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This is the story of my painful Leishmaniasis journey – a deadly flesh-eating parasite that I caught while traveling in the Ecuadorian Amazon Jungle.
In the past 14 years of full-time solo travel around the world, I haven’t run into one series problem or illness. That was until exactly 8 months ago, when a trip to the Amazon Jungle changed my life forever…
Back in March of 2023, I spent a beautiful week in the Ecuadorian Amazon Jungle. I met the most amazing people. We ate together, drank together, bathed together, fished together – I felt the most alive I have on a trip in a long time.
Watch the Amazon Tribe episode here ► https://youtu.be/OVne-d_7Z7E
Fast forward two months after returning from the Amazon, and I started to notice something growing on the back of my left calf. I went to a primary care doctor and two dermatologists before a biopsy was sent to the CDC for testing.
The CDC came back with the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The culprit was an infected sandfly carrying the flesh-eating parasite known as leishmania.There are three main forms of leishmaniasis:
① Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, which causes lesions on the skin.
② Mucosal Leishmaniasis, which attacks the nose, mouth and throat.
③ Visceral leishmaniasis, which attacks your internal organs and severe cases can be fatal.
What species of leishmania you have is larger based on where you traveled to. I was diagnosed with Leishmania braziliensis.
This is the frustrating true story of my Leishmaniasis journey.
00:00 Introduction
02:30 Where I Got Leishmaniasis
3:36 Unaware of the Parasite
4:08 First Impression
4:20 Searching for a Diagnosis
5:10 Leishmaniasis Explained
7:55 Fear of Leishmaniasis
8:25 First Treatment
9:22 The Pain
15:07 Fighting for HELP
16:30 Testing at the NIH
19:11 The Phone Call
21:59 Treatment at the NIH
26:57 Post-Treatment Update
34:36 What’s Next?
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——— WHO IS GARETH LEONARD? ———
Hi! My name is Gareth Leonard, an American Travel YouTuber with a passion for slow, meaningful solo travel. I have spent the past 13+ years traveling around the world while creating travel vlogs to help educate and inspire people to “Travel Deeper.”
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30 Comments
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I give myself a hard time for having no desire to travel – I'm a bit of a depressive person – and this video is making me feel better about not travelling but also making me more unlikely to travel in the future which may inspire further self flagellation. It is what it is. Glad you're on the right track to recovery.
Get well soon!! You are so strong
My goal after retiring from teaching for four decades, was to move to Central America, Panama, Costa Rica. My Rhumetologist told me with my autoimmune diseases, and the fact I already have Lyme’s from a parasite, that it would be a death sentence. I’ve been so sick off and on, it’s a good thing I’m still in my hometown and have a good team of Doc’s. All I know is that IV antibiotics always make me feel better.
I pray for your complete recovery and good health. Your experiences will no doubt save lives. Thank you and God bless you.
thank you for this warning. Amazon should not be allowed to ship diseases like this. I'll defly stop orderning from them
Here I thought it was bad that I’ve got H.Pilori from eating fresh fruits and veg. Dang man.
My 10yr old has to pause chemo due to her kidneys not processing her meds sometimes. Bilirubin’s.
I'm sorry you have to go through this and I hope you recover fully from it! Sending you my thoughts and if you accept them sending you my prayers!
Stay strong brother, sometimes a sickness can take a real mental breakdown on you . Stay positive sending prayers 🙏
Aaand this is how I wound up with a 22 pound watermelon ovarian cyst in my gut that required 4 months of hospitalization and a rewire of my digestive system. No – ‘diet and exercise’ didn’t fix my belly protrusion – all four doctors who diagnosed me as “just fat.”
Because They Are Doctors Didn't Mean That They Know Everything. Most Doctors Normally Go To Google To Find ANSWERS
Man I sure hope you get better but in the mean time I think you should park your but at home for awhile. Staying at home is underrated. I was forced to take my first flight post pandemic two weeks ago and that 3rd world slum terminal one at SAN gave me covid the moment I stepped into it.
Wow. I'm glad you overcame it in the end. I hope you have many many happier days ahead.
Contact a Brasílian doc.There are great docs therw
Thank you for sharing your story. The most important message you have is to be your own medical advocate. I hope people hear this loud and clear and heed it. It's how we survive. I first heard about leishmaniasis in animal rescue videos in Spain in dogs. There they say there is no cure, just lifelong management. You are the first human case I heard of. From the comments here, it does sound like it is curable, but it is also true that the drugs are very toxic and you must be monitored while taking them. You have been very lucky to be able to take charge of your own journey. Wow! I wish you all the best and again thank you for sharing this with the world to show there is a way to overcome this parasite and heal.
Thanks for sharing your story. Ive had several operations, the one on my ankle afterwards felt like they were taking a blow torch to my ankle for hrs. Sorry brother🫂 praying for you🙏
Wow, thank you for sharing this story and for doing it in the ways that you did. You've been through so much and you're still in it, you are so resilient and strong. Now you have a whole team to add healing frequencies your way <3
The doctor (CDC?) you saw and were "talking" to wasn't even listening to you. And when you said you felt like he wasn't helping, he went silent for a moment. Any doctor who cuts you off mid sentence and talks over you is not someone you should trust with your care. I'm SO glad you found the help you needed and are on the road to recovery!
New fear unlocked
So strange I live in RSA and just asked my daughter who is a vet if she knew about your disease and she goes yes it's a zoonotic disease we treat it all the time. 😂 I think always go to your vet for a second opinion.
Welcome to American medicine. You're just a walking dollar sign to your Primary Care until you take drastic steps like this guy did going to NIH.
Isn’t it amazing how little Dr’s know about skin diseases. In the last couple of years I have been dealing with all kinds of skin issues and can’t even get a solid diagnosis. One derm says it this and the next says it something else. On top of that they don’t have any cures, just different treatment options. Seriously! I’m basically told they aren’t sure what’s causing it nor why it’s happening but try this and see if it helps. It’s been a couple years of me researching and experimenting and it’s just exhausting. I really feel for you man and I hope the for the best.
Let thi be a.lesson to All of us, to always don't take a Drs. Word as gospel! Always research whar you are told! Ask for friends and family help too! Adovacate, advocate,advocate!
❤ yes, the medical system is not always kind to patients with rare conditions. Kudos to navigating it finally and hope you recover fully soon!
My cousin contracted bilharzia while on a year out in South Africa and he got really, really unwell from the parasite, with liver infiltration. So I completely get how distressing this is for you and not knowing what’s going on, with other people having never seen this not getting it. Thankfully, living in London and someone asking his history, he got referred to St Thomas Hospital, where they have a specialist infectious and tropical diseases unit. I was also a nurse for some years and yes, this kind of story is why I became a nurse and advocated for my patients too, like another commenter. Sending you massive empathy, love and support from the U.K. happy always to chat
Get EBOO treatments to clean and oxygenate your blood!!! I'm serious. They work great for Lyme disease, cancer, autoimmune conditions, long term covid, etc. The treatments will also help your kidneys.
Praying for your continued recovery ❤
I am so happy you are better. Thank you for sharing your story.
I wish you all the best hopefully you don't get that thing ever again. Stay healthy stay safe!
us healthcare man… Im from Brazil and I've never seen anyone with this disease, only animals! but Im glad you got it treated right in the end