September 3, 2022, 10:05 AM
September 3, 2022, 10:05 AM
JG, 34 years old, independent consultant. He contracted monkeypox and in addition to going to a health center to confirm the virus, He decided to notify through his accounts on social networks that he had monkeypox. Far from hiding, he is in favor of speakingso that the disease ceases to be a taboo and its contagion can be stopped faster.
He has no objections and prefers to identify himself to talk regarding a disease without feeling ashamed regarding it, but respecting the right to privacy, intimacy and dignity of patients, this medium keeps his identity confidential. “Hiding identities is more harmful and counterproductive”says he is willing to share his experience and provide information because it is in silence, in reserve, that doubts and misinformation multiply, and the one who wins is the virus.
If there is something wrong with this new disease (the disease was discovered in the ’50s, but it has been in recent months that it has spread rapidly around the world) it is the pain it causes. Las vesicles scattered on the body can dry up and disappear within a few days, but there are others that do not. Their development is uneven. Those that grow cause unbearable pain that, in the case of J. G., they had him without sleep for several days (at night for some reason the pain is stronger). It was precisely because of the pain that he had to be hospitalized to be controlled, although without much success.
What made you go to medical attention? what symptoms did you have?
The symptoms came out a few days following having the suspicion, not everyone cares, it happened to me a little the other way around. First I got the wounds, then the glands swelled and then I went through the fever, chills, back pain and headache (normally that comes first).
-Have you ever heard regarding monkeypox? or were you familiar with it?
Obviously, I’m always on the lookout for information on various topics, included those related to health.
-What does the test consist of? would you say it is painful or uncomfortable?
There are two samples, one blood and the other consisting of a swab of the throat and the gallbladder (the name given to the wounds) that is most noticeable or affected.
-What came to your mind once they confirmed that you had smallpox?
Well, nothing, it’s a disease like many others, I just thought regarding starting treatment and trying to get better as soon as possible.
-Did you use the private practice or the public health system?
It was all thanks to public health centers and people who handle the issue, like Jean Pierre Mendoza (now he is my friend), and Dr. Karen Araneda, they were the ones who helped me. SUS (Universal Health Insurance) provides all medication for free.
-Would you say that you had a good follow-up and medical care?
Yes indeed, the problem is a little in that it is a new disease. Both in the public and private systems they do not have enough experience with this disease and they can give an erroneous diagnosis at the beginning.
-What is it that the protocol asked you to do?
The first thing they see is that you can complete the isolation for a period of 21 days, this disease is not super contagious in itself, but it has stages where it is more contagious and that is the danger of it.
-How many people did you have to notify of your contagion in order to do a good follow-up? how did they take it?
I informed all the people, especially on social networks, so that they know that they might consult me regarding anything.
-Were you isolated at home or in a health center?
I still have 9 days to go, I did mixed.
-How was the evolution?
It’s painful because eThere are areas where vesicles hurt much more. Not all develop the same, so there are some that last a few days and dry up, while others grow and cause excruciating pain that kept me awake for several nights. The pain is so strong that I had to go to the hospital to have it controlled and they still mightn’t, not even the strongest serums and painkillers helped. it feels like the skin is permanently burned. ANDIt’s just waiting for each vesicle to go through its different stages until it disappears.
-What medications did you receive?
I think it is not appropriate to talk regarding it to prevent people from self-medicating, if there is suspicion or you had a very close contact, especially sexual, with a positive, get tested. There is currently no specific treatment for the disease and a combination of tablets and creams is used.
-The contagions have multiplied rapidly, surely Santa Cruz will have more and more cases, what would you say to those who are currently experiencing the disease and to the new ones that appear?
Hopefully they are lucky, because not all areas hurt the same, be very careful with hygiene, disinfection of vesicles, so that they do not proliferate in many areas.
-And what do you say to the general public? What attitude to take regarding smallpox and friends or relatives who may be infected?
The disease is not very contagious, except at the stage when the vesicles are tender. Be careful with disinfection. Above all, to those suspected of being positive, I tell them that so that this does not grow, try to find out (true information, not opinions, or fake news) regarding it and also be aware that it is a disease, do not make it a source of shame for anyone, so that absurd prejudices do not arise regarding it.
It is just another disease and there is no need to be ashamed regarding it. I know of the case of a person from the village who is positive and whose family did not want him to go for the test, or attend a health center for fear of what they will say, that kind of stupidity on the part of people is not needed today not ever. Luckily this person is already improving and I was able to help her a little on social networks.
