Shots, drinks and pills - Maybe we need rehab instead of vacation.

So Judy and I went to Nova Travel Clinic on Friday. It turned into quite the epic event, almost two hours with the nurse. I figured I must be almost immune to every travel issue on the planet by now but not so apparently.

Judy was starting fresh so she got two shots, Twinrix for Hep A&B and tetanus. I got the Twinrix to complete my Hep A, I have to go for my last booster for Hep B after I get back. We are both good for polio, rubella etc. India doesn't have Yellow Fever so I didn't need to worry about whether or not mine was still active from our Africa trip. My typhoid shot was only good for two years so I have to update that. Judy and I both decided to go for the drinkable version which is good for 4 years but apparently it is quite the regiment. Drink, day off, drink, day off, drink, day off, last drink on day 7. No food before or after, keep refrigerated. I can barely remember to go to work for a whole week, this is going to be a challenge. I think that is why they usually just do the two year shot. They even gave us a reminder bracelet (although I will just look like I am supporting Lance Armstrong) and stickers and a magnet. I wish it came with reminder phone calls too. We know who to blame if I get typhoid - Lance Armstrong!!

There was much discussion about Japanese Encephalitis, a mosquito borne nasty that is in India. Apparently there is a one in a million chance of getting it. We would have to be hanging out for extended periods in rural areas and living in a barn with the livestock, eating live mosquito salad. Plus the vaccination is almost $400 (!) for three (!) shots (!). I will be there for a shorter time than Judy so it was a no-brainer for me - no thank you. But Judy wisely weighed all of the factors and then also rejected it. I think it was the discussion about the brain swelling side effects (you lost me at "don't fly for 14 days after the last shot or you could die because they can't get you to a hospital fast enough to save you")

Then the standard rabies talk, don't touch dogs, don't play with bats (although what if I want to hang out with cricket players?). Even cats are off limits. I know they can't be serious about that though, because who can say no to a kitten, even a rabid one, if it is fluffy and big eyed.


No surgery, sex, dental work, manicures, knife fights, intravenous drugs, eye poking, vampirism. So many rules. I can handle those but the food restrictions are too much. Don't eat at street vendors (phsshh, whatever), don't eat raw veg, ice cubes, under cooked meat, eggs, food of any sort, beverages of any sort, water. I can say already that I will ignore most of that. I think Val and I were in Thailand only a few hours before we were buying food from a moving buffet table in the street in Bangkok. I can pretty much guarantee that the temperatures on that did not meet food safe recommended levels.


Cholera - something to avoid

Which leads me to the Dukoral. E-coli in a cup. Yes, despite my whining about the disgusting flavour, I will be partaking again. I only need one dose this time so at least that is better. Judy gets the full two fizzy-lisious doses.

Dukoral - poop in a cup.

Plus we each got a prescription for the don't-die-of-dehydration anti-diarheal pills but the ones I got for Africa haven't expired yet. Knock on wood, I haven't had to take them yet.