I'll take 2 shots please...

So several months ago my sister was thoughtful enough to get us appointments to a travel doctor so that we could determine which shots we would need for our travels.  The area we will be staying at in Chiang Mai is a rural habitat since we will be living in huts on the premises, with the elephants.  In fact, this is a photo from the Elephant Nature Park, but I hope to be supplying my own personal photos of a very similar nature.  A tree house!

Needless to say, remain cautious of mosquitoes and water.

Anyway, on 8/4/2010, we went to UCONN to go over the travel shots we would need.  Not so worried about the hepatitis A, typhoid and malaria shots we will have to get.... but rather the 16 page document on the trials and tribulations of Traveling Diarrhea...

Unfortunately, as a result of the vaccinations and visiting a 'malaria flagged' country, I will not be able to do my regular platelets/plasma donations.  This bothered me for a little while, but I've moved on!

The schedule of travel shots:

• 9/13/2010: I received my tetanus shot, not so pleasant and the affected area looked like I had elephantitis of the shoulder.  Get it? Don't worry, this type of humor will be sprinkled throughout this journal...
• 11/18/2010: We received the Typhoid and Hepatitis A shots... biggest needles ever seen and ever injected into a human.   Couldn't move my arms for days.
• 12/28/2010: Received my malaria pills to be started 2 days prior to the start of the trip and continued through AND 10 days after the trip.  Also picked up a pack of Zithromax in case I decide to pick up an infection.
• 1/3/2011: Bought several bottles of Imodium, Clorox wipes, mosquito repellent containing the highest legal levels of DEET allowable and finally sunscreen.

And while they do have these:

We are advised to pack our own toilet paper.  I'm not sure if the thing next to the toilet is a bidet or a trashcan...

. . .

T minus 10 days...

!