PRICK!!
Husband and I got flu shots today!There are a lot of people in my life - a surprising number, really - who disapprove of my getting a flu shot. Some of them disapprove quite vocally, others try to keep it to themselves, but I know they're not liking the idea. My chiropractor, in particular, hates the idea of vaccinations. He won't vaccinate his child for anything, flu or otherwise (which I, personally, think is criminal, but *I* don't say anything to him about that, just to prove I'm the bigger person). He thinks that if my spine is perfectly aligned, my body will be able to combat any nasty beasties that come its way. I make a point of not telling him that I go behind his back for vaccinations.
I'm a total, all-out warfare kind of gal. I'll keep going to my chiro appointments and I'll keep eating (mostly) healthily and I'll keep exercising, but I have NO problem giving my immune system a little kick-start. Vaccinations save lives, People. I want in on that. Even if my life isn't necessarily saved by a flu shot, I'll spare myself a fair bit of misery. I seem to recall a poster in the health clinic of my university that said something like:
"Ten days of vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, headache, fever, chills, back pain, cough and runny nose OR a ten second needle sting. You decide."
Well, DUH!
I've gotta tell you, though; my arm is a little sore.....
**author's note / afterthought - I've been thinking a bit about my "criminal" crack above and I've come to the conclusion that this attitude is a direct reaction to the vehemence with which my chiropractor proselytizes about the anti-vaccination stand of the chiropractic faith. He makes me feel like a child abuser for vaccinating my kids, so I reacted in kind. I understand that vaccinations are voluntary and that a lot of people choose not to participate in vaccination programs. What I'm saying here is that I mean no disrespect to people who make choices that are different from mine.**
posted by Mrs. Chili at 3:58 PM
5 Comments:
I've read that the current vaccine is much better than the original. this one doesn't actually give you the flu. I'm not a scientist (there's a "but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express" joke here I just can't NOT acknowledge.), but I hear they're better. So I should get one. As soon as I get rid of this crappy bronchitis. (Sis's wedding tomorrow...pics soon thereafter)
Have a greak weekend,
~Snob
My parents actually made the choice for me, I have never in my 27 years of life had a shot of any kind. I have had blood drawn, so have had the needle prick. I am not sure how I feel about their decision. A friend of mine recently took her 2 month old for her first shots, and was pretty upset about it. My doctor told me that if I plan to have kids (which I do) I should get all my vaccinations. I am not excited about it, but will do it to prevent any health issues for my children.
Because of some rather exaggerated reactions on the part of my children to vaccinations (my oldest was unable to stand or walk for days after one set of shots), I get the absolute bare minimum.
I want them to be healthy and not have measles, mumps or rubella, but I also like it when they're not in pain and running fevers.
Here in Texas, along with all the other shots, they have to have a Hepatitis C shot too. Bad news for my older kids who thought they were all done with their shots before we moved here.
Can you have a kid enrolled in public school without all their shots?
I sincerely hope that your little prick today will prevent any flu for you or for your husband!
To address your your very strong reaction to the lack of vaccinations on the part of your chiro, I would like to mention that I, too, have made the choice not to vaccinate my children. I made this perfectly legal and government-waivered choice for a variety of reasons not the least of which is that immunizations do not confer life-long immunity to what are, for the most part, non-lethal childhood diseases, while these mostly inconvenient diseases actually do confer this immunity. Futher, outbreaks in schools of infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, etc. occur amongst populations of children who have received immunizations. Not to vaccinate is not a choice I would promote for many, but it was the right choice for me and my children.
This is a huge issue, with a lot of parameters outside of the paradigms of "right and wrong." Immunizations are not the panacea they are touted to be and there is much research that supports this. Although there are dangers inherent in vaccinating, it is the right choice for many people.
To address a question about enrolling kids in school without shots, YES you can! Every state offers a waiver for parents who have made the choice not to vaccinate; the waivers can be religious (moral objections are sometimes covered under this heading), straight moral or medical. Many doctors tell you that you cannot send your kids to school without shots because these docs simply don't know or would prefer no to say that there are waivers available. I have lived in WA, AZ and now in NH and all I needed was a notarized form in each child's file (for school, girl scouts, camp, daycare) and that was it. I have learned to keep asking,
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