As I mentioned in my last post, there are many health concerns a person has to consider when she travels overseas. Different germs, bacteria, and other things that occur naturally in one country don't exist in another. That's why a local won't get sick from drinking the water, but you might!
Speaking of water, it's a good idea not to drink the tap water in lots of foreign countries, including ones near the U.S., like Mexico. That means not dreaking it in anything either, like ice, iced tea, lemonade, mixed drinks, shakes, icees, snowcones...and what fun is that? Sometimes the water used to wash vegetables can even make you sick. I've read that it's best to use bottled water to brush your teeth, too, and be careful not to swallow your shower water! Of course, some areas will be cleaner than others, but most of the main waterways in India are horribly polluted with sewage, chemicals from factories, and other stuff we don't want to even think about (come on, isn't "sewage" bad enough?)
On top of this, people who care for the environment will tell you that in India (and many other countries), they haven't figured out very good ways to deal with their garbage problem, and they're not quite up to where we are with recycling so....drinking a lot of bottled water can really add to the problem! What does an earth-loving traveler do, then? Well, I have read about this really cool thing called a Steripen, which is an ultraviolet light that you stick in water, and it kills all of the bad microbes! If you look on the site (just click on the word "Steripen" above) you can even find a list (under "water facts/ glossary") explaining all of the gross things that could live in your water. It's both interesting, and very disgusting.
A travel sized Steripen costs about $60-$70, depending on what style you buy (the smaller one is more expensive. Go figure!) However, it's much better than getting sick. No one likes vomiting or diarrhea. Seriously.
Ouch! It's Not Fair!
Before I go to India, I am going to have to get several vaccinations. For those of you who don't already know, that means shots. Luckily, I'm not afraid of needles (I have three tattoos!)
I have made an appointment with my nurse practitioner for next Tuesday. When I see her I am going to ask her about vaccinations for the following:
DPT (diptheria-pertussis-tetanus): This is one of those basic 3-in-1 shots we all get when we are kids, and then we are supposed to get a "booster" shot every 10 years or so. I think I had my last one at age 16 or so. Time for an update. Diptheria and pertussis (whooping cough) are lung infections (like colds gone terribly wrong) and are very contagious. Tetanus is the one I'm most concerned about. This is the infection you can get in an open cut or wound, like if you step on a piece of glass or a rusty nail. It's better to be safe than sorry, don't you think?
Typhoid: This disease is spread through contaminated food or water. It's especially bad during monsoon season (September-December), but I'll get it just in case.
Hepatitis A: Hep. A is caused by contaminated food or water. It is not as dangerous as Hepatitis B or C, but it is probably more common. Two shots will last 10 years.
Hepatitis B: Hep. B is dangerous. You get it from exposure to bodily fluids. One of the ways you could get it in India would be if you have to get a blood transfusion. That's not likely, but I was planning to get this vaccine anyway, as I am sometimes exposed to bodily fluids while working with kids (eeewwwwww.) The vaccine is given over 6 months. There are 3 different shots. It's not likely I'll have had the whole series by the time I go, but at least I'll be on my way to being well vaccinated for my next trip.
A Spoonful of Sugar...
"Helps the medicine go down, " Mary Poppins said. I think it pretty much helps anything taste better, but then, I'm a sugar fiend.
I am going to have to get prescriptions filled for my regular medications so I can take them with me. I take medicine for my asthma, for example. Along with my meds, I am also taking copies of the prescriptions my doctor wrote. She told me that it is not difficult to get in to see a doctor in India, nor would it be terribly difficult (or expensive) to get prescriptions filled. That's good to know, in case I somehow lost my medicine.
Another thing I need to ask for is pills to prevent malaria. What is that? Well...
Malaria is a blood-borne infectious disease naturally transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken, which contains malaria parasites. These develop within the mosquito, and about one week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, the parasites are injected with the mosquito's saliva into the person being bitten. After a period of between two weeks and several months (occasionally years) spent in the liver, the malaria parasites start to multiply within red blood cells, causing symptoms that include fever and headache. In severe cases, the disease worsens, leading to coma and death. (source: Wikipedia)
Now, that doesn't sound good! Even when it's not monsoon season, there are a lot of mosquitoes in Southern India. So bug repellent and anti-malaria pills, here I come! Now as long as I don't get bitten by a poisonous snake, I'm okay...
Questions/Challenges
1. Would the possibility of becoming sick prevent you from traveling somewhere you wanted to go? What could convince you that it was worth taking the risk?
2. Explore some of the health risks of the place you would like to visit. Explain how you might prepare for such risks. What are some of the things you could do to prevent yourself from becoming ill?
3. Make a list of all the things you need to stay healthy in the place you are going. What would be in your first-aid kit?
4. Act out a visit to the Doctor to get your vaccinations. What questions would you ask? What might the doctor say?
Enjoy your assignment, stay healthy, and be good!
Speaking of water, it's a good idea not to drink the tap water in lots of foreign countries, including ones near the U.S., like Mexico. That means not dreaking it in anything either, like ice, iced tea, lemonade, mixed drinks, shakes, icees, snowcones...and what fun is that? Sometimes the water used to wash vegetables can even make you sick. I've read that it's best to use bottled water to brush your teeth, too, and be careful not to swallow your shower water! Of course, some areas will be cleaner than others, but most of the main waterways in India are horribly polluted with sewage, chemicals from factories, and other stuff we don't want to even think about (come on, isn't "sewage" bad enough?)
On top of this, people who care for the environment will tell you that in India (and many other countries), they haven't figured out very good ways to deal with their garbage problem, and they're not quite up to where we are with recycling so....drinking a lot of bottled water can really add to the problem! What does an earth-loving traveler do, then? Well, I have read about this really cool thing called a Steripen, which is an ultraviolet light that you stick in water, and it kills all of the bad microbes! If you look on the site (just click on the word "Steripen" above) you can even find a list (under "water facts/ glossary") explaining all of the gross things that could live in your water. It's both interesting, and very disgusting.
A travel sized Steripen costs about $60-$70, depending on what style you buy (the smaller one is more expensive. Go figure!) However, it's much better than getting sick. No one likes vomiting or diarrhea. Seriously.
Ouch! It's Not Fair!
Before I go to India, I am going to have to get several vaccinations. For those of you who don't already know, that means shots. Luckily, I'm not afraid of needles (I have three tattoos!)
I have made an appointment with my nurse practitioner for next Tuesday. When I see her I am going to ask her about vaccinations for the following:
DPT (diptheria-pertussis-tetanus): This is one of those basic 3-in-1 shots we all get when we are kids, and then we are supposed to get a "booster" shot every 10 years or so. I think I had my last one at age 16 or so. Time for an update. Diptheria and pertussis (whooping cough) are lung infections (like colds gone terribly wrong) and are very contagious. Tetanus is the one I'm most concerned about. This is the infection you can get in an open cut or wound, like if you step on a piece of glass or a rusty nail. It's better to be safe than sorry, don't you think?
Typhoid: This disease is spread through contaminated food or water. It's especially bad during monsoon season (September-December), but I'll get it just in case.
Hepatitis A: Hep. A is caused by contaminated food or water. It is not as dangerous as Hepatitis B or C, but it is probably more common. Two shots will last 10 years.
Hepatitis B: Hep. B is dangerous. You get it from exposure to bodily fluids. One of the ways you could get it in India would be if you have to get a blood transfusion. That's not likely, but I was planning to get this vaccine anyway, as I am sometimes exposed to bodily fluids while working with kids (eeewwwwww.) The vaccine is given over 6 months. There are 3 different shots. It's not likely I'll have had the whole series by the time I go, but at least I'll be on my way to being well vaccinated for my next trip.
A Spoonful of Sugar...
"Helps the medicine go down, " Mary Poppins said. I think it pretty much helps anything taste better, but then, I'm a sugar fiend.
I am going to have to get prescriptions filled for my regular medications so I can take them with me. I take medicine for my asthma, for example. Along with my meds, I am also taking copies of the prescriptions my doctor wrote. She told me that it is not difficult to get in to see a doctor in India, nor would it be terribly difficult (or expensive) to get prescriptions filled. That's good to know, in case I somehow lost my medicine.
Another thing I need to ask for is pills to prevent malaria. What is that? Well...
Malaria is a blood-borne infectious disease naturally transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken, which contains malaria parasites. These develop within the mosquito, and about one week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, the parasites are injected with the mosquito's saliva into the person being bitten. After a period of between two weeks and several months (occasionally years) spent in the liver, the malaria parasites start to multiply within red blood cells, causing symptoms that include fever and headache. In severe cases, the disease worsens, leading to coma and death. (source: Wikipedia)
Now, that doesn't sound good! Even when it's not monsoon season, there are a lot of mosquitoes in Southern India. So bug repellent and anti-malaria pills, here I come! Now as long as I don't get bitten by a poisonous snake, I'm okay...
Questions/Challenges
1. Would the possibility of becoming sick prevent you from traveling somewhere you wanted to go? What could convince you that it was worth taking the risk?
2. Explore some of the health risks of the place you would like to visit. Explain how you might prepare for such risks. What are some of the things you could do to prevent yourself from becoming ill?
3. Make a list of all the things you need to stay healthy in the place you are going. What would be in your first-aid kit?
4. Act out a visit to the Doctor to get your vaccinations. What questions would you ask? What might the doctor say?
Enjoy your assignment, stay healthy, and be good!
No comments:
Post a Comment