In Reply to: Good Call!! posted by newgirl on Monday, 20. October 2008 at 17:02 Bali Time:
stand on posters asking medical advice on this forum.
I took issue with a poster a couple of weeks back asking the forum how to cure his rash and will do so every time as it may prevent someone getting really sick or worse.
Bali is not a good place to be sick so why invite trouble. You have had a dozen or so different suggestions and I really hope you pick one that doesn't work against your current medication and dosage, whatever that is.
Came across a boy in the mountains last week with a really nasty rash which had been misdiagnosed as an allergy.
Not by the forum but by a doctor in the local hospital.
To cut a long story short close-up photos of his rash were emailed to a top Dermatologist in Perth who gave a definite diagnosis of scabies. In other words the poor little guy has living creatures moving about and breeding under his skin essentially eating his flesh - and he's in agony.
We now have the correct medication for him and hopefully it will be cleared up within a week or so and he can return to school.
Being in Bali, especially in the outlying areas, for long stretches brings you in contact with many people like this boy and makes you realise just how dangerous misdiagnoses can be.
His family brought him to us as the final straw as they knew we would find out what was wrong and arrange medication at no cost to them.
I was reluctant to make this posting as what we manage to give back to Balinese people is private and we do it because we want to help.
Suffice to say that we have seen a lot of suffering over the years and have managed to help most. A young woman who had a growth removed from her arm this time last year wasn't so lucky as she died in June, but her last months were more bearable.
Holiday makers are not usually exposed to this side of Bali as they are here for short periods and don't get too far off the beaten track
So as I said I make no apologies and will continue to post against this unwise and dangerous practice.
If you think me rude so be it, but I don't believe I was.