The altura was a bit too much for Mike. The second day he was here, there was a huge nationwide strike in Peru. We couldn't do much as no cars were allowed on the roads nor out of the city. So we decided to go on horseback to the 4 ruins close to Cusco. It was gorgeous walking around on the hills by Cusco. We stopped several times as our guide gave us the history of each 4 sites.
By the time we got back, however, Mike wasn't feeling well. We had scheduled to leave on a 4-day trek to Machu Picchu the following morning at 6 am. After having dinner at a friends house, we turned in early. Mike then proceeded to sleep talk all night and began to burn up from fever. He was also coughing which I thought was weird. When I tried waking him up at 5:30 to go on our trek, he was babbling about 'needing to win' before we could leave. After calling my mom, I decided to cancel the trek, let him sleep for a little longer, then go to a clinic. At around 9 in the morning, he was completely unresponsive. I would try to wake him up, then he would blink at me, roll over and go back to sleep. I had a doctor come to check him out. After seeing a blood oxygen level of 45% (most people in Cusco are around 90-95%, most people at normal altitude are 96-99%), he told me he had to be taken to the clinic immediately and put on oxygen. We had to carry him downstairs and to a wheelchair. Luckily the clinic was only 2 blocks from my house.
After spending the day in the clinic, the doctor told us that we had to get to Lima as soon as possible and that there was no other alternative. Mike had liquid in his lungs, and if he was taken off of the oxygen, his oxygen level would plummet again. Medical evacuation could have cost as much as $90,000, so the very amable doctor said he would fly with us to Lima on a commercial flight. We left the next morning, and Mike was connected to an oxygen tank the whole time.
We're now in Lima. The 1st day we had to just relax, but now Mike is feeling completely fine. We went to a soccer game, Cristal vs some other team. The players were kinda lazy, but the singing and enthusiasm of fans at a Latin American soccer game always makes it worth the trip. I also tried to go some research here yesterday. People are not very helpful. We were in a mercado, and people would straight up just not talk to me when I told them I was an American student. I think because of the high microcredit infiltration in the city that informal lending is more looked down upon here. After a discouraging day in the city, Mike and I made the impulsive decision to go to the Amazon.
He was bummed about not getting to see Machu Picchu, so we thought this to be a good alternative. I have also heard that because of the lack of alternative forms of credit in the Amazon regions that lending there is very informal. I'm hoping to gain some info before leaving and to talk to people while I am there.
Thats about it. I've heard the Amazon is amazing, so will be posting some photos after I get back (this Saturday)!
By the time we got back, however, Mike wasn't feeling well. We had scheduled to leave on a 4-day trek to Machu Picchu the following morning at 6 am. After having dinner at a friends house, we turned in early. Mike then proceeded to sleep talk all night and began to burn up from fever. He was also coughing which I thought was weird. When I tried waking him up at 5:30 to go on our trek, he was babbling about 'needing to win' before we could leave. After calling my mom, I decided to cancel the trek, let him sleep for a little longer, then go to a clinic. At around 9 in the morning, he was completely unresponsive. I would try to wake him up, then he would blink at me, roll over and go back to sleep. I had a doctor come to check him out. After seeing a blood oxygen level of 45% (most people in Cusco are around 90-95%, most people at normal altitude are 96-99%), he told me he had to be taken to the clinic immediately and put on oxygen. We had to carry him downstairs and to a wheelchair. Luckily the clinic was only 2 blocks from my house.
After spending the day in the clinic, the doctor told us that we had to get to Lima as soon as possible and that there was no other alternative. Mike had liquid in his lungs, and if he was taken off of the oxygen, his oxygen level would plummet again. Medical evacuation could have cost as much as $90,000, so the very amable doctor said he would fly with us to Lima on a commercial flight. We left the next morning, and Mike was connected to an oxygen tank the whole time.
We're now in Lima. The 1st day we had to just relax, but now Mike is feeling completely fine. We went to a soccer game, Cristal vs some other team. The players were kinda lazy, but the singing and enthusiasm of fans at a Latin American soccer game always makes it worth the trip. I also tried to go some research here yesterday. People are not very helpful. We were in a mercado, and people would straight up just not talk to me when I told them I was an American student. I think because of the high microcredit infiltration in the city that informal lending is more looked down upon here. After a discouraging day in the city, Mike and I made the impulsive decision to go to the Amazon.He was bummed about not getting to see Machu Picchu, so we thought this to be a good alternative. I have also heard that because of the lack of alternative forms of credit in the Amazon regions that lending there is very informal. I'm hoping to gain some info before leaving and to talk to people while I am there.
Thats about it. I've heard the Amazon is amazing, so will be posting some photos after I get back (this Saturday)!
Yikes, glad he is okay and you two are safe and having fun now! Miss youzzz!!
ReplyDeleteI imaging how worried you were in that moment that night. Luckily everything is fine now and now you know A LOT ABOUT ALTITUDE PULMONARY EDEMA ( and maybe about Brain edema also ). I hope you enjoy your trip to Amazon. Write soon and say Mike he's very lucky to have you. Bye
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