Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Rabidly excited


In a week I'll be going to India, for a wedding, with Partner in Crime Aheli. Being sensible (because I was forced) I went to a travel clinic to make sure I was all vaccinated and ready to go. Never mind that I will only be in India for six days, I was given five vaccination shots and two prescriptions for further preventative meds. So, more medications than days in the country. Whatever, I'm going to India!
 
I think the low point of the visit (and yes, this is a visit that includes me getting, let me repeat: five shots) was when the doctor gave me The Rabies Talk:
 
"Sometimes, countries don't vaccinate their animals against rabies, so there is a higher rate of rabid animals than we are used to here. In India, there are a lot of stray animals so there is greater chance that stray animals will be rabid. Now, I don't think we need to give you the rabies vaccine unless you really want it, but just know, there will be lots of stray animals, and you'll want to pet them, but don't since they might be rabid. If you do, and one bites you, you need to go get medical attention as soon as possible."
 
I'm not sure if I should be impressed by the detailed level of care, or if I should be slightly insulted that I look like the kind of person who will go pet rabid animals.
 
Although, to be fair, I may have stopped listening about halfway through to instead check out a really cool picture of a lion on the wall, so maybe this was justified. On the other hand, I know not to go pet lions (rabid or otherwise) either.
 
It's a toss up.