A Shot in the Arm, Part II

Well, I fought I-405 Thursday morning to get over to the Specialty Center in Redmond where a willing nurse gave me three (3) innoculations: Yellow Fever, Typhoid, and Hepatitis A. Two of them were given sequentially in the left arm and one in the right.

So last night and today both shoulders are a little sore. But last night, Grumpy's wife and I went out to a fine restaurant to help Bopop celebrate his 55th birthday, and when we arrived my stomach was not feeling encouraging for the meal that Armondo's offered. I was worried!

Was I coming down with the mild Yellow Fever that this live virus can cause in some people? Was I suffering a reaction to the carrier matix that any of the vaccines used?

Not to worry!! I ordered a relatively bland dish (Garlicky Alfredo Fettuccini, if that can be called "bland"!) and scarffed it all down with a half-dozen slices of sour-dough bread and several glasses of water. I felt fine.

Until I got the bill!

Just joking! It was our pleasure to treat Bopop and his Bride to a meal out; we were entertained among other things by the adventures at Grandma's and Grandpa's house of two little blond boys from down Amboy way. Especially the tale of how Arthur was carried by his Grandpa "the same way my Dad carries me".

I was also amused by Bopop's description of the latest attempt by the power's-that-be at the big Kite Factory to dictate a "new" procedure by which to ensure that "no future confidential data will be lost from another stolen laptop".

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?