Venerable Dhammanando away for a few days, unwell (update 3)

[sherubtse]

I am very glad to hear that he will be well enough to return to moderating duties next week.

I have greatly missed his presence in these forums!

With metta,
Sherubtse

[Aloka]

I'm very relieved to hear that his health has improved!

With kind wishes,

Dazzle

[Dhammanando]

Greetings,

Thank you all for your kind wishes. As my friend Martin reported via Retro, the malaria was quickly cured but the cellulitis proved a little more refractory and I’m still not free of it. I can now walk again, but the antibiotics haven’t stopped the infection and so the right foot and calf are still in constant pain. I’ve been discharged from the Sangha Hospital and tomorrow will take up a kind offer from Khun Salil, one of my Abhidhamma teachers, to be tested and treated at a much better equipped private hospital. I regret that it may be a few more days yet before I return to full participation in this forum.

Still, things could be a lot worse: in the bed opposite mine at the Sangha Hospital there was a Belgian monk who was likewise admitted for cellulitis; unfortunately his case was complicated by diabetes, which resulted in his having his right leg amputated.

“Householder, who would claim even a moment’s health, while yet carrying this body about, what else is he but a fool?”
(Nakulapitasutta)

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[Jechbi]

Bhante,

A heartfelt welcome back.

Reminds me of a talk I heard somewhere about a patient who goes to the doctor with a correct perspective on illness. He says: "Doctor, there's something right with me. I'm sick again."

Metta

[mikenz66]

Welcome back Bhante...

Metta
Mike

[genkaku]

Very glad to hear you are on the mend.

And if you'll pardon a small half-tongue-in-cheek observation: Hospitals are like Buddhism: We go to them to get better, but we only know we've gotten better when we get out.

Best wishes for continued recovery.

[AlaskanDhamma]

I was unaware Ven. Dhammanando was ill. I'm am very genuinely happy to hear they he is well again in body. It's good to see the support hear.

[Cittasanto]

It is good to hear the good news

[Peter]

Bhante,

I am glad to hear you are on the mend.

[BubbaBuddhist]

Good to see you back Bhante, to straighten us out. You'r work is cut out for you.

J

[Individual]

I'm glad you're well, Dhammanando.

[David N. Snyder]

It is good to see you back, even if just for a temporary time.

The other monk had his leg amputated? Ouch! Thank goodness you will be better without that!

[Ben]

Welcome back Ajahn!
Metta

Ben

[Ngawang Drolma.]

I'm so glad you're better, Bhante.

Best wishes,
Drolma

[sherubtse]

It is indeed great news to learn that you are better, Bhante. And I very much look forward to reading your words of wisdom again in these forums.

With metta,
Shereubtse

[laura]

I am also glad to hear you are feeling better!

[nathan]

This is good news, thankful to hear it. May you recover fully.
I would be very interested to learn what you think about Malaria at this point. Especially how one should best prepare to deal with this issues if intending to be in Thailand for an extended period. I would appreciate your thoughts when you have the time for it.

Looking forward to that article translation also, if that ever resurfaces. I very much appreciate all of the perspective on the teachings and advice you have generously provided. Thanks again.

[Dhammanando]

Hi Nathan,

I would be very interested to learn what you think about Malaria at this point. Especially how one should best prepare to deal with this issues if intending to be in Thailand for an extended period. I would appreciate your thoughts when you have the time for it.

It's not difficult to avoid it and merely requires that one stay away from malarial regions (i.e. most of the Cambodian border districts and certain of the less inhabited Burmese and Laotian border districts). This is what I did for the first 13 years, but then a couple of years ago I went to spend the rains retreat on a private island that was close enough to Cambodia to be visited by malarial mosquitoes from there. It hits you very hard when you get it for the first time, but if properly treated subsequent occurrences will get milder and milder and less and less frequent.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[nathan]

Hi Nathan,
It's not difficult to avoid it and merely requires that one stay away from malarial regions (i.e. most of the Cambodian border districts and certain of the less inhabited Burmese and Laotian border districts). This is what I did for the first 13 years, but then a couple of years ago I went to spend the rains retreat on a private island that was close enough to Cambodia to be visited by malarial mosquitoes from there. It hits you very hard when you get it for the first time, but if properly treated subsequent occurrences will get milder and milder and less and less frequent.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

That is more or less what I was beginning to think. I could take a drug for a time initially but it would be impractical over the longer term. We really need to get an "Ordaining..." thread going here somewhere (mods?). It seems the odds of ending up at the gates of WPN are pretty high. Given that visa problems seem to be only intensifying lately, there will probably have to be trips into either Burma, if I am in the North, or VIetnam/Cambodia, if I am in the East, at least briefly, every three months. I have gotten used to just watching mosquitoes feed on me here, how do monks deal with them there? Blowing, hand waving? Run? Just curious. I am getting a lot better at being able to simply accept being very ill if and when these conditions arise, and of course, they will.

All the Best Venerable, be well and happy.

[appicchato]

mosquitoes...how do monks deal with them there?

This one blows and/or brushes... ...and if you live outside (like I do), a net at night is mandatory...