while leaning on a tree in Mbabane, Swaziland. I woke up in the middle of the night ice cold and having seizures. The local hospital couldn't figure out what I had, so I went to Harare in Zimbabwe, where I have some friends with hospital connections. Still no diagnosis, so I flew to see a tropical disease specialist in Nairobi, Kenya. They called the CDC in Atlanta, but still no answer. Finally, they put me on a flight to Amsterdam and said if I got sick to alert the flight crew. Somewhere over Algeria (I think) I had a seizure, but luckily the guy next to me was asleep. No way was I going to have them land the plane a kick me off--I'd rather take my chances. Luckily, it subsided. After connecting in Newark, an ambulance met me in St. Louis.

I was in quarantine for three days while the CDC guys in moon suits ran tests. The conclusion? A virus previously unseen. Great. So, they gave me some meds, and after a few weeks I could walk without shaking and sleep for more than two hours. I asked if the condition could be called "Calvinitis" since I was the first to have it. They said these things mutate so quickly, it probably will never resurface as the same strain.

Don't be afraid to travel. You're more likely to die in your home.

chowbox

John gets this way without porn for a few days

skelevirus

Wow cal that's crazy!! Yeah africas full of weird bugs like that, glad u pulled thru. You going back anytime soon

Richard in NC

Gee, sounds like an episode of Mystery Diagnosis, or maybe House. You should have gone to see him.