Keeping Healthy Away From Home

Never mind the animals, or the mountains, being so far from home in a country very unlike our own has it's own risks. Diseases and illnesses that we don't have to worry about in Canada can be devastating while traveling. For myself, this means a bag full of prescriptions, and immunization through vaccination.

Being that this is my first time out of Canada/USA, I've had to start from an empty plate. The International Travel Center has done a number on my limbs, all in the name of keeping my body healthy when I'm away. Following is the list of immunizations I've had in the past month:

Hepatitis A/B (Twinrix)
Yellow Fever (Required to Re-enter Canada)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Tetanus / Diphtheria / Polio
Meningococcal
Influenza (Flu)

Typhoid (oral, next week)

Some of these require several doses over a period of months.

The idea behind an immunization, is for the body to be exposed to foreign molecules and orchestrate an immune response. Not only can the body deal with this threat (often weakened or dead), but quickly respond if you ever run into it again (immunological memory). Now the process is not without it's side effects. The Tetanus shot kept my arm sore for days, and the Flu shot had me fevering and achy (still as I type this). All for the best though!


There are also a few prescriptions that I will be taking with me:

Doxycycline (Malaria)
Diamox (AMS Acute Mountain Sickness)
Ciprofloxacin (Antibiotic)
Tylenol 3

After speaking with a nurse @ the International Travel Clinic for over 90 minutes, discussing all of the diseases & risks in Africa, she playfully asked 'Still want to go?'

Of course !