On Friday afternoon, Brian and I paid a visit to the travel doctor in preparation for our upcoming Nepal trip. Can you tell by the photos above what a baby I am with shots and what a badass Brian is? You would think that with five tattoos, I would behave way cooler around a needle than this. But no, I turned my head like a wimp and let out an audible sigh when pricked. Brian, on the other hand, gave me that “no big deal” look when receiving his shot. Although in my defense I did have to get THREE different shots ( Hep A, Hep B and Tetanus) and Brian only had to get ONE, since he was up to date on the others.The whole experience was quite a shock to the system. I left the office feeling incredibly prepared for illness as well as terrified about all the possibilities.
During our visit, I learned that we will be in areas where we could contract Malaria, so we got a prescription for Malarone pills to prevent this. These pills can have psychiatric side effects! That should be interesting!
Speaking of prescriptions, we each walked out of there with seven others. We could start a clinic over here with all our pills!
– We have vaccine pills to prevent contracting Typhiod fever
– We have Diamox to prevent altitude sickness
– We have Medrol in case despite our efforts to prevent altitude sickness we still get altitude sickness
– We have Tamiflu in case we catch the flu while there
– We have Zithromax in case we need antibiotics when there
– We have Ondansetron for nausea
– and lastly we have Florastor which are probiotics for our stomachs
As if getting three shots and talking about Malaria wasn’t fun enough, I also had to pay a $435.00 dollars for my visit. I mean, seriously?!
When we got home from the doctor’s appointment, Brian happily walked around the house in his new hiking boots to continue breaking them in for the trek and I googled Typhoid fever and poured myself a glass of wine. Says so much, huh?
365til30.com 
Wow, that’s a lot of preparation and money for the doctors’ visit.
Nepal will be such an exciting place to travel too! My mom spent some time there about thirty years ago and she has some wild stories. I hope you post massive amounts of pics so we can all live vicariously through you!
A lot of prep (and some pain) – in the end it will be worth it!
The word WUSS comes to mind…..
I can’t even argue with you:)
The pics were cute….love the “I”m scared” face….
The modern day joys of ‘safely’ seeing / experiencing the world? The travel doctor was a routine stop for many of my peers and co-workers in D.C. days. It was almost a game hearing them recite shots + airport codes when relaying stories … c’est la vie of the traveling soul!
I am exactly the same way!! I have to look away… I can’t see the needle at all or I totally freak out. I am glad you guys are going in super prepared!
So, if I get a call from my buddy, Ram, in Katmandu, saying there were these two Californians hanging like bats and screeching from the roof of Yak and Yeti, I can tell him “Blame it on Malarone”? :}
Hahahaha! YES:)