Sick

The boxes were finally picked up last Friday... packed, taped, sealed and sent on it's way to Tawi-tawi, Mindanao. I hope and pray that the boat leaves port soon. Anyways, with our packed schedule since the beginning of the month and little down time, I think everything has caught up with me and I got sick. It started as a sore throat, then a sneeze, then a cough and low-grade temp. I just feel miserable and can't lay down at night or else I start coughing. Aaarrggghhh... I've been trying to hard not to get sick.. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.  I was so sad to have missed the visit of our friend from college. Art is in town for a convention and he went to church last Sabbath. Frendell was able to visit with him, but I stayed home because I had a temp and was coughing and just felt miserable. It's been almost a week since I started feeling sick and it seems to be lingering.


Oh well, this is hospital week for me.... today, I say the PCP. Can I just say how pleased I am with my doctors? I told her about the mission trip and asked her opinion. She was also excited when she heard about it; she had an uncle who was a missionary in the Philippines years ago. Anyways, she talked about the vaccines and shots I need to get before we go. She also asked me to verify how close the nearest hospitals were in the villages where we're going. She wants to make sure I would bring medication. She has referred me to the travel clinic so I can get some of my shots there. I will need about 6 shots and maybe malaria pills. Unfortunately there is not vaccination for denge fever, which seems to be rampant there right now. She told me to make sure to bring  insect repellant with DEET and also bring mosquito net. She did a physical and she wants to get some blood work done. She wants me to get the flu shot.. she's concerned about the H1N1 virus and she said that due to the meds I'm taking, my immune system is more compromised. She is glad that my white cell count is being monitored. She asked if the other doctors are aware of my plans. I told her yes... she makes 3/4 of the doctors who have approved of me going. I was so excited. She did discuss some things to do if I start feeling some symptoms when I'm there. Most important is if I even develop a sore throat, I need to stop taking one of my meds and try to get my white count checked as soon as possible. There are still some things to work out, but at least I've gotten the okay to travel. AFter she told me that I may need to get at least 6 shots/vaccinations, I told her I would have reconsidered had I known that ahead of time :-)  After she was done, the nurse came in and gave me 3 shots: flu, hepatitis A (I need to get the 2nd of the series in 6 months) and tetanus. The nurse was pretty amazing. The shots were barely stings and she didn't even tell me that I needed to relax. I may need to have the Hep B series done again or if my antibodies are still present, I may just need a booster. She strongly recommended  a rabies shot, just in case...  Just recently the CDC has posted a new virus found in chickens? And also something similar of hand, foot, mouth disease, something called Japanese encephalitis. I have a whole printout to read of all the things recommended. I've told Frendell to schedule a physical ASAP so we can complete our vaccinations... don't want to get shots right before we leave. I tell you, planning for overseas travel is so much more extensive now that it has ever been for me. I am grateful that I have people who can help me with this aspect of the planning. Most of all, I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go on this mission trip. I pray that nothing else comes up with me health-wise in the next several months... here we go.....