I went today to get my prescription for the Malaria vaccine. We were originally going to go without since we were planning to stay in Addis the whole trip. With the new requirement that we travel south, it became clear that we would need to plan to get immunized for Malaria too (Addis has an extremely high elevation, but once you leave that area, the elevation drops). I was warned to get the daily dose prescription and NOT the one that you take once a week. From what I've heard that medication can cause night terrors, hallucinations, and anxiety attacks. Not fun! Hopefully, I won't have any problems. I start taking the medication 2 days before we leave, so it may be a good idea to avoid me (especially if you see me foaming from the mouth). LOL.
On an interesting note, the doctor that I saw is from Ghana. Liam was very impressed with this and asked if she was taking new patients, could she be Aidan's primary doctor even if she's not a pediatrician. She agreed. I feel good about it because there are pediatricians in the office with her. Plus, she's aware of the different parasites and diseases that are prevalent in Africa, so she'll be able to address these needs should Aidan have medical issues when he comes home. Finally, it's one more African person, one more black face, for Aidan to know. The more that I look at our world, the more that I'm aware that Liam and I need to add diversity. It's too important for Aidan's identity to take lightly.
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