I had a Brain Eating Ameba Scare!

This isn’t a joke. I am finding it therapeutic by sharing the story because it was the most anxiety I have felt in a while. I was in a hot spring in Saratoga Springs, one I haven’t been to since 1997, and it was disgusting then as it is now. The objective was to get together with some friends at 7:30am and watch the sunrise over Utah Lake.

The hot spring we found ourselves in had a vent creating a circulating mud hole for our feet to go in. The sensation of 100 degree water on my feet gave me the dumb idea to show off. The next thing you know I am upside down swimming into this underwater hole. I dove down and did a quick head in the hole trick. Wasn’t worth it. Got this gritty mud in my ears nose and mouth. Lots of it. I was able to purge of most of it during the day.

I immediately had a headache that day and next, and right when I am on a work zoom meeting 4 hours after the swim, the hot springs friend message group sends me this:

Brain-eating ameba (Naegleria fowleri)

Naegleria fowleri more commonly known as “brain-eating ameba” is a type of free-living ameba (single-celled organisms) commonly found in soil and warm freshwater environments. It can cause a rare, devastating brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Infection occurs only when water enters the nose. You cannot be infected from swallowing water. In the early stages of infection, symptoms may resemble bacterial meningitis. Later symptoms include stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention, loss of balance, seizures, and hallucinations. Naegleria fowleri cannot be spread from person to person.

Reading about this ameba obviously gave me immediate anxiety, so I talked with out beta version of Phi (you will all have it soon) and she helped me with some suggestions and answered my questions, but told me to call doctor. I called up my doctor friend and had him prescribe me antibiotics. I decided not to send this email out until I had at least a week of time to make sure I didn’t have this ameba in my brian. I would know by now, as I would be dead in 7 days, so I think coast is clear. I had 3 days where it wasn’t clear if I had the ameba or not. I was ok with the idea of dying. It would have been a silly death, but at least I know I am ready. My kids where less ready and didn’t appreciate me telling them I may only have 5 days to live. I think we need good scares every so often.

SP

.