Typhoid Poohpers

So one of the needles we need to get before going on our trip is a typhoid shot.  Because this is me, going to an exotic country, all typhoid vaccines are either recalled or back ordered till January (after the trip is over).  My mother expressed concern over this and I said I was seeing the doctor on Wednesday, I would ask her about her opinion on the situation and what our options were.

Well the time between when I talked to my mom and talked to the doctor my parents decided that if we go to India without the shots, all of us ARE going to get typhoid and we are ALL going to DIE!

So after double checking their cancellation policy my mom called one morning as I was busy at work and told me if I didn't get a typhoid needle into my daughter's arm by sundown they were cancelling their trip.  After the brief daydream of the ease of leaving three white bread people behind, I was forced to abandon work and phone every pharmacy in Ontario...

I phoned every travel clinic in the area (these people hoard needles like this from regular pharmacies) only to discover that if I want to own that million dollar condo across from the ROM one day I just need to open a travel clinic.  I particularly enjoyed the lovely conversation with the dingbat at the one clinic.

Dingbat: I can book you on the computer, so we can vaccinate you against typhoid.
Me: Well we need to get the dead virus needle because it's for a two year old.  This is very hard to find, can you check that you have it?
Dingbat: No, I don't know that, but I can book you on the computer, so we have Typhoid vaccine and that will be $85.
Me:  I don't want to take the entire day off work to drive to another city to pay $85 to see a doctor if I can't get the specific vaccine I need.  Will I get my money back if you don't have it?
Dingbat:  (in offended voice) No! You will already have seen the doctor by that time and have used up his time, so of course you can't have your money back!
Me:  So can you check that you have the vaccine I'm looking for?
Dingbat:  The computer says I can book an appointment for a typhoid vaccine, so we had typhoid vaccines, what day would you like to come?  It will be $85 each to talk to the doctor.
Me: click.

Another stellar business was the doctor that personally talked to that told me to get the typhoid/Hep A combo shot, it was perfectly safe.  This seemed weird as we had just got our Twinrix shots, so I phoned and asked my doctor and apparently that stellar doctor was trying to kill us.

The best though was when I discovered the Little Britain "Computer Says No" character works at a pharmacy here in the city where I live!  I wasn't sure if I should be laughing or crying.

Finally an hour into the search I found a pharmacy that had the vaccine!  I rushed over after work with my prescription only to discover that my prescription was for the wrong brand of typhoid shot.  You'd think if there is more than one company making these things someone would at least get it right?  Luckily I had explained everything to the pharmacist and she processed the vaccine for me, called my doctor's office and had the prescription changed for me.  Within the week Poohpers had dead typhoid swimming in her veins, and my parents calmed down long enough to get that dead virus into her and we are all still going on the trip!

Shhh, don't tell my parents, but as of today I'm still on the death list (note to self, phone doctor to change prescription to typhoid pills), but I figure that's okay, Hubs is going to die too, as he's skipping all the needles.  He figures he's had all the diseases already and then MUST be immune right?  Which reminds me, I sill have to phone about a will.....