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GENTLEMEN: IF YOU EMBARASS EASILY, SKIP THIS NEXT SECTION. DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.

Well, to make a story shorter: I developed a condition similar to the one in Luke 8:43. At 1:15 on Saturday AM, I called the local emergency room for advice whether or not to try to fly. They were amazingly non-commital.

So, I called my friend the doc, IN INDONESIA, to get her advice. She knows my history and I have had similar conditions before, but I'd rather gut this out then seek intervention. A self-limiting condition needs patience.

Anyway she said not to fly with it as severe as it was but go to the ER later and get treated. She told me the two probable treatments and pros and cons of them.

Later, when it was day, I went to the ER. The plane had already taken off by then, but given my history this could go on literally for WEEKS and I wanted a quick end to it. The doc there consulted a specialist by phone and recommended one of two treatments. Since my plans were already shot, the medicine rather then the mechanical treatment was chosen.

So, I'm taking a pill once a day, it should be cleared up in the next day or two. I'm already seeing improvement, btw. I'm cleared to fly as early as Wednesday, but the flights were all booked until 11 August.

More details are available by private freepmail. Even to you gentlemen.

My friend nailed the diagnosis. She also emailed me today and told me that she has on her shelf the pills I need. She didn't tell me because, rightly thinking, she suspected I would go ahead and fly and try to gut it out.
She wrote that with the lesser pressure at higher altitudes I could easily have hemmoraged and the plane diverted to Anchorage or somewhere.

The other passengers ought to thank me.

So, I'll be here for another week.