My Travel Nightmare: Surviving a Rare Amazon Disease
Gareth Leonard
37 min, 43 sec
The video details the traveler's journey from experiencing life with an Amazon tribe to a harrowing health struggle with leishmaniasis and his ongoing treatment.
Summary
- The traveler shares his 14 years of incident-free adventures until a trip to the Amazon leads to a life-threatening case of leishmaniasis.
- He documents his struggle to find proper diagnosis and treatment, eventually getting care at the NIH.
- Treatment includes painful wound care, fighting against a misdiagnosed staph infection, and advocating for his own health.
- He discusses the mental challenges of dealing with a potentially chronic disease and the uncertainty of his future health.
- The traveler plans to continue sharing his journey on Patreon and to resume his travel and food content creation when able.
Chapter 1
The traveler recounts his years of trouble-free adventures before an Amazon trip leads to a serious health scare.
- The traveler had never faced a serious problem in his 14 years of full-time travel until his Amazon trip.
- After returning from the jungle, he began experiencing health issues that made him fear for his life.
Chapter 2
Frustrated by the lack of disease awareness, the traveler seeks medical help and asks the public for support and understanding.
- The traveler documents his journey to NIH for treatment, expressing nervousness and a desire to connect with others who understand the disease.
- He emphasizes filming the process as a distraction and a call for help, hoping to aid others in the future.
Chapter 3
The traveler's condition worsens as he struggles to get a proper diagnosis, facing missteps and misinformation.
- His opening lesion worsens despite seeing multiple doctors and taking various medications.
- He describes the painful and infected state of his leg, and the lack of clear guidance from medical professionals.
Chapter 4
The traveler learns he has leishmaniasis, a flesh-eating parasite, and shares detailed information about the disease.
- He was bitten by a sandfly carrying leishmaniasis in the Amazon.
- The disease has three forms, with cutaneous being the most common and the type he contracted.
Chapter 5
The traveler battles his insurance for treatment, starts on medication, and faces the physical and emotional toll of the disease.
- He fights with his insurance for a $50,000 medication, miltefosine, and starts treatment while juggling work.
- The medication causes severe pain and infections, leading to emergency room visits and uncertainty.
Chapter 6
The traveler's journey to recovery includes intense treatments at NIH and joining a support group for leishmaniasis.
- He finds a support group and receives an aggressive treatment plan at NIH.
- The treatment is painful but necessary for recovery, and he must remain vigilant for potential complications.
Chapter 7
The traveler reflects on the experience and his future plans, including resuming his travel series and creating local content.
- He discusses the mental impact of the disease and the importance of being proactive about health.
- The traveler plans to continue documenting his journey and return to his travel and food content once fully healed.