Well that was fun....

I can't believe I haven't been on here in so long! So much has happened! We finally got those dreaded Yellow Fever shots, we thought cause they were 'live' they would be the worst, oh we were mistaken! The little ole' Typhoid shot sure snuck up on us and kick out butts!
We went to Virginia Mason, and after much confusion were led back in the room and our nurse was really nice and friendly as was our doctor. We both got Typhoid in the muscle of our left arm, than the yellow fever in the back of our arm, odd place for it, but it didn't hurt too much despite the large veil containing the live yellow fever! hahaha after that we went to Costco to check off another thing off our list, the passport photos for our Uganda Visa. Wahoo done! I left Dennis to go shopping and right when I started getting this ache in my arm, my phone rang, and it was Dennis asking if my arm hurt as much as his did. Oh ya it just started to hit me, that was the worst shot by far. My car door accidentally slammed on my 'damaged' arm and brought me to my knees.. ya it hurt that much! It did last only 24 hours though. But I did get a rash at the injection site of the yellow fever and my lymph node in my armpit is extremely sore and slightly bruised, I think I will wait another week before getting it looked at, too many doc appointments this month!

The first stack of shots we got!

Okay on to our first fundraiser!!!!
As a team we have committed to raising $7000 to help build a library at the orphanage. Let me explain something important here, we can't actually build the library, the reason is we would be taking away jobs from the people of the village that really need the jobs and money to survive, so we supply the village with the money to pay the people, instruct them to build if they need (normally only needed for wells and such) but when we get there we can help do the finishing touches, like install the windows, build the bookcases, paint and fill the interior. I'm really excited to leave something behind that we had a hand in raising and building.
So we had this great opportunity to do gift wrapping at Barnes and Noble by the Alderwood Mall, we even got all day on black Friday! They supply all the paper, tape and tables, we just show up and wrap. Little problem, they didn't really tell people we were stuck in the corner, so we weren't getting the attention needed to send people our way to wrap their gifts. After 12 long hours split by 3 different shifts we barely raised enough money to fund 1% of our goal! We left alittle disappointed and discouraged, but we did work as a team to pull it off and hopefully that will pull us together!
Now we are working on the finishing touches of the website to get the gift giving portion up!




Tomorrow is the first fundraiser for the 4 of us for our travel, can't wait!!!!!

Thats going to hurt tomorrow....

Today was a big day! Dennis and I got our first round of shots!
We went back to the doctor today to get the test results to see what immunizations we had as children and what ones we need now. Well surprise, surprise, we only had 2 before, so we had to have lots today!
We were run down the list of what we needed; the only thing that differed between Dennis and I was that he needed tetanus (I had recently already had it), so this is what we got today: Meningococcal, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B (which luckily for us, they combine those two in one shot!), and the H1N1 flu vaccine.
The doc leaves and the nurse comes back with a hand full of needles... oh such a great sight. Dennis jumped in line first, I guess he just couldn't wait any longer :) Since he had to have 4 shots, he got two in one arm and two in the other. He said the most painful was the flu and Hep A and B combo shot. But I know the Tetanus will the most painful tomorrow! He is already whining on the couch as it is :)
I was next, luckily she could do all 3 of my shots in one arm, I took it like a champ, but the Hep A and B was the roughest. Instantly after the last shot, I got my typical heat rush and had to lay down while the nurse brought me a juice, haha what a baby I am, but I didn't need the sucker!
We were also prescribed anti-malaria pills called Malarone, we will start taking them a few days before we leave, and take them every day, through our travel and atleast 7 days after we return.
Another great prescription I'm looking forward to is the anti-diarrhea pills she prescribed too! Oh yeah! :) haha
So.. what is next? The Hep A and B actually comes as a set of 3, but we can't get all 3 before we leave, the second is in one month, and the 3rd can't be done for 6 months. Dennis asked the doc if there is a problem with that.. and this is why I love her.. she said, does it matter? You don't really have a choice, it is what it is!
But the big two come this Thursday.. we get Typhoid and Yellow Fever than! I wonder what arm they will do them in, since I'm sure we will both have bruised arms than! I will let you know how that goes!





I was very proud of my 'battle wounds'

Vampires Office

Making some preparations for our Uganda trip, we decided to make an appointment with our doctor to see what shots we need to get. So today was the day. I printed up my handy long list of travel vaccinations from cdc.gov When we arrived we were promptly told they they realized they couldn't administrate the Yellow Fever and Typhoid vaccine that is required, so we will have to go the health department to get those ones.
Before I made my appointment, I called my medical insurance and was surprised that travel vaccinations and oversea health insurance is covered in my policy! Wahoo for good insurance!
I didn't realize I needed a list of the vaccinations I have had since the day I was born, wasn't prepared for that, neither was Dennis so the only way for them to have proof of what we had, so they didn't double us up which isn't good, we had to get our blood drawn, than test for all the shots. Easiest enough for Dennis, but I don't like it! So I tried calling my mom, my sister, anyone that might know what I had, but my doc said that doesn't cut it, have to get the blood tested.
After I finally gave up my search we headed to the lab or as I like to call it the vampires office. Luckily for me the technician was really great and she used a smaller needle, which most don't they just like to stick my little veins with those big hunkers. She also let me lay down, which is a good choice for someone that is known to pass out at the length that it takes to draw my slow blood.
I survived, I didn't even hyperventilate. So now we have to wait 2 weeks for the test results and come back for the series of shots we need!
One thing starting... but really need to do some fundraising! I think I will need some help with those!