"Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots!" - Lil Jon

To vax or not to vax...things are NOT about to political up in here, but I do want to chat a bit about travel vaccinations and why Mike and I decided against getting many of them.

For US citizens traveling to India the CDC recommends the following:

MMR

DTAP

Chickenpox

Polio

Annual Flu Shot

Hepatitis A

Typhoid

Hepatitis B

Malaria

Japanese Encephalitis

Rabies

Because I was fully vaccinated as a child and have kept up on boosters, I was left with needing a Flu Shot, Hep. A, Typhoid, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, and Rabies.

I, first, called my General Practitioner and they said they do not do travel vaccinations and referred me to a company called Passport Health with a warning that insurance won't cover these shots. So before I made my appointment I called to find out what kind of financial damage we were looking at. Unfortunately, in a fit of anger post phone call I crumbled up and tossed the paper with the costs written down - they are SO expensive! I am talking over $1,200 per person expensive. Too bad you can't use airline miles for vaccinations.

So, I decided that recommend does not mean require and I was going to take the risk with Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies (which each were over $350 per shot). There are several reasons, besides costs, I decided to forgo these shots but I would be lying if expense wasn't a huge factor.

Last week I stopped into Passport Health. They give you a detailed booklet of all the health things you could worry about in India. They try to sell you sunscreen, bug spray, anti-diarrhea meds, and all sorts of things that most people would already have in their medicine cabinet. It was a little pushy, but I just made it clear to the nurse that I was familiar with traveling and the process I needed to go through. That made the process much easier (<--- read: quicker). I think they are designed to assist people who are very apprehensive about international travel and need a bit of hand-holding. Overall a good service, but a little overkill for me.

I ending up getting a Typhoid and Hep. A shot. I also went ahead and got a prescription for malaria pills. Maybe I will get a flu shot at the minute clinic before we leave, but it's not a high priority.

My arm ached for a day or so - it made me feel so bad for the babies getting all their injections. They just might be tougher than me! Mike gets is shots this week.

At this point all we need is our visa and we are ready to go to India - WHAT?!?!!?

I know I sign off on all my posts asking you to donate to our charity, Ben's Bells - and today will be no different. So please consider donating, there is no better way to warm your heart then to spread kindness. Thank you!!!