Seeing my trip account in the bank inch ever closer to the $20 thousand dollar mark is amazing to see, but it wasn’t until today that the reality has set in.
I’m actually doing this.
Today was my first appointment with the International Travel Clinic in Saskatoon here. I hate needles. Let me get that out of the way first. I have a faint scar on my nose as proof of how poorly I handle needles (fainted onto the back of a chair after getting the flu shot).
The meeting today with the nurse started off somewhat amusing when I produced a sheet with all the countries and cities I planned to visit. This resulted in an 86 page printout of recommended shots.
Seriously, it was larger than a few of my textbooks from University(and probably cost considerably cheaper too).
And as per the rules, the nurse had to go through everything. Every recommended shot, what they consist of, what the diseases is and how it is transmitted, the cost of each shot, how high of risk I am based on my travel plans(what plans???). With so much information to go over, it took almost an hour and a half before the needles came out. . . and for me to start to panic. Thank goodness I informed the nurse of my fainting spells as she brought out a mat and pillow for me.
The shots today, one for Yellow Fever and the first dose of Hep A, actually didn’t hurt. Well, they didn’t hurt that bad. I didn’t faint, which is always a good thing. If I had been sitting, well, I probably would have a matching scar on my nose and a rather concerned nurse. Maybe I’m growing up!
This part is not over yet. I still have to make appointments to get four or five more vaccines. I could possibly get them all done at once, but I don’t think I could handle that. Not without my teddy bear at least. And a few shots of tequila beforehand to calm me down.
So stay tuned. Maybe I can earn a nickname of Scarface before I leave.
Side note:
If you’re planning on going on a trip of your own, take a look at the Saskatoon Health Region’s International Travel Clinic website, linked above. There is a large amount of information on what vaccines are recommended for different countries. It is always a good idea to take such a list into your own travel clinic. The nurses will love you and it will save you considerable time.
As well, no matter the length of your trip, do not leave it until the last minute as many vaccines require you to have them weeks before you plan to leave in order for the vaccine to be effective.
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