The Grimm Adventures...

It was another typical Edmonton winter day. Light snow, mild wind, partly sunny and damn cold. It's difficult to complain too much about the cold when the sun peaks through from time to time. I also enjoy a fresh blanket of snow, now that I am not commuting. I like to look out and see the sun glisten off the snow rather than that brownish grey coating everything gets after too many thaws. So that is the day we woke up to today.

Shortly after waking up, Abby and I picked Nicole up at work (at 8:00 AM) and headed to the travel clinic. Abby was less than thrilled with the idea of Immunizations (shots) but did very well on the way there only mentioning that she was not happy about the whole thing. The Nurse was very helpful though loud, and talked to us about where we were going and for how long etc. Then gave her recommendations for vaccines for the different diseases we may come in contact with. Abby would squirm from time to time thinking that the needles would appear at any moment. However it was an hour before we were even ready for the Nurse to go out and prepare the needles. But I am getting ahead of myself. I was struck by the humour of the discussions about diseases, vaccines and side effects.

I know the Nurse must have given the same advice and provided the same explanations hundreds of times and while she was great, she did go quite quickly. She could spout off some long medical name, that I had never heard, as if she were reading a Dr. Suess book for the tenth time in a day. All of these terms went over my head but the side effects of the vaccines were much easier to understand and it seemed a lot like deja vu. I quickly realized that I had heard the same speel many times on TV with the drug ads. "Side effects may include ... and only 25% of those who take dithrohistochloridomeniaphadine experience psychotic episodes lasting longer than 3 weeks and 2 in a million drop dead." I really had to concentrate on what she was saying so I didn't laugh. This was serious and while we knew pretty much what vaccines we needed there may have been some side effect that would have prevented us from getting a certain shot. In the end I took 5 shots, Abby 3 and Nik got off easy with 1. But its not over; I have to go back twice more and Abby will have to come with me in a month for her last shot. This will be a fun visit as I don't think Abby will be able to break her record for loudest scream without a lot of practice between now and then.

by Chad