A Shot in the Arm

One of the Brazilian requirements for coming to their country, if you plan to visit any jungle/rain forest region, is to have a Yellow Fever shot. Twice in the past two years I have landed at Boa Vista, a jungle town in the Amazon rain forest. The first time, two years ago Uncle Bob and I were entering Brazil, so had to go through Customs; I was asked if I had had a Yellow Fever shot, to which I could truthfully answer "Yes". But then they had to see my evidence!
The Brazilian customs nurse waited with dripping needle, a gleeful smirk on her face as she contemplated the pain she would inflict if I couldn't come up with my proof.

Fortunately, I dug through my travel documents (maintained in one place since the days I travelled as a Boeing employee) and "voila!" here it was. The needle-wielding nurse showed her disappointment; Uncle Bob reflected equal remorse in not being able to see his big brother "tortured" -- part of his life-long wish to effect retribution for all of the real or perceived injustices foisted upon him by said big brother.

However, as I get ready to embark on this adventure to fly the Mooney across continents, impenetrable jungles and oceans, I reviewed my international innoculation records and noted, much to my chagrin, that the Yellow Fever shot (dated 1982) is "valid for ten (10) years from this date". Whoops!!

So this morning I checked with my International Travel nurse to see if that ten-year date had been revised to "for life" only to find out that it hadn't!! Now I am on a waiting list to have the innoculation for Yellow Fever sometime in the next week or ten days. I leave on the 22nd! Maybe the customs nurse in Boa Vista will get her "pound of flesh" after all!

Have pity on me -- Somebody? -- Anybody?