A Trip To A Travel Clinic

Today I went to a travel clinic for the first time. I never knew these things existed until I wanted to get a vaccination for yellow fever. My clinic doesn't offer this vaccine so I was sent to a travel clinic. I tried to make an appointment to get only the shot but was told I must visit with the travel doctor. So I did. Turns out the travel doctor knows my cousin Larry who lives in Ely. I got more than I bargained for and I am glad I saw a doctor. I got vaccinations for yellow fever, typhoid, and polio. Yellow fever is mostly a political vaccination. Some countries won't let you in without proof of yellow fever vaccination. I was given an official looking yellow document detailing my yellow fever vaccination. I have to take it with me. He looked up the prevalence of polio on the Center for Disease Control website and suggested I get a vaccination. There isn't much danger in taking the vaccination and it's better than getting polio. I got a prescription for malaria prevention. I got two antibiotic prescriptions in case I get an infection or Traveler's Diarrhea. He offered me something for jet lag - ambien. Yeah, no, I don't feel comfortable taking a mind altering drug when out of the country. I believe ambien is the sleeping pill that people take who then go out driving or start eating in the kitchen unaware of what they are doing. I am prone to sleep walking without ambien so I turned him down. A couple benadryl is all I need to knock myself out. He gave me 4 pages of travel tips such as don't buy food from street vendors, drink only pasteurized milk, don't use the faucet to brush your teeth-use bottled water instead, and check your mosquito net for holes before going to sleep. He told me to buy a LED headlamp and keep it beside the bed at night. He said I could get it for $20 at REI in Roseville or Maple Grove. I'm always amazed when doctors suggest what I should buy and where to get it. My regular doctor gave me a sheet with a recumbent bicycle brand name and two bicycle stores where it is available. All in all, it was a good visit to the travel clinic. I will definitely think about going again if ever I travel overseas.