Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
I'm sick as a dog today, which is really unfortunate. I had all kinds of plans for today - visit a holy shrine, get a traditional Thai massage, and explore a neighborhood. But, those plans have been knocked out indefinitely while I'm trying to get over this illness.
So, while it's fresh in my mind, I'm going to talk a little bit about travel health in countries like Thailand. Be sure to look up whether or not you'll need any vaccines before you leave on your trip - the further ahead of the trip you get your jabs, the greater the chance the immunity will have matured in time.
So far, my one saving grace has been packing an health kit using the checklist provided by the CDC. It seems like a lot of 'stuff' you might not need, but so far, I've used it more than most of the things I packed in my bag.
* Prescription medicines you usually take
* Special prescriptions for the trip
o Antibiotic prescribed by your doctor for self-treatment of moderate to severe diarrhea
* Over-the-counter medicines
o Antidiarrheal medication (for example, bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide)
o Antihistamine
o Decongestant, alone or in combination with antihistamine
o Anti-motion sickness medication
o Medicine for pain or fever (such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen)
o Mild laxative
o Cough suppressant/expectorant
o Cough drops
o Antacid
o Antifungal and antibacterial ointments or creams
o 1% hydrocortisone cream
Other important items
* Supplies to prevent illness or injury
o Sunscreen (preferably SPF 15 or greater) that has both UVA and UVB protection
o Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
* First-aid supplies
o Basic first-aid items (bandages, gauze, ace bandage, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, cotton-tipped applicators)
o Moleskin for blisters
o Digital thermometer
o Oral rehydration solution packets
* Mild sedative or other sleep aid
* Water purification tablets
Sound like a lot? It is, but, it's kept me going despite foot swelling, a knee injury, and now some vicious digestive problem. I'm not quite sure what's wrong right now, but, I've been mighty glad that my travel doctor thought to prescribe some Zithromax for me 'just in case'.
So, while it's fresh in my mind, I'm going to talk a little bit about travel health in countries like Thailand. Be sure to look up whether or not you'll need any vaccines before you leave on your trip - the further ahead of the trip you get your jabs, the greater the chance the immunity will have matured in time.
So far, my one saving grace has been packing an health kit using the checklist provided by the CDC. It seems like a lot of 'stuff' you might not need, but so far, I've used it more than most of the things I packed in my bag.
* Prescription medicines you usually take
* Special prescriptions for the trip
o Antibiotic prescribed by your doctor for self-treatment of moderate to severe diarrhea
* Over-the-counter medicines
o Antidiarrheal medication (for example, bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide)
o Antihistamine
o Decongestant, alone or in combination with antihistamine
o Anti-motion sickness medication
o Medicine for pain or fever (such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen)
o Mild laxative
o Cough suppressant/expectorant
o Cough drops
o Antacid
o Antifungal and antibacterial ointments or creams
o 1% hydrocortisone cream
Other important items
* Supplies to prevent illness or injury
o Sunscreen (preferably SPF 15 or greater) that has both UVA and UVB protection
o Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
* First-aid supplies
o Basic first-aid items (bandages, gauze, ace bandage, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, cotton-tipped applicators)
o Moleskin for blisters
o Digital thermometer
o Oral rehydration solution packets
* Mild sedative or other sleep aid
* Water purification tablets
Sound like a lot? It is, but, it's kept me going despite foot swelling, a knee injury, and now some vicious digestive problem. I'm not quite sure what's wrong right now, but, I've been mighty glad that my travel doctor thought to prescribe some Zithromax for me 'just in case'.