Mange Management

I realize its been a little while since I last posted. I hope everyone enjoyed their American Independence day. I know I sure did! A group of us took a little break and hitchhiked the 7 hours to the beach. More on hitchhiking adventures later...

Unfortunately, I came home to a small crisis. Me and Simon (dog) have been itching like crazy for several weeks. I managed to get some meds from the Peace Corps Medical office that helped, but when I returned home Simon now has no hair, scabbed everywhere and basically looks like what nightmares are made of. So I managed to wrestled him into a box, get to the only vet in country about 2 hours 2 cars and 2 minibuses away, and now I can comfortably report that the both of us have the mange.

That's Right!!!! THE MANGE

I expected a few fleas, possibly a skin infection. Not the mange. I am now responsible for a small epidemic of the mange that has affected me, the neighbors, the family next door, most of the dogs in the area, even the monkey, and more families are coming forward everyday.

Needless to say I've been a little busy with damage control.

Plan of Attack

• Shots for Simon once a week
• Creams and Lotions for me daily
• Medicine for most of the village
• Wash every single thing I own (once it stops raining, which it hasn't done in the past three months until now). Until then live in the only pair of clothes I know to be ok, and sleep on the floor in my sleeping back.
• Quarantine myself and the dog.
• Simon has a nice pair of homemade slippers and head cone to keep him from scratching. Picture to come
• Lots and lots of apologizing.
• Die of shame because I have the Mange.