Day 5!

Today we all went to Queen Sirikit's National Institute of Health where we got lectured on both malaria and Dengue fever.  It was very interesting to learn more about these two disease since they are not prevalent in the US.  Both of these diseases are hard to control since they are transmitted by mosquitoes. Malaria is not very prevalent in Bangkok but it is on Thailand's borders.  Dengue fever has recently started to increase in numbers and there is no quick cure for it.  All they can do is treat the symptoms and make the patient comfortable. 

 After lunch, we went on rounds with the physicians to see the patients in the Dengue ward.  They showed us the tell-tale rash that's associated with the disease, and the patient's chest x-rays which are used for diagnosis.  It was very cool to see this disease that we would otherwise never been exposed to in the US.  The physicians there were very knowledgeable and helpful so that we could know the key takeaways about the disease. 
After we got back to the hotel, we freshened up and went out to Asiatique. It was a shopping center on the river with plenty of restaurants and a giant Ferris wheel. It also happened to be the Loi Krathong festival in Thailand which occurs every year on the first full moon of November.  It is also known as the Festival of Light and the main purpose is to release the bad moments from the year that you are still holding on to and to make a wish for the future.  You are supposed to buy a beautiful handmade candle, light it, and send it off down the river to release the bad and wish for the good.  It was truly a beautiful part of the Thai culture that we were priveleged to be able to see.  We all purchased our favorite candle holders and went to the river to send them off!