3 days until we leave

I cannot believe that we are leaving in three days.  Two bags are packed and weigh in at 49.5 lbs.  We are trying to get every pound that we are allowed onto that airplane!  (=  Our girls are so excited to go meet "their" baby, as are we!

We went to the travel clinic a couple days ago to see what we might need in terms of infectious diseases.  I'm an ER physician, but there is not a lot of information on the Marshalls.  Even the experts had trouble finding information!  Last typhoid surveillance was dated 2005.  Here is what I learned:
--no malaria risk
--dengue is a risk; they had a big outbreak in 2011 (day biting mosquitoes)
--typhoid risk is very very low.  In 2005 they had 40 cases per 100,000 people.  Vaccination not recommended
--chikungunya is a big risk.  Spread by mosquitoes. 
--Hepatitis B is a risk if you are going to be in contact with blood or body fluids of somebody who has Hepatitis B.
--no Yellow Fever
--no Japanese Encephalitis Virus
--Hepatitis A is a risk, just like it is here in the U.S.  Vaccine preventable.  Spread through food and water.

So, big take home points were:
--mosquito control!  We bought mosquito repellent bands in three different varieties.  We also have Bite Not stickers which contain Vitamin B1 and reportedly mask your smell from mosquitos.  Also bought lemon eucalyptus oil and another deet free mosquito cream.  I didn't want to put deet on the kids and since we'd be holding our new baby a lot, I didn't want to accidentally transfer it to her.  Besides, I don't like deet on my skin!  
--stomach bugs.  The water is not drinkable. We have a portable water filtration device by Travl-L-Pure that we have hauled all over the world with us and so far, so good.  We will also be bringing powdered azithromycin for our two older girls in case of diarrhea, and ciprofloxacin for us grown-ups, as well as antidiarrheals and nausea meds.  Also bought lots of hand sanitizer, which is great for bacteria, but not good for viruses, but since we cannot wash our hands in the sink, will have to do for now.

Three more days of work before we jet off on our greatest adventure to date!  So excited to go meet our new baby girl!!!