Author: Caroline Bach

Caroline BachLeave a comment

Blogbreak

You know when you have so much to say that you don’t know where to start? I frankly haven’t had a moment in front of my computer the past month where I have been doing other than quickly sending a document or just backing up my photos. Now, for instance, I am waiting for my New York photos to be backed up while painting my nails and researching the DJ’s that will be playing at tonight’s Moombathon, Renata is jumping around, and we are leaving the house in one hour.

I’m sorry – but I just can’t bother blogging right now, also, the stories I have to share are too special to be resumed – and you want the full picture, right?

But to give you something: Here’s what we will be dancing to tonight in Brooklyn, can’t wait.

Today I had the best cookie in the universe; Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip at Levain here in Renata’s neighbourhood. Almost fainted. Yesterday night a friend took me to mingle at a weekly networking event at the Princeton Club. I’ve been mixing work and vacation while being here, visiting museums, going for meetings, watching live music, watching people in the subway, eating amazing food and trying not to get overwhelmed by my excitement about this city. The last picture is one that Renata took of me this morning before going to work. I’m obviously exhausted, it’s been an amazing month.

image

imageimage

Caroline Bach1 Comment

New York!

image

image

image

I’m in New York with my lovely girls Renata and Den. I’m staying at Renata’s place in the Upper West Side  until Friday, then I’m moving to Den in Bushwick – I’m trying to see what I can fit into these two weeks and I’m superexcited to be here, people are so eclectic and eccentric!

I have some meetings, coffee with friends, and touristy things planned – and maybe even some waterfalls. Any other suggestions?

Caroline Bach4 Comments

Project larvae murder – killing my babies.

Sensitive readers, stay away – here is the photo story about the removal of the larvae that a bot fly had chosen me to be the surrogate mother for.

We went to the same dermatologist as yesterday to let him be a part of the process of what had happened beneath the chewing gum I had put on my three itchy bites. We removed the bandaids and there they were, little, disgusting, and sticking out for air. As the doctor didn’t see very well, I had to remove the first larvae myself, it was the one I had been speaking with before so we already had that special relationship going on.. it prove to be the smallest one of the three.. but it still hurt to pull it out and it clearly didn’t want to leave it’s flesh cocoon. I could almost hear it shout “Why are you killing me, mommy?!” haha

The two next one’s were pulled out by Chema and were bigger (about 2cm long) but still far from the huge they can grow – I was lucky to have discovered them so early.

Was it gross and painful? Yes. Did we laugh about it? A lot.

Disinfected and on antibiotics, I now have three small holes in me that should cure in the coming days. No more little aliens, no more flesh-eating oxygen-breathing fly-babies, I killed my children.

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

Caroline Bach7 Comments

Myiasis – I’m not loca!

imageimage

At some point I started doubting that I had actually seen that white little head peeking out from the hole in my arm. Was I imagining? Was it just fluid? Had I convinced Ady to “see something” as well? Why was there nothing in my blood?

This morning, after sleeping only for one hour, Chema took me to a dermatologist who took a look at my arm, asked a couple of questions about where I had been and then went, all excited, “Ooh, wait a minute!” and got on Google to read an article.. “Yes, yes – Myiasis!”

Myiasis is an infestation of the skin by developing larvae of a variety of fly species found in hot and humid climates. The larvae enter the skin and feed on the tissue, also they develop reversed hooks that make them difficult and dangerous to remove.

I sat there nodding and looking at the hole when, suddenly, she showed up again to get some air. “Look, there she is!!” This time we were three people who saw the curious little thing.

“They need oxygen.” the doctor said. Makes sense. “Can I call my doctor friend? This is a very unusual case and I would really like to show her!”

So we Skyped a colleague of his while I was talking to the little white creature and laughing about the absurdity of the situation. “Don’t be so sweet to her, swear to her in Polish!” the doctor laughed and prescribed what he said would kill them in maximum two days plus antibiotics to clean out any remaining infections. And “a special trick from my province, Jalisco.. chewing gum.”

So, the remedy against Myiasis?

1.  A strong dose – 2 tablets of 6mg Ivermetin (Ivexterm)
2. A 7 day antibiotics cure with Amoxicillin 500mg
3. Chewing gum covering the holes to suffocate the larvae and force them out.

Friends who were with me in Estelí, please check your bites, if you have anything itchy with a central hole in it – get to a doctor immediately.

I have only seen one of three of the larvae so far, can’t wait to greet them all. Suffocated. Muhahahahaa!!

Caroline Bach4 Comments

Subcutaneous creatures

image

image

image

So I got these random bites during that weekend in the Nature Reserve in Estelí and they have been acting very strange since.

First of all, what bit us were not really mosquitoes but more like small black flies. I got about 50 bites and they itched to the degree that we had to use antihistamine cream.

Sometimes, the bites would suddenly sting very intensely, to the extent that the pain would wake me up. Also, blood and pus would start coming out from the swollen area. The pain has been getting worse during the last week until a doctor prescribed antibiotics agains skin infection for me.

Last night, as I had a shower, I saw that there was a deep hole straight into my arm.

And then something very small and white suddenly stuck its curious little head up from the hole.

Blood tests show no parasites or infection. Ady is a wonderful friend who knows much more than I about medicine and keeps educating me and guiding the doctors despite feeling bad herself. I can’t describe in words how much her presence means to me and how much I love her.

Next step is visiting a dermatologist – and the big hunt for little subcutaneous creatures continues.