We had a little fun with the "chiggers" on an earlier thread, which is something we can have some control over prevention and the eventual cure.
Valley Fever... this is real.
We spent nearly five weeks in Tucson, Quartzite, Arizona and Las Vegas, Boulder City, Nevada this January to February. At Lake Mead, NV just outside Boulder City is a great campground at $5 a day for Senior National Park card holders. Not full hookup, but water and restrooms were available at the campground.
There was a period of several days of drizzle. The third day and afterward the dead appearing desert gravels began to turn green. Grass had germinated and began to poke out where it appeared lifeless. Well, so did some invisible to me, at least, FUNGUS. The "cocci fungus"
At first it appeared I had caught a upper respiratory infection. You feel a bit off and then you begin to cough, your lungs get congested. After four days you try to speak and you cough. If you have not had this before, as I never experienced it, you expect a cold virus and wait it out. My wife never showed a sign of contracting the "virus". This "cold" never left my chest to my sinuses.
The "cough, fever, sweat" come in regular daily cycles... AFTER the major episode of coughing thick mucus, when lucky. Google "Valley Fever Southwest" for symptoms. The fever feels like your head had a mild sunburn, my temperature was 100.4 degrees.
I recalled a former neighbor who moved to Tucson, Arizona for the winter and Colorado in the summer.. He said he had this cold that just would not go away on one return home to Colorado. The local Denver, Colorado doctors could not figure it out. My neighbor's wife did... Valley Fever. I diagnosed myself and am going into to see the doctor tomorrow, AM. This stuff does not seem to give up.
IF you are not a resident of the Southwest USA and visited, picked up a "cold and persistent cough"... check your symptoms against those from your Google search. I have not had the flu nor a cold for thirty years. This is my first experience with Valley Fever and I am at a chronic 85% to 90% normal. The shortness of breath I attributed to coming from 1500 feet elevation back to 6500 feet, but thought it strange this happened so easily... but it is probably my irritated lungs.
Are there other regional illnesses that we Airstreamers should be aware? This Valley Fever is one that is easily confused with a virus. Probably from my walking the dogs every morning in the gravels and bare ground, as well as prodding around looking for shiny stones to take home. This stuff... at least for me, will be taken care of immediately if I get the first "cold symptoms" again.
Valley Fever... this is real.
We spent nearly five weeks in Tucson, Quartzite, Arizona and Las Vegas, Boulder City, Nevada this January to February. At Lake Mead, NV just outside Boulder City is a great campground at $5 a day for Senior National Park card holders. Not full hookup, but water and restrooms were available at the campground.
There was a period of several days of drizzle. The third day and afterward the dead appearing desert gravels began to turn green. Grass had germinated and began to poke out where it appeared lifeless. Well, so did some invisible to me, at least, FUNGUS. The "cocci fungus"
At first it appeared I had caught a upper respiratory infection. You feel a bit off and then you begin to cough, your lungs get congested. After four days you try to speak and you cough. If you have not had this before, as I never experienced it, you expect a cold virus and wait it out. My wife never showed a sign of contracting the "virus". This "cold" never left my chest to my sinuses.
The "cough, fever, sweat" come in regular daily cycles... AFTER the major episode of coughing thick mucus, when lucky. Google "Valley Fever Southwest" for symptoms. The fever feels like your head had a mild sunburn, my temperature was 100.4 degrees.
I recalled a former neighbor who moved to Tucson, Arizona for the winter and Colorado in the summer.. He said he had this cold that just would not go away on one return home to Colorado. The local Denver, Colorado doctors could not figure it out. My neighbor's wife did... Valley Fever. I diagnosed myself and am going into to see the doctor tomorrow, AM. This stuff does not seem to give up.
IF you are not a resident of the Southwest USA and visited, picked up a "cold and persistent cough"... check your symptoms against those from your Google search. I have not had the flu nor a cold for thirty years. This is my first experience with Valley Fever and I am at a chronic 85% to 90% normal. The shortness of breath I attributed to coming from 1500 feet elevation back to 6500 feet, but thought it strange this happened so easily... but it is probably my irritated lungs.
Are there other regional illnesses that we Airstreamers should be aware? This Valley Fever is one that is easily confused with a virus. Probably from my walking the dogs every morning in the gravels and bare ground, as well as prodding around looking for shiny stones to take home. This stuff... at least for me, will be taken care of immediately if I get the first "cold symptoms" again.
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