You know the timeline to leave the dock is quickly approaching when it‘s time to pick up your travel meds! We’ve been working with an AWESOME Nurse Practitioner (because of course NPs are THE BEST) through the UW Travel Medicine Clinic since October to stage all of the immunizations and emergency travel meds we might need on a world sailing adventure. We want to be as safe and prepared as possible. Our immunizations have included:
COVID-19 of course!
Hepatitis A and B
Polio
Yellow fever
Rabies
Tetanus booster
Pending vaccines include: Typhoid, shingles, and Japanese encephalitis.
Our travel med pack includes basic first aid items but also an emergency supply of eye drops, antibiotics, beta blockers, and anti-nausea meds. I was also able to work with a company called North American Rescue, www.narescue.com to obtain a comprehensive marine appropriate first aide kit, which can serve as a grab and go box. The boat is stocked with supplemental supplies too! We were also able to purchase a well rated refurbished defibrillator, which I hope to never use. I guess I’ve worked in trauma and cardiac surgery for too long. Mike and I only have 3 more days of work and then we’ll be aggressively trying to complete the multitude of remaining boat projects so we can get off the dock at the end of July.
Changing gears from one life you’ve been living, a life with routine, security, a pay check, cars etc...to another full of adventure and many unknowns and a chance to challenge yourself in new ways is fun and stressful all at once. Mike is more comfortable on the ”let’s have an adventure - we’ll figure it out” spectrum but I’m hoping my knowledge and confidence will grow quickly since I’m definitely keen to explore remote places in the world.
So inspiring! I’m so excited for you both!