Not of the alcohol varity, but of the vaccination kind.
Due to the snow day on Wednesday and the mass close down of campus, including the health center (and work... party!), I was forced to get my unfortunate shots today instead. Originally the health center requested that we take malaria pills, which now knowing what they do to you, i'm grateful I don't need them, and also the yellow fever shot. Instead, I was simply forced to get highly expensive $$$$ hepatitis B and typhoid shots.
#1. I hate HATE HATE needles and shots of any sort, so I was not too keen on that whole process but made it through
#2. Usually, if any shot hurts afterwards, it is something like hepatitis, thus in anticipation of that problem, I decided to go swimming to keep the arm movin' along. For a while I was good, and three hours later, it wasn't my hep shot that caused me extravagant amounts of pain, but the typhoid one! Really odd.
Needless to say, doesn't look like I shall be contracting hepatitis or typhoid any time soon (and lets hope not yellow fever or malaria). Come to find out, the last case of malaria hasn't occurred for over 25 years.
In terms of other epidemic diseases that affect Ecuador, HIV/AIDS is becoming more prevalent, and currently the prevalence of it is where South Africa was at the beginning of their epidemic (which doesn't seem to show much hope for the worsening of the disease).
Along with HIV/AIDS, Leprosy (now known as Hansen's disease), has a large affect on the country and has forced many people to be forgotten about by their families and banished to hospitals and colonies together. We will in fact have the chance to work at a health center that does deal with Leprosy, which is something I have never seen or experienced before. It should be incredibly eye opening!
Until the next update, peace amigos!
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Although you hate shots, I am very glad you got them so that you will stay SAFE in Ecuador!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that the HIV/AIDS prevalence is so high there. I'm researching South Africa for another class, and about 5.7 million people are living with it in the country! I couldn't even imagine living in a country where a disease affects so many people around you.
Will you get to work with anyone affected by HIV/AIDS?
That is a good question, Ms. Schiessl. We will be working at a health center a wee bit so there is a definitely a chance. It is one of those diseases that I am definitely not to happy about but embrace it. I just feel like it has too many unforeseen transmittable ways (or so I think) that it makes me a bit nervous. Then again, I am one of the biggest hypochondriacs ever
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