Shots: Check!

Well, I did it! I finally got all my vaccinations on Friday. And there were no problems re: not having much time to get them all done by this Saturday! I got three shots in one arm, two in the other, and two oral vaccines to take at home (for malaria and typhoid). I kinda feel like a pincushion...hehe :) Thankfully though, I haven't had any reactions or noticed any side-effects, other than my arms being really sore, mostly from the tetanus shot. (FYI, the yellow fever shot STINGS when it goes in, but you're fine once it's done!)

It was somewhat of a fiasco at the dr's office...I was there a total of 3 hours...not my idea of a fun Friday! There was a huge "argument" between myself, the doctor, and the nurse about one of the vaccines...I was supposed to get the TDaP vaccine (Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis) but I knew that I had a severe allergic reaction to the Pertussis part when I was an infant. After my reaction, my pediatrician just gave me the T/D vaccine (w/out Pertussis) from then on. For whatever reason, the doctor yesterday couldn't seem to grasp all that, and kept insisting that if I had gotten the vaccine after my reaction and was fine, I could have it now (WITH the pertussis). So basically, he told me the only way I could get this vaccine, was with the pertussis, and I was SO scared of having some horrible reaction again!

Anyway, long story short(er), I called my mom and ended up in tears, and then the dr. finally told me I could just get the Tetanus/Diptheria without the Pertussis, no problem. (OY!)

The other "fiasco" was I ended up needing 3 more shots than I originally thought I would need...my meningitis vaccine "expired" a year ago...figures. But, hey, this is all part of God's plan, so, I'm not gonna complain (too much...) :) With that said, there were 3 more shots added to my bill (one of them cost about $175), so altogether my bill came to $710 (EEK!!!) I had come with about half of that, and their policy is you HAVE to pay the balance that day, or they won't let you leave. THANKFULLY, my wonderful dad (aka Super-Dad) just happened to be working just around the corner from the office, so I called him to pleeeeeease come bail me out! (No, not out of jail, just the doctor's) :)

(Btw, I know all that probably isn't all that interesting to anyone else, but, it was probably the most emotional and tiresome day I have had, thus far, on my "journey to Africa", so I think I should record it) :p