Not So Doctor Feelgood

So every adventure should start with a few hiccups and learning experiences...For instance Doug (one of my co-workers who will be arriving in Mumbai the week I leave) and I discovered that you can't apply for a passport with the clerk's office of the county you were born in. Which meant after going to clerks office together, Doug ended up having to go to the post office. Wilted Flower! What's up with that rule? I guess it is better than having to go to the county you were born in...Not that I have anything against Huron County. The fact that 99.9% of the roads in Huron County are either north-south and east-west makes it pretty hard to get lost...Of course this has nothing to do with learning experiences. Unless you have never been to Huron County and in that case "You're welcome".

ANYWAY...After applying for passports, the next step was a trip to Medical to set up an appointment to update vaccinations. The earliest I could get in would be the following week...Oh good another vacation interrupted.

A week later I show up at the appointed time. Paula, the nice nurse person, takes my medical history and basically goes over everything I will most likely need but technically were only "recommended": Hepatitis A&B, Tetanus/Diphtheria, Polio (hey what happened with those awesome Polio sugar cubes) and Typhus with Maleria pills to start two days before leaving. We chat a bit. I bring up my back issues and Paula kindly offers to hook me up with some stretch bands to exercise with. I also get a Ziploc bag full of generic pills and bands as well as a thermometer (complete with the little plastic sheaths). Wow these Dow Medical folks are cool! The parting gifts right up front! SA-WEET!

Nurse Paula then leads me to the doctor's office. He goes over the recommended vaccines. "Sign me up for all of them!" All is right with world....Then the 10 page document comes out and Doctor Feelgood begins his lesson.

"Try not to get bit by a mosquito" - Great. Of all the types of magnet I could be the only one I am is a Mosquito Magnet. I'm told I need to buy repellent wipes as I could carry them a couple of those on the plane because unlike a pump of OFF the wipes are within the liquid tolerance. As much as I would like to declare JIHAD on all the mosquitoes in all the world, I think the folks on the plane would be safe if I brought a pump with me. Silly regulations! Then again my passport photo does scream terrorist.

"Do you sing in the shower?" - Like I would admit that to him or anyone reading this...Great now you all know and for a couple of you "NO I WILL NOT KARAOKE AND YOU WILL NEVER MAKE ME!!!" In short, the doctor was trying to tell me not to drink the water even accidentally in the shower...Not a problem as I had already read about the antiquated water and sewer system that run more or less next to each other and date back to the time of the British Raj. Then he proceeds to tell me to be careful of the bottled water I might buy on the street. To make sure the seal was intact. Still no problem as I am pretty sure I would not want to eat or drink anything sold on the street. On the one positive note he did let me know that Pepsi and Coke products are readily available....Oh yeah....BEER TOO!!! Ahh beer : )... but I digress.

"Only eat fruit you can peel yourself" - Too much about food for this, but I will sum up. Only eat fruits and vegetables you can wash and peel yourself, if something that should be served hot and comes out cold don't eat it, don't eat beef around the Hindus, don't eat pork in front of the Muslims, and be careful who you is around if you are having drinks...OK I might not be a world traveler, but I don't sit in the double wide every night wondering the what world is like outside of Michigan. Heck I've been to Epcot (Mom and I drank around the world. It was great!). As mentioned in the last post, I have a minor in sociology and common sense. I am not going to offend the natives.

"If you have a fever when you are supposed to depart, you can be quarantined" - That explains the thermometer.

My favorite: "Keep your eyes closed on the drive to the site. The drivers know what they are doing". Apparently I don't want to see any potential crashes I might be involved in...I may have to give him this one.

I am now wondering how and why someone becomes a doctor at a major corporation as opposed to having a private practice or working in a hospital. I am thinking in this case there may have been bedside manner issues because just as I was getting comfortable with going on the trip, the reality of the situation is getting spelled out. Quick Happy Thoughts! Puppies...Rainbows....The expensive Marriott that I will be staying in that I could not possibly afford on my own....

And at that point the doctor sends me back to another nurse to get my shots.

Later

Lori