Creeping Erection ..Wait, you've got what?

First day of antibiotics.

Sitting on Lazy Beach after one of our last swims, Jim felt a stinging sensation on his left upper inner thigh. He lifted his swim trunks to reveal a large welt. He immediately thought he got stung by a jellyfish. He looked up at me and said, well you know what you have to do? What? Pee on it! Needless to say I did not pee on Jim's leg but he did and said it relieved some of the sting.  

First day!

We left the next day to spend 10 days on the north side of island in the small village of M'Pai Bay. Three days of trying hydrocortisone cream, an antifungal cream, antihistamines and after bite; nothing was working to relieve the itchiness. Also the welt took on a snake like appearance and started to creep across his thigh, growing in size and color. 

Third day!

One night Jim wakes me from a deep sleep to share with me that he thinks he has a creeping erection. What did you say? I think the mark is creeping eruption. Oh okay, that makes sense..... wait what is that?

He proceeded to tell me his self diagnosis. Basically it's a skin infection cause by hookworm eggs that are found in the feces of dogs or cats. The eggs are in the sand and after they hatch they mature into hookworms. When this worm comes into contact with a human it burrows into the skin, creeping it's way around leaving tiny eruptions in its path.  As long as you don't have systemic symptoms then when it has nothing more to feed on it will stop growing and die. It can take anywhere between two weeks to a month before it dies. Antibiotics will help. WTF. If this was me we would be headed back to the mainland, since there is no pharmacy or medical services on the island, but if you know Jim nothing really rattles him, not even a possible worm living in his body.

The village is so small there are only two  stores, that I doubt carry antibiotics and if they did; I am not sure I would let Jim take them. However on the first day we noticed a building next to the school that said Health Post but it had a big cable lock on the door every day.

Health Post

Grocery Stores

Today on our way home from breakfast Jim noticed the Health Post door was open. I told him, I think it's only for locals. I waited outside while he went in. 

I stood there watching the kids at school playing. I could see through the clinics windows as Jim took a seat. There was a young guy taking two older ladies blood pressure. After he finished they left and headed to the school. Then I watched as Jim and this guy talked for about five minutes. Jim came out with a big smile and he proudly says sure enough I have creeping eruption. He then showed me a small baggie of three pills. I asked what are those? Antibiotics. Yeah but what? He shrugs, I give him a look and he runs back in and asked the young guy what he prescribed. He was given three 400 mg doses of the antibiotic Albendazole. 

On our way home we were thinking about where he could have contracted it, he said that it could take anywhere from 1-5 days or even a month to show up. WTF! We sat in the same sand! Great now every mark I get could be dengue or the start of creeping eruptions.

Hopefully the antibiotics start to work and Jim's worm stops growing but until then we will continue to enjoy the rest of our time at the beach and M'Pai Bay.

Oh and his visit and prescription was FREE! You could leave a donation through Go Fund Me, which Jim graciously did.