Sickness strikes

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Yesterday morning at 05:10 I came down with a severe bout of sickness and Diarroha. So bad that as soon as I had made it down the hill, Rolfe and Dave had to hire a horse to take me through the passes to Namche. Not having eaten properly since base camp I was weak and the illness made me dehydrated. Last night Dave (The Doc) put me on an IV in my cold, bare lodge room in Namche. Nail in the wall to hang the IV from.

After 1 litre of Saline, rectal supositories and paracetamol to bring down my fever I started to feel better.

Had a good nights sleep last night which helped but still feel weak so I'm getting a horse down to Phakding as well. Yesterday was the first day I hav ever ridden a horse.

The day was a bit of a haze to be honest, but the people in the group have been really supportive.

We're all looking forward to getting back home now.

Thank you to everyone for their messages throughout they have been a great source of support.

I looking forward to putting back on my weight when I get home this Wednesday.

Sorry the blog is fragmented. I don't think I'll get around to completing everything until Kathmandu.

As I lay there in bed last night emptying my stomach I had a lot of time to think. I was fortunate to have western medical facilities on hand. I couple of the sherpas looked quizically at the IV. For many of these people modern medicine is not an option, I was one of the lucky few. For that I am ever grateful. But its important not to forget that Nepal is Asia's poorest country. Many people in my situation would have died of such a simple illness. We should all consider that when we next complain about the NHS or any western medicine. We forget how lucky we are.

The chances are I caught whatever it was, from poor sanitation. Ironic that I should be raising money for WaterAid. A charity dedicated to improving water and sanitation conditions for millions around the world.

I won't ever look back at helping great charities like WaterAid, Oxfam, Medicin sans Frontiers again. There are many other charities out there that do such noble work that we often forget how difficult surviving is for most of the worlds population.

Religions shouldn't be fighting out who has the better god and the best doctrine they should be practicing their preaching and helping those that really need help.

The un-religious should just use their common sense and help because you never know when it might happen to you.

A weak Gareth looking forward to my own bed, water from the tap and a warm house above 0c.

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Comments

[Cheryl]

OMG
I hope you are feeling better Gareth. Good grief, what a thing to go through, but like you say it makes you sit up and appreciate how lucky we are in the western world. We are all so very proud of you and have missed you terribly, feeling as though we are with you in spirit though. Love always, Cher and Boys x

[CAROLE]

Reading your words puts me at rest even if I am sad to know that it was (is) so difficult for you. I will be pleased when you will be back at your home. xx Carole

[Aunty Jan & Tim]

Well Done
Really proud of you nephew. Really interesting all your news. Will be pleased to see you safe and sound back in Poole. Best wishes on the last part of your journey.

[Mark]

Hope you're feeling better!
We're all relieved to hear that you're recovering after your bout with the bug. Really makes you appreciate all we have, moan as we might about all the silly stupid things we tend to focus on. Get back safe, and fatten your self up for Christmas! :) Love Mark, Becky Evan and Luke.

[John Hatchard]

Your sickness
Ha! I thought - you didn't escape ! I had a similar problem but it hit me after i got back into India. By the time I got to Varanasi I had a full blown fever and weakness from something I had eaten or drunk while in Nepal. Or maybe I just stuck my finger in my mouth in a thoughtless moment. I don't know. But i felt really RS as thay say in Australia on and off for the rest of my trip around the subcontinent. It actually troubled me for another four years or so after returning home but then cleared up. Just thought I would cheer you up! But you've done well. And the points you make about religions etc doing more and talking less about helping nations like Nepal are right on. Hillary and Hollows are two who have done more than most in this respect and outside the churches or temples etc as far as I know. As for losing weight, When I got home from India I was 50 years old and weighed about the same as I did at the age of 18. And felt good about it too. But it has all gone back on of course. All the best Gareth John