5 VACCINATIONS (09212009)

It's true. The trip isn't all fun and games, as I'm sure you already knew. This week, I'll be working on all that yucky stuff: insurance, visas and SHOTS. I'll be going to my family doc on Thursday AM for a regular check-up and check to be sure I'm good to get out of here. On Wednesday, though... I am going to the University of Louisville's International Travel Clinic. They have a list of all the necessary stuff they need to shoot in me before going to different countries. These are the countries that I'll be touching within the course of 34 days:

• The States, of course

• France (layover)

• Northern Africa

• Kenya

• South Africa

• Namibia

• St. Helena (island in the middle of the Atlantic)

• Brazil

So, this is how it works: The travel clinic gets weekly updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which are constantly checking on all of the countries of the world for risk of disease for foreigners. The travel clinic will let me know of this list on Wednesday and then shoot into me some of all of the following diseases:

• Meningococcal (meningitis)

• Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis B

• Typhoid

• Rabies

• Polio

• Yellow fever

• All the regular shots that I need to have updated as well: Measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria

And, I think that's all. Needless to say, I may be sick a little afterwards. Nothing like being prepared to go anywhere, though. I kind of like it. :) AND, I will start a prescription for malaria soon as well. They don't have a shot they give me. I'll just take the medicine before, during and after my time in exposed countries.

Alright... that's it for now. Pray for the day of shots and I'm sure I'll update you soon. :)

Love,

Laura