Thursday 24 September 2009

Jags

No not the cars! The in the arm type. Warning to the sqeamish - yes, it is time to start those inoculations.

Luckily, I'm fairly uptodate, although I will be due for a rabies booster when I am in India. Having never been to SE Asia except Singapore I've never had an injection against Japanese Encephalytis, another one of the multitude of mosquito borne diseases - have you ever notice just how many diseases are mosquito borne!  So I had the first injection yesterday and need to return for the second in one month's time.

Also, I needed a booster for my Typhoid as had that at the same time. And renewed my favorite, Dukoral, which is the oral vaccine against Cholera. Interestingly in these days we don't think too much about cholera and the vaccine is not usually given except to aid and health workers but there have been Cholera cases in Orissa this year. Originally I was advised to take it several years ago as it gives you two years general protection against infestations of the gastro intestinal tract and having had both food poisoning and dysentry that sounded a good option. I am pleased so far to report that either it has worked or I have been incredibly robust or lucky - I was one of the few or only folk who did not get sickness &/or diahorrea in Mali, Central Asia and Central America and during a norovirus outbreak on the boat. So I am keeping my fingers crossed to survive Delhi belly with only minor inconvenience :)

Jags have never bothered me but drinking that vile concoction that is Dukoral is a real challenge. They make it so that folks will like it - sweet and effervescent, a sort of raspberry Andrew's Liver Salts,  - except I hate fizzy waters with a passion. Drinking the  150ml of this is a real feat - I have never managed to do it in one go, although I try, I only get about 80% of it down and then have to psyche myself up again for the last few drops. I'm the person who was pleased when they stopped giving polio on sugar cubes! Give me an injection any day, even though this morning, after having one injection in each arm yesterday, I can only just raise my right one above my head! My gym session this afternoon will be interesting :) Anyway, nothing that won't pass and quite bearable compared to falling ill with any of these diseases. I hate taking medicines but prevention is the best route.

9 comments:

  1. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease!

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  2. I probably missed it here somewhere, Sheila, but when do you leave?

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  3. Beej, Yes this waiting seems to be going on for ever but Nov 10th is my due departure date, then 1 month in Delhi on "social and linguistic orientation", then a 2 night train journey to Rayagada - not looking forward to much to 2 nights in a train bunk! Hopefully somewhere to live will be sorted out and given Hilary's expereinces and how long it takes to get things sorted it will be interesting to see what I have managed to cook up for Christmas dinner, Hogmany & New Year's Day and birthday

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  4. I know you will be incredibly busy, but I hope you have time to post pictures! I am anxious to see what your living quarters are like. Do you know if you will be living alone or will you need to share with anyone?

    What an exciting life you live.

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  5. Beej, I will be posting pictures as soon as I have an internet connection or have found a internet cafe. I'm probably going in with a quite low level of expectation regarding accomodations, (see the earlier what might it be like post)

    Last week I was contemplating whether I should take anything with me to make the place feel "mine". I didn't come to any conclusions - I'm not a photo person, have never personalised a work desk to any great extent, but I did wonder if there was some item which would fullfill the "comfort" item criteria. That needs more thought I think.

    As for your questions about sharing, no as far as I know, at this point, I will be the first VSO person working with Shakti and so I will be, for now at least, the only VSO person there and probably the only European. This probably means I shall be living alone. I'm not overly concerned about that and just hope that the landlord's family are not too close. I do want to have some privacy and establish a bit of space that is mine and for me. That might be one of the biggest tests of cultural acclimitisation!

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  6. That is because female mosquitoes are Mother Nature's own little hypodermic needles.

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  7. Nasty little blighters! Mosquitoes, I mean! I'm sitting in my study at home and they are coming in here at the moment, at dusk of course the worse time of the day. At least here nothing bad has hitched a ride on them, their bites are still infuriating hoewever.

    Glad to see you here Steve.

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  8. Do you have a favourite lounge thing? Like a soft set of track suit...like super comfy? Like pajamas? I bet if youw ere thinking of not tkaking such an item due to space restrictions you will welcome a homey piece of clothing.

    I had to get a medical exam and shots and tested for all kinds of things like TB with immigration in U.S. so I know a little of what you're going through.

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  9. Beej, I put a Flickr Photostream widget on the left hand side. All you see there now are some pictures from last year, but I will post photos up as I take them once in India.

    Candy, I'm not a soft track suit sort of girl really! But I do have a nice,soft,large silk/cashmere shawl which is great to cuddle into on autumnal days. This might work for Indian winter's evenings.

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