Montezuma's Revenge? More like Pakal's revenge.
My biggest misconception about my own body is that I have a stomach of steel. Day 6 into my trip to Chiapas, I woke up with GI issues that have lasted me up to today (Day 11). Alhamdulillah, it isn't that serious, but it's probably the worst I have ever felt related to GI. Day 1, I felt weak, had a pang in my stomach equivalent to severe anxiety, loose bowels (:-D), headache and I felt lethargic. I took Mexican medication and it prevented me from having to use the bathroom, which was a Godsend because we were still traveling via Sprinter, 20 deep, hours away from home and sightseeing. Day 2 madrugada - it hit me all at once and I was the last one on the Sprinter that morning. Again, my body came through and kept all the noise at bay until I got home. Next day felt a little better, but still reeling from the hit to my body. I could not sleep at night from the pressure in my abdomen and finally I figured out that I just need to burp it all out (terrible sulfur burps). I was also coughing a lot of phlegm at night. I thought this was a separate issue, but after a quick Google it happens when the stomach acid rises to your esophagus. Then, I thought I had surpassed it all and on the road to recovery (Day 4). Now Day 5 and 6 I am back down. I'll spare you the details (well you have most of them), I can only be thankful that I have been spared vomiting. Now, everything I eat bloats me to such high discomfort, it is borderline painful. I cannot wait for this to end. But, I also have anxiety so my mind spirals a bit and toys with the idea that I caught a bug that will cause me chronic GI issues. . . but no, it will go away soon. The first bout of sickness, I do theorize was due to a virus/bacteria but after I got a bit better I will blame it on my diet - I am eating spicy, irritating, inflaming foods and a lot of sugar . . . I am definitely not helping the cause . . . might as well be throwing wood to the fire!
I am mostly surprised (not really) that there's still new bacteria that got me, when I have traveled to Mexico my entire life and if anything, I come from a pueblo and I have never gotten sick. Well it's never too late and you're never safe :-). FYI, aware I can get salmonella and e.coli in the US :'-). I just thought the Mayan spirits would spare me due to my good vibes.
After typing the above, I went on the internet and I think I know what parasite I am working with.... AHHHHHH. May be Giarda. You guys know I am a ride it out kind of girl (I recognize this is a mistake) so not looking forward to going to the pharmacy to get my one dose to help me out :-D (I am so silly....). Anyways, Google Giarda - he's a scary looking little sucker.
Yesterdays food: spicy chilaquiles that I felt burn the lining of my stomach, a cherry ICEE, two scoops of sorbet, half a red bull, (I am pregnant with bacteria gases at this point), pizza, potato wedges, and a margarita . . .
On to my diet of bland baby foods for the next week I guess. . . . .
On Tropical Diseases. I recently read a couple books on mosquitos and of course their whole schtick and purpose on this earth is to be vectors of diseases (please ask me and give me mosquito book recs). I was excited to come to Chiapas because it is one of the southern states that is susceptible to tropical diseases (don't get me wrong, we have some further up north too but Chiapas is always on the intake survey before you donate blood). Over chilaquiles yesterday, I asked my Chiapaneco brother in law about the status of malaria in the state and he laughed and said that's an African thing and equivalent to asking about Ebola. I was not very surprised to hear this since malaria is a rare disease, at least in North America, and with sustainable efforts for full eradication. Thankfully, he is a big Googler so immediately, he began reading out loud that malaria is present in Latin America, including Mexico in the states of Chiapas and Campeche.
I found this website that's going to clearly be my newfound obsession. You can click by region and it is showing you real time Malaria risks by country. https://atlasvisualdelamalaria.org/paises/malaria-mexico/
But Malaria isn't the only tropical disease in Chiapas and the surrounding states. See CDC table below from the Mexico 2026 Yellow Book (I omitted the other Mexican regions but you can click to redirect you to the page).
