I’m a closet hypochondriac. Most of the time I can hide it or keep it inconspicuous (such as my religious use of hand sanitizer). However, since coming to Bangladesh, it’s been a lot harder to keep my inner-hypochondriac at bay. I win this battle most of the time… but not today 
Today I found myself sitting across a large and prestigious looking desk. On the other side of this desk was a doctor – but not just any doctor. This was a doctor’s office just five minutes away from both the US Embassy and the American International School in Dhaka. I’ve been told that both the US and Canadian embassies refer their expats to this guy.
And part of the reason I decided to go see him is because I have been feeling ill lately. It all started after my return from the Chittagong Hill-Tracts. The coincidental timing was enough to exacerbate my hypochondria. You see, unlike other parts of Bangladesh that I’ve gone to, the Chittagong Hill-Tracts is a hot zone for many diseases (including malaria as mentioned in one of my previous videos).
Normally, I’d write off my symptoms as a cold. I’ve been really tired lately. Too tired, in fact, to even do some important videos I need to make for the YouTube channel. I’ve had a low grade fever, terrible cough, soar throat, and my voice seems to be failing me. But instead of just staying home, getting some rest, and drinking plenty of fluids – I marched off to this embassy-approved doctor.
Turns out, as I suspected, my symptoms are all consistent with a viral infection. Unfortunately, the doctor couldn’t rule out whether it’s something benign (like a cold) or something more serious. I’m going to have to wait and see if things improve. Given the questions the doctor was asking me, it sounded to me like he suspected that I might (at worst) have something mumps-related.
