Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

April 21, 2010

Somewhere behind a closed door, a child screamed bloody murder. The sound was shrilled and wet and went on forever and ever and ever.

I laughed hysterically. A Santa Claus chuckle welled up in my belly until I laughed until I cried and couldn’t stop.

This was at the vaccination center of our hospital to get our shots before the Amazon cruise that we leave for next week. We were the only ones over the age of 4 that weren’t there because of our own children. And now somewhere there a karma god is laughing hysterically. He got his revenge. Seba and I received our yellow fever shots, took our malaria pills, typhus shots and I can’t remember what else. At the time it really didn’t hurt so much. Seba was a big boy and didn’t cry even though I forget to bring a fairytale to read to him in the waiting room! But now we’re both in serious pain. My arm is so sensitive I feel like I’ve been punched in the arm a thousand times by a lumberjack. We both feel achy and flu-ish. Comeuppance for making fun of the little kids.

I swear, some of their moms were laughing at them too. One lady’s 7 year old looking son took a deep breath, got all red in the face and then started howling before he even went in. The lady rolled her eyes and muttered, “consha su madre…” (Basically translates to “mother effer,” in this case) before she hauled him off, presumably to spank him or possibly give him chocolate — anything to shut him up, outside.

All that child watching also got us into observation mode. Most moms came in carrying their kids. Even if their kids were 5 years old and very capable of walking on their own two legs. The dads — well to start with there were a lot less dads — they didn’t carry they kids. They strode down the hallways of a hospital the way the would during any normal day at work while their mini-me’s scrambled to keep up. The dads never looked behind them to check and make sure.

As for me, when I was little, whether I was with my mom or my dad — and after my brother ran away at the mall one time and scared the crap out of my mom — I was taken out on my leash Mine didn’t have a harness, it just went attached to a bracelet type thing on my wrist. Oddly enough, I actually remember loving it.

Point being — my vaccinations are making me ill. Excuse me while I go die. Which could alternatively be caused by going outside with wet hair, today and always.

19 Comments

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19 Comments

Rest for now and bring out the 'cotillion' for party at Amazon next week!

Comment by shue — April 22, 2010 @ 8:49 am

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I got sick after my Yellow Fever vaccine too…the thing is I totally forgot I had had it, because for some reason I got sick like 2 days after. My host sister (who is a doctor) couldn't figure out what I had, until by chance she saw the certification in my room and was like “TONTA! Te vacunaste! Por eso estai enferma!” What can I say? I have a bad short term memory…

Comment by Abby Hall — April 22, 2010 @ 12:54 pm

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Also, feel better! And have fun on your cruise!!!

Comment by Abby Hall — April 22, 2010 @ 12:54 pm

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It's funny that you got sick right away and Abby got sick 2 days after…I got sick almost a week later, and they'd told me that would happen (actually, friends who'd already gotten the vaccine told me to get it more than a week before leaving so I didn't feel like crap during my trip). I wonder if it's different vaccine composition or just different bodies' reactions. Either way, I hope you guys feel better soon.

And I am cracking up at the thought of Kyle on a leash! Any chance your mom has a picture of this somewhere?

Comment by emilyinchile — April 22, 2010 @ 1:50 pm

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Hahahaha my brother had a leash!!!! I didn't, for some reason.

Comment by asuhey — April 22, 2010 @ 3:18 pm

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darn! I thought by clicking the leash link, I could see an old picture of you on your leash! I had one too.. feel better!

Comment by LanaRenee — April 22, 2010 @ 5:23 pm

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Taking your kids to get jabs is hard. I remember my mum taking me and, because I was nervous, the doctor decided to show me it didn't hurt by giving my mum a jab first (flu jab iirc) – she nearly hit the roof she was so shocked (she thought he was joking til the needle went in!)

But jabs are good. Better than getting ill, for sure. My friend got amoebic dysentery when she went to Peru. Or maybe it was Bolivia, I'm not sure. Just be careful what water you drink! (She was the first aider on an archeological dig – she got ill first, then everyone else after – useful medic to have around!)

Comment by eliza_claire — April 22, 2010 @ 7:31 pm

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Wow, I didn't need anything when I went into the Amazon!!! I barely even saw a mosquito! But, well, it's always better to be safe than sorry. I hate hearing that you're sick, pobrecita. Wish I could help!

Just keep reminding yourself how f*cking awesome the Amazon will be. I PROMISE you it will be worth the pain.

Comment by GlobalButterfly — April 23, 2010 @ 2:06 am

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Kyle . . . sorry but I have to weigh in on this one. To be honest I don't recall EVER putting you on a leash. But I remember, they were sort of a short lived fad. Even if I ever did put you on a leash, I'm sure it didn't last more than a day. Is my memory that bad?

Comment by Ritamae39 — April 23, 2010 @ 3:40 am

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Actually I was thinking and it might have been Aunt Terry or Aunt Renee when they came to visit and took us out without you. I have a very vivid memory of a neon pink plastic bracelet thingy with a slightly lighter pink curly plastic leash attached!

Comment by kylehepp — April 23, 2010 @ 4:26 am

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I didn't get sick but my arm hurt like hell and I couldn't lift it for almost 3 days, no joke. I thought I'd gotten a bad dose because the other girls I got it with didn't have serious side effects. They did give me candy on my way out though which was nice

Also, I agree that the comment about moving to one of the two continents that don't exist is one of the best I've read, ever! My advice is do it your way, that is my plan at least We'll see how well it goes (check back in about 10 years).

Comment by thornton12 — April 23, 2010 @ 5:28 am

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Yeah, check back with us in 10-20 years too. You and I can compare stories then

And hey, nobody gave me any candy!

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:52 pm

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I'm feeling much better, so is Seba. And like you said, better safe than sorry!

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:53 pm

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Oh my gosh, I think I would've died laughing if any doc had ever done that to my own mom! That's awesome!

I think that I think watching little kids scream while they're getting vaccinated is so funny because I recall being little and getting jabbed. I'd scream before hand because I was scared — but then after the actual shot went in, it didn't actually hurt but I'd keep screaming any way because I felt like I had to keep up the charade. So I imagine all those little kids doing the same thing and it makes me laugh

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:54 pm

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I am almost certain that one of my aunts does have a picture of us on our leashes, I'll check and if I can find it will post!

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:55 pm

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Maybe you didn't run away — and little boys always do!

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:55 pm

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Well we don't know which ones we actually got sick from. I felt mostly nauseous, which I think was from the malaria pills that we had just taken that same day. And my guess is that Seba had a fever and his other symptoms from the Yellow Fever shot, which we actually got the week before. But who really knows, we got so many shots that I don't think we can really pinpoint the cause!

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:56 pm

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Haha, how did you forget that you got jabbed?!? That's funny! I'm lucky that I only felt sick for half a day but poor Seba was sick for like a week!

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:57 pm

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Haha, Seba would love to bring his cotillion collection to the Amazon, but I don't think it'll fit in our luggage

Comment by kylehepp — April 27, 2010 @ 8:58 pm

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