Travel Vaccines
Ugh, I have actively avoided getting any unnecessary needles since I was 15 years old, but as I was reviewing my Advanced Diving course material, it occurred to me that I should suck it up and get some of the necessary ones. Wreck diving involves close proximity to old, rusted iron and steel structures, so the possibility of tetanus from accidentally scratching myself on something underwater seems quite high. Dammit! And, it will protect me when I go to some more exotic locations in the future, too.
The idea of travel is one of big dreams, beautiful scenery, and endless exploration. However, there would be a down side to this adventure, as there seems to be one for everything. Vaccines. I hate needles, especially after that one terrible blood technician jammed it right into my nerve. I couldn't move my right arm for over a month after that!
Traveling anywhere outside of Canada poses risk to anyone, so up-to-date vaccines is a really good idea. After talking with the travel nurse/counselor, I am more aware of the potential diseases that one could catch by doing something as simple as eating fruit. So far, I've never been stricken by traveler's diarrhea or anything equally as horrible, and I admit, I am not one to follow the 'rules' of eating and drinking while away. In fact, it was on Day 4 of our Cabo trip, while sitting at a beachfront restaurant, drinking a frothy margarita, that I realized we hadn't paid attention to where we were eating in the town.
The Government of Canada provides some great advice for traveling with children, eating and drinking safely, and on areas to avoid. They offer a registration service for people traveling outside the country, which helps to organize aide in the event of a natural disaster. Before traveling anywhere, reviewing the current state of politics and government in your destination is a great idea, and our government's travel advisories can give you insight into problems you may encounter.
My two shots - tetanus and the first Twinrix - were not as bad as I'd imagined. The tetanus hurt immediately after, but luckily this one is good for 10 years. I'm sure I'll survive the next two Twinrix shots now, as that one I barely felt. I'm not a fan of vaccines typically, but I think these two are definitely necessary considering where I plan to travel and the activities I plan to take part in over the next few years.
The idea of travel is one of big dreams, beautiful scenery, and endless exploration. However, there would be a down side to this adventure, as there seems to be one for everything. Vaccines. I hate needles, especially after that one terrible blood technician jammed it right into my nerve. I couldn't move my right arm for over a month after that!
Traveling anywhere outside of Canada poses risk to anyone, so up-to-date vaccines is a really good idea. After talking with the travel nurse/counselor, I am more aware of the potential diseases that one could catch by doing something as simple as eating fruit. So far, I've never been stricken by traveler's diarrhea or anything equally as horrible, and I admit, I am not one to follow the 'rules' of eating and drinking while away. In fact, it was on Day 4 of our Cabo trip, while sitting at a beachfront restaurant, drinking a frothy margarita, that I realized we hadn't paid attention to where we were eating in the town.
The Government of Canada provides some great advice for traveling with children, eating and drinking safely, and on areas to avoid. They offer a registration service for people traveling outside the country, which helps to organize aide in the event of a natural disaster. Before traveling anywhere, reviewing the current state of politics and government in your destination is a great idea, and our government's travel advisories can give you insight into problems you may encounter.
My two shots - tetanus and the first Twinrix - were not as bad as I'd imagined. The tetanus hurt immediately after, but luckily this one is good for 10 years. I'm sure I'll survive the next two Twinrix shots now, as that one I barely felt. I'm not a fan of vaccines typically, but I think these two are definitely necessary considering where I plan to travel and the activities I plan to take part in over the next few years.
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