Time for a Shot in the Arm!

I mean the title of this post literally... I got two shots today in preparation for our travel to Taiwan; Jeremy gets his shots on Friday.

I started off the morning inauspiciously... Jeremy and I carpooled, and I realized I left my keys at home. Then my first phone call of the day was the nurse at work who had graciously agreed to come talk to a meeting of my section about some of the benefits they offer, and I had to tell her that I'd completely forgotten that she was going to come do that and I'd cancelled the meeting due to needing to fit in some other meetings before the end of the month! Luckily, as I was explaining that this was due to needing to make sure I met with a few folks before I had to leave work for Elli, she immediately forgave me and started asking if I was traveling to get her, which reminded me to ask her, "I know work will give Hepatitis A vaccinations if you are traveling for work, but where should I go to get my shots for this personal reason?" She then asked me if I traveled internationally for work (yes) and where (China, Mexico, Chile in the past 18 months) and if I expected to travel again in the next year or so (yes).

Fifteen minutes later I was laying on my back in the nurse's office getting two shots, as I should have had these for when I traveled before and will also need them for travel for work.

We also got to have a brief chat about the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, which I always find amusing. I can't get it (I have an allergy to egg whites, so this vaccine, the flu shot, and any MMR booster shots are not in my future), but some countries like Venezuela want people coming into the country to have it. (Luckily for me, Taiwan is not one of those countries!) But if I should ever travel to one of these, I'd have to get an official document that I'd show to the customs agent excusing me from getting the vaccine. I can't quite picture what this would look like in my head -- "Excuse me, Mister Customs Agent, but I have a note from my doctor that says I get out of having to have a vaccination...." Is it like a "Get out of Jail Free" card??

(Okay, this is a total side note, but to really understand the picture I see in my head, you have to also imagine what customs was like when I went to China. The customs agent had a little digital voting machine asking you to provide feedback on your customs experience -- press a smiley face for a good experience, a frowny face for a bad experience, and a neutral face if you are undecided or nonplussed. It all seems a little like elementary school to me... you have a note that you give to the principle that lets you go out to recess with your smiley face...)

(Maybe it's just me?)