We just completed our third set of shots before we leave for Thailand…good stuff if one does not want to contract rabies or Japanese encephalitis! As you can imagine, Lori-Ann and I have somewhat differing philosophies when it comes to vaccinations. For instance, I’m fine with taking the tetanus shot on a when-I-actually-step-on-a-nail basis (to Lori-Ann’s dismay). Not the recommended every-10-years for normal people.
As we can’t get our work permit in Thailand without the appropriate shots, I begrudging agree to get our vaccinations today for rabies, Hepatitis-A and Hepatitis-B. Because of the volume of liquid of the 3 vaccines, they can only do two shots max for each shoulder. Afterwards we are headed home with band-aids on, and both our shoulders feel like someone took turns using us as punching bags :\
While we were waiting in the reception area to receive our shots, the very first thought to pop into my mind was remembering the in vitro process that Lori-Ann and I had gone through years ago when we tried to have children. While we greatly appreciated the expertise and compassion of our fertility doctor, and looked forward to the possibilities of the future, what Lori-Ann had to endure was not pleasant. Memories from this season still haunt me from time to time, my having to administer hormone shots to Lori-Ann’s abdomen for something like 30 days in a row. Lori-Ann is such a trouper when it comes to pain but, by like the 10th day of receiving the shots, she would cry out every time I poked her with the needle. By far she had the worst of it but I soon dreaded giving those shots to her. Then we had to grind through it all over again when we attempted in vitro a second time(!!).
Those memories still dredge up feelings of pain and sadness for me, not because we weren’t blessed with having children, but because of the daily infliction of pain by my hand and the cries of pain from my wife. On the bright side, the experience helped me become a more empathetic husband. I give huge kudos to women for what they have to endure to have children whether it’s via in vitro or not.
Anyway, one last set of Hep-A shots remains but, because of the timing, we’ll have to do that one in August after we land in Thailand.