Grad School Business

In the late 70s and early 80s, the MMR jab wasn’t very popular in the UK. In fact, getting your injections done at all was a case of action on your parent’s part rather than a guaranteed thing. We didn’t have rabies here - eliminated somehow (like St Patrick and the snakes perhaps) - but, beyond Tetanus shots and Polio, it all seems like it was a bit of a shrug of the shoulders from the Nanny State. I have vague memories of my mother encouraging my brother and I to go and play with kids who had recently suffered various ailments; the hope being that catching such things young was less hazardous, and natural immunity developed.

Other than Measles and Chicken Pox (which was a only diagnosed once I had recovered, my brother caught it from me and moaned more), it appears that I was resistant. In fact, I have a list dating every major illness and jab that I have had back to birth compiled by my mum. Wonderfully useful in proving that I need Mumps and Rubella jabs, so may as well have the MMR.

The MMR is a bit of a pain through being a live strain injection that, as a result, is required twice over at least a month. As a result my second MMR jab will be an interesting first trial of US health-care, having had the first today. We threw in Meningitis C for good measure (recommended). All gratis on the wonderful NHS. The second part is going to cost $50. The sign of things to come.

In other things, my Visa meeting draws ever closer. NYU managed to turn my I20 in good time. I chased a little from the point they forecast to turn it round, as you do when you need things. They sent it that day, before they even replied to my mail. Either very responsive, or mysterious coincidence. My Finance contracts from NatWest arrived today too, so all is in line for the meeting. All I have to do is fill out a few more forms required what with me being male and falling in the wrong age bracket.

I’ll update more soon - Meningitis jabs make you feel sick.

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