MOB Day #6 - Pincushion Day

For those in the mil, you probably already figured it out. Today was the day we got all our shots.


I was actually expecting only one shot. I got a couple shots in Sacramento last Friday, but the PPD is a little shot that has to subsequently get read by a provider 2-3 days later. We went around-and-around on this at the NOSC. Since we're technically there less than 48 hours, it's technically impossible to get this done on normal drill weekend.

Surprisingly, I get down here to learn I'll need five more shots. Well, four shots and blood drawn for HIV testing. As far as I'm concerned, getting blood drawn is the worst, at least on the day. They have to keep the needle in your arm for what seems like an eternity while they fill up two or three bottles. This is also the one where they put some surgical tubing around your biceps to make your veins pop up a little more and make it easier to insert the needle. I'm lucky I have good veins to begin with. Anyways, the corpsman has to hold the needle in your arm, change out the tubes, and at some point pull the tubing off your arm before depriving your lower arm of all blood flow. This has to be the final exam from Corpsman A-school.

Acronym Moment:

• A-School = where enlisted sailors get initial training in their rating, or specialty.

Luckily, my blood-draw Corpsman was very good. I don't even look any more, but he filled up the vials and managed not to wiggle the needle around in the process. After this, I got my PPD in my right forearm and two more shots in my right shoulder. Then came the biggie: Smallpox vaccination in my left shoulder. This isn't even a real shot as far as I could tell. They dip this lobster/crab fork looking thing in a little petrie dish of the vaccine and then stab you a few times. Doesn't really hurt at first, the pain comes later. I quote from the tri-fold brochure they give you, along with 30-day supply of dressings:

"Most people have mild symptoms after vaccination, such as itching at the vaccination site, swollen glands, fever, headache, body ache, or fatigue. These symptoms usually peak 3 to 12 days after vaccination."

And here's the normal course of a smallpox vaccination:

- Red and itchy bump in 3-4 days
- Pus-filled blister a few days later
- Blister drys up and scab forms in 2nd week
- Scab falls off, leaving a scar in 2 to 4 weeks

X marks the spot! The dressing I get to change every day the next 30 days.

OK, enough blood and gore! The rest of my day was spent completing some required courses online, sitting down with legal to update will and power of attorney (so Katie can register the Jeep, rent the Park City condo, etc. without my signature), and checking out of the quarters on the Naval Station in preparation for moving over to Naval Amphibious Base, where the rest of the MSRON ONE advance party is staying.

Over here at NAB, I got checked into my room and then three of us walked down to the Subway on base for some dinner. I half wanted to get into Coronado proper for dinner and beers at Mc P's, a Navy friendly pub on the near side of town. But it's still quite a walk and there's limited rental cars. Afterwards we went by the exchange/commissary, where I stocked up on essentials like laundry detergent and food for the next week so I'm not eating out all the time.

Later on one of the Lieutenants came by my room at NAB to give me my DCUs that I ordered ahead of time. Unfortunately our Supply Department got a little carried away and sewed some of their own warfare pins on my uniform blouses (the tops) in addition to my Surface Warfare pin. So I'll have to keep wearing my khakis for a few more days while that gets fixed.

I have to admit, I pretty much vegetated the rest of the night and didn't get anything done. Just need to relax for the first time in a week. Tomorrow I get to do more of the same. Been charging pretty hard for a while now, and I'm sure that will continue, no sense getting burnt out like I feel I did in Korea.