Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Immunizations

In the past two weeks, I received the following vaccines: Yellow Fever ($95); Japanese Encephalitis ($120 x 2 doses); Rabies ($200 x 3 doses); Measles, Mumps, Rubella booster ($60); oral Typhoid ($55), Hepatitis B ($45). That was the first visit. Ouch! In the pocketbook and the biceps. The second visit, exactly one week later, was the second Japanese Encephalitis shot, my second Hepatitis A vaccine ($40, had one previously in 2002), Menactra Meningococcal (Meningitis) ($130), second Rabies shot, one $20 administrative fee per visit, one-time $60 travel consultation fee to advise which vaccines to receive. PHEW! I have to go back for a few more on May 22.

Now I will be covered for life for some of the diseases and some for 20 years. Typhoid for 5.

I probably could have got by without a few of them, but the example my "travel adviser" gave me for rabies was this: If you get bit by a rabid animal and you are not vaccinated, you need to receive medical treatment within 24 hours. Depending where you are in the world when you get bit, the medical treatment you are able to seek out may or may not be able to provide you with the treatment and appropriate drugs necessary to treat rabies. If you are unable to receive the necessary treatment, death is very likely and if you survive you will probably have severe paralysis! Talk about scare tactics!

A NOTE ABOUT MY DEPARTURE DATE: You may have noticed that I pushed my departure date back once again. I am now planning to leave in the first week or two of September. More on that later.