Immunizations

//Immunizations // //Wednesday, January 4, 2012 //

I can't describe with certainty the full array of services that are available through the Industrial Medicine Center at Bridgeport Hospital, but I do know that it is located down two long hallways, through one locked security door, through an underground tunnel that evidently houses some important pipes and things, another locked security door, and through one more normal looking subterranean hallway.

Through context clues, I was able to discern that this may be the place where doctors come if they hurt themselves at work. One piece of evidence toward this conclusion was that, as I sat in the waiting room, a doctor walked in, head cocked back, pinching bridge of nose while holding thick gauze to base of nose, saying "I can't stop the bleeding...". "Try pinching up here," suggested one of the nurses, demonstrating her intention by pinching the bridge of her own nose. I'm not sure what happened next because I got called in for my appointment.

One thing they are awesome at in the IMC is giving me immunizations against diseases that would love to waylay my tender North American immune system when I get closer to the equator. This specialty likely falls under their header of [|Healthy Traveler Services], and while that title can't serve as a guarantee, I certainly think they helped my chances. Order of the day: -[|Yellow Fever] (documentation of Yellow Fever immunization is necessary for application for a Ugandan visa) -[|Hepatitis A] -[|Polio] -[|Typhoid] -[|Influenza] (just a normal flu shot)

I also received prescriptions for Malarone, an anti-malarial ([|Malaria] is likely the most genuine health risk), and Ciprofluxacan, an anti-biotic that is evidently useful in mediating digestive issues common to travelers. As an adult, it's easy to forget what it's like to sit in a waiting room knowing that you're about to get a bunch of shots. It's still not the best feeling ever, but I did try to maintain a good attitude. Luckily, Cindy, the lady that gave me the shots, was really excellent at her work. media type="file" key="IMG_0378.MOV" width="420" height="420" align="left"media type="file" key="IMG_0372.MOV" width="420" height="420" align="right"