Another Mission Preparation Update

image:
juliashinklephotography

We went and had #1's immunizations a week ago or so. While we were there, they were insistent that she have a rabies vaccine, which would have been fine (the church didn't order it, our insurance company did), but they wanted her to have three shots each a week apart. The last shot would have had to happen on the 22nd. She enters the MTC on the 19th, so we'll all just hope that she doesn't meet up with any rabid animals while she strolls through the jungles of the Philippines.

image: sa-matt.blogspot.com

Anyway, she got her dTap and her typhoid pills. I misunderstood and thought she'd be taking the pills every other day for two weeks. It ends up that there were only four pills, but there are side effects for two weeks (at least, that's what I think I heard when #1 described it to me).

#1 called the church health office a couple weeks ago. I was at the preschool the morning she made the call, and she called me right after. She told me that she had just spoken with the "cutest little old man." (Those of you who loved my description of "older" people in my previous post about living history oughta love that it's genetic; only my description might even have been a bit more mild than hers. Then again, she used the word "cute," so maybe she wins. I don't know. I'll let you decide). Her specific question was about the malaria shot. He told her that if the church felt she needed one, they'd make sure she got one while she was in the MTC. Then he proceeded to give her all kinds of tips and hints on how to repel mosquitoes.

Before she hung up with me, #1 said, "He told me if I had any questions or problems, I could call him at home, and he gave me his home number. Man, I love Mormons!"

Wow! That's going above and beyond. What a nice guy!

image: fullerssupplyco.com

One of the tips that he gave her was about a chemical the military uses--permethrin. He asked her if she had time to soak her clothes before she left. At that point, she had about a month before she was to leave. He told her to buy a bottle of it and follow the instructions. The chemical would stay on her clothes either until they disintegrated or were dry cleaned.

image: soulshepherding.org

He told her that when she walks down the street, the mosquitoes will catch wind of her at about five feet and will turn tail and fly the other direction. "The people will think you're some kind of god," he shared.

Today, we have three bags full of clothes out hanging in a tree in our backyard. The smell is strong. You soak the clothes for about four hours and then hang them out to dry. Once you wash them, I suppose you can't smell the permethrin anymore (I'm not sure of that as I haven't experienced it yet). I'm hoping you can't smell it, or that's going to be one VERY long flight for whoever sits next to her on the plane.

So, tomorrow she'll be done with the typhoid pills and her clothes will all be done soaking and drying.

She speaks in church on the 16th and has been given the topic "the light of Christ."

We are definitely heading into the final stretch. She leaves in twelve days.