When it all goes down the drain...

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Some of you might have heard about it but I just wanted to let everyone know, before you would get too worried about not receiving any updates.
I've been hospitalised in Brisbane (Oz) for 2 weeks now. I picked up a really bad tropical bug on the east coast that has made me very very ill. Without going into too much details; with my heart, lungs, liver and kidneys under severe attack, it's been a close call.
All vital organs are now more or less stable (but definitely not 100 pct). My heart will have to be monitored for a couple of months.
Unfortunately some more infections have been found now, so I'm not out of the hospital yet.
This is the first time I'm allowed to leave the hospital for 3 hours.
There is no way I will be able to continue my travels safely so Marijke (who arrived for a holiday on the day I was hospitalised) and I are now looking at a way to get back home. The doctors promised me to let me go as soon as they have my situation under control enough to put me on a flight home.
Bye bye dreams of 5 months South America but at least I'm alive (and hopefully kicking again soon).
I guess I'll see you soon huh

Take care

Jan


Contact details, if you would have a burning question for me (I won't be able to check my e mail too often)

Jan De Roeck /infectious diseases dep.
0061736368111
Ask for 'wattle brae' room 6 (10am-8pm local time: euro time +8)

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Comments

[Kate]

What a way to travel...
Jan, I am sooo sorry your trip has been cut short but justing looking at this website has showed me how much of the world you have already seen. That is a gift in itself! I hope you are better...thank goodness you are ok. love kate (from s africa trip...aka the crazy american:)

[Peter]

spoedig herstel
Dag Jan, meen je dit nu? Dit is echt heel erg jammer. Ik hoop in elk geval dat je snel herstelt, je gezondheid is echt het allerbelangrijkste!!!

[christine lambert]

hey Jan
very nice (little word) to read you - much more than the other times. We had the bad news from Marijke's mail to Nathalie Staelens... Great travelers always go through nice little experiments, it seems it was your case... we have a very good tropical medicine clinic in Antwerp, isn't... so this time, it seems more reasonable to come back, kick again for you to go on travelling afterwards and sending us again in one of your future trips great news from the other part of the Earth... soooooooooooooo take very good care, Jan. You were sent an angel to come and assist you during those hard days, Marijke arrived at the right time... don't come back to Euroclear though Hugs to you and Marijke Christine

[frank slagmolen]

amai
amai Jan , dat is efkens verschieten (dat moet nog zijn van toen die keer op die olifant!) in ieder geval al het beste , blij dat het toch aan de beterhand is (en veronderstel gepamperd worden door Marijke is ook niet zo slecht...) hou je haaks Frank

[Gilka]

OOOOOH JEEEEEEE
Hey the both of you! I've just heard the bad news from Marijke and I really hope for the both of you that you can come home really soon. Like this we know that Jan can be transported and therefore that his vitals are more or less ok! I wish you both lots of love and a safe trip home! Big hug!

[Anna och Jennie]

Hej Jan!! Fan vad trakigt att du blev sa sjuk!:( Hoppas att du kryar pa dig snart! Jag och Jennie aker hem till Sverige om tre dagar. Vi hors pa mail eller msn. Da far du beratta mer vad som egentligen hande i Brisbane. Manga kramar!

[Gabriel]

Spijtig
Kben nu thuis, kvinne kik da heel spijtig daddik jou en Marijke niet gezien heb. Tleven got verder, hopelijk zedde binnenkurt weere normaal.