Gearing up for Nigeria

1 week and 5 days to go!!! I cannot wait! This passed week, the 6 of us got our immunizations. Zach, John and Luke got theirs on Wednesday and James, Sara and I got ours on Thursday. We had youth group Wednesday night (which was awesome, another post to come) and they were trying to tell us that we had to get a shot in the butt! LOL...not funny guys! So, the latter 3 of us got to hear all the stories and antics of the 3 that went before us! HA! Funny, funny guys. This trip to Africa will probably the most fun mission trip with group I am traveling with. I know it's supposed to be serious, and we will be tired, but I know it's going to be fun, too. James is a character himself, and when you get him, Zach and John together, and then add Luke, be prepared to laugh and even be a spectacle! LOL. What fun, what fun!

Back to my story...so we got our shots on Thursday. First of all, the roads were CRAP on the way to Petoskey! No biggie, we live in Northern Michigan, hello! And then when we got there, we weren't sure which door to go in, because we weren't given real good instructions (LUKE...lol). He works for a pharmacy delivering medication so he goes to the hospital frequently and told us to go in the "cancer" entrance. There was no "cancer" entrance that we saw, so we ended up parking in this back lot (that was full mind you) and went in the weird back door. Thankfully there was a woman walking by on the inside to let us in because of course it was locked. She let us in and basically told us we went in a staff entrance (we kind of figured that out), but she led us in the right direction.

We found the Infectious Disease office, filled out the paperwork and were taken to the room. First Danielle came in and took our vitals. My blood pressure was a little high as usual, so was James. Sara's was good of course. Then in came the NP, and right now I can't think of her name, oh wait, Johanna (with the H pronounced). She proceeded to tell us all about each and every shot, and why we should have them and what the side effects are. The drug for Typhoid (which is in pill form, not a shot) causes you to have vivid dreams, maybe nightmares, or hallucinations. GREAT! Just what we need! LOL. I have noticed over the last two nights since I started taking it that I have been dreaming more. I wouldn't say they are vivid dreams but I feel like I dreamt all night last night, just short little weird dreams.

Sara only needed two shots, James got 3 and I got 4. James opted out of the tetanus shot, because of conflicting information he's received, but he is going to get it when we go back to get the shots for yellow fever. Get this, they were out of the vaccine for yellow fever when we were there, and Johanna kept telling us that it was the most important one to get...GREAT!!! But, yesterday we got a call that they got the yellow fever in so we are all going in this coming Thursday. All 6 of us! Should be another fun and interesting trip!

In addition to the shots, I've been gathering the things I will need for Nigeria. Like skirts and t-shirts. The churches we will be going to, the women wear dresses. I don't do dresses, so I've gotten about 6 or 7 skirts and several t-shirts from Wal-Mart to mix and match. I still have to find comfy sandals, and some comfy pj's to wear. Trisha is letting me borrow her mosquito net that she used when she went to Panama. I still have to get some things like Pepto Bismol, Immodium AD, insect repelent, band-aids, tylenol, etc. etc. I think since I am the "mom" on the trip, I will be responsible for these things, because I'm sure the boys won't think of them...lol.

Well, that is about it for now. Just keep praying for us as we go on this awesome trip to minister to the Youth of Nigeria!