I Got SHOT!!!

On Thursday I adventured down to downtown Waterloo and got shot....with four needles. Vaccinations complete!!! Its rather interesting how it is required to get some shots but I realize that it is for our own personal safety. In order to get into Cameroon we were required to get our Yellow fever, typhoid and Heb A and B. Malaria is also on the list but those are pills that are to be taken right before we go. I thought I would do some research on what I am preventing myself from to see what all this money and effort went into not to mention a very VERY sore arm the same day.

Yellow Fever
A tropical disease transferred to humans by infected mosquitoes. It can be a mild to sever infection and can be life threatening (ok makes sense to get it... reason #1)
Symptoms include:high fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, and backache, shock, bleeding, and kidney and liver failure. Liver failure causes jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes),   (Thats where the name comes from and I am very glad that I won't be getting this! reason #2)
Treatment: water and rest and don't go near other people (that's kinda lonely... another reason why glad got it I can be with my team! :) reason #3)

Typhoid
Is also known as typhoid fever or entheric fever, is an infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. This is usually transmitted by water or food (something that I can't live without therefore reason #1)
This virus though can be tolerated by some people which are called asymptomatic carriers. This means that they can carry the Salmonella typhi but not show any symptoms that they have it.
Symptoms include: constipation, cough, headache, loss of appetite, stomach pains, sore throat, bleeding from the rectum, delirium, diarrhea and temporary pink spots on the chest and abdomen. (so not fun! reason #2)
Treatment: antibiotics take away all symptoms in less then a week (not bad but still not cool, I am not good at takes pills regularly...need to work on that therefore reason #3)

Hep A
Also known as Hepatitis A virus. It is a inflammation of the live caused by the Hepatitis A virus. It is contracted by ingesting something that has been effected with virus.
Symptoms include: Dark urine, Fatigue, Itching, Loss of appetite, Low-grade fever, Nausea and vomiting, Pale or clay-colored stools, Yellow skin (jaundice) (so kinda like yellow fever yay.... reason #1)
Treatment:once again nothing specific other then rest and avoid alcohol (not any issue! :P)

Malaria
Is a parasitic infection spread by Anopheles mosquitoes. The Plasmodium parasite is a single-celled parasite that multiplies in red blood cells of humans as well as in the mosquito intestine. Its not a bacteria or a virus like the others mentioned above. Another interesting fact that in Cameroon the Plasmodium parasite in Cameroon has develop resistance to Chloroquine is an antimalarial drug and therefore we can not use it since it wouldn't do any good for us.
Symptoms include: abdominal pain,chills and sweats, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting (these symptoms only appear sometimes), headache, high fevers, low blood pressure causing dizziness if moving from a lying or sitting position to a standing position (also called orthostatic hypotension), muscle aches, poor appetite (overall that sounds like a super unenjoyable time...reason #1 why these pills are a good thing)
Treatment: Antibiotics and its one of those things that you have to take all of them or it doesn't work. And I would like to make in known that once you have it you DO NOT have it for LIFE! I am really happy about that.

In conclusion of this small yet important research project I have to say that I am rather glad that I got shot so I don't end up with contracting any of these things. Please for all those are thinking of trying to avoid these vaccinations (although the mostly likely are mandatory) GET THEM!!!
ok this was really long and I'm sorry but i think its IMPORTANT!