Suckers & Shots

“Half a pound of cure is worth half an ounce of pure prevention.”

We took this saying to heart and made appointments at our local travel clinic as soon as our itinerary was final. In preparation for this doctor’s visit, I felt we must be very organized, have all of our questions prepared, be ready to grill the doctor, and ensure we were getting the right advice. I was concerned that like a lot of doctors these days, they may not have the time I felt we needed to really understand our medical needs for the next year – with unknown access to doctors and hospitals of unknown quality ahead.  Lee was much less apprehensive, but amused me and helped make a list of all of the questions, vaccines, and antibiotics we should at least discuss with the doctor.

Boy were my concerns allayed.  We spend 4.5 hours at the travel clinic, and every single minute was helpful.

The entire staff and experience was exceptional – from the front desk, to the 15 minute “travel basics” video we watched, to the incredibly experienced nurse and unbelievably thoughtful + knowledgeable doctor. We were reminded of essential tips like, “Boil It, Peel It, Cook It or Forget It”, were provided water filtration system options, and given detailed instructions on the complex schedule of how, when, and where to take our malaria medicine.  The doctor walked through every single country, region, and city we are planning to visit, reviewing the latest disease and prevention methods for each area and his recommendation for every step of our journey.

Then came vaccine and shot time.  Our nurse kept us engaged, informed, and believe it or not, laughing, the whole time.  We even got lollipop suckers for being brave, 26 year old grown children. What a treat!  Thank you Tulane Travel Clinic for turning a daunting experience into a very fun and memorable day! And of course, for keeping us healthy as we travel the globe!