Stick 'em Up!!

Yep, that is a pile of syringes and bandaids...all mine!  Yesterday my daughter Melanie and I visited the Bibb County Travel Office and got started on the shots we need to go to Thailand in December.

The best way to find out what you need to get when you are about to travel overseas, is the CDC website.  They have interactive sites where you enter the names of the places you plan to visit and it will highlight those on a map and tell you what preparations you need to make to enter those areas.

We found that some of the things we needed to have vaccinations for included Japanese Encephalitis!  This one is a serious disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and although I plan to use a lot of DEET and Pyrethrin (this is what Wikipedia has to say about it - -


The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds normally derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrins are neurotoxins that attack the nervous systems of all insects. When present in amounts not fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent effect. Pyrethrins are gradually replacing organophosphates and organochlorides as the pesticide of first choice. They are non-persistent, being biodegradable, and break down on exposure to light or oxygen. The chemical structure of pyrethrins inspired the production of a variety of synthetic insecticides called pyrethroids such as bifenthrin, permethrin, and cypermethrin.

to avoid getting mosquito bites, I am not taking any chances on picking up this nasty disease!
We will also be taking anti-malarial drugs for the same reason.

One of the biggest shocks we had was the COST for this particular vaccination - over $200!!!
Yikes...oh well, all in the name of staying safe and healthy.  In total the vaccinations we received yesterday totalled $339 for each of us.  We got up to date with a Tdap (tetanus, pertussis and diptheria), Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B (I had already received this one when I was a practicing RN) and we will need to pick up anti-diarrheal (ewwwww) and anti-malarial drugs before we leave.  We have another round of shots before we leave to complete the series!

Actually only one of the shots was the least bit painful (our nurse gives good shots!) and that was the Hepatitis one..ouchy.  I must admit both of my upper arms are a bit sore this morning, but not really bad.  Not any worse really than the flu shot I got last fall.

So, Melanie said her arms aren't any more sore than mine are! Yay!  We wouldn't want a punch in the arm, or even a too tight hug..no adverse reactions or side effects so it's all good, and we wil be good to go when the time comes.

We have a little more reading to do about customs there (don't say anything to offend the local royalty or your butt will end up in jail) and to do and not to do things, but with every day that passes we are a little more excited about our upcoming adventure.  I want to take a ride in one of these local boats through this beautiful view.   I also want to ride an elephant, which is something everyone who has ever been there says not to miss...what an adventure is awaiting..I am going to take a zillion pictures and blog, blog, blog!

So on with my reading/studying about Thailand and its topography, culture and more...what an education!

God Bless - Peace, Love and Joy!!!