Thursday, February 21, 2008

Flu Shot

I got one today. Very controversial in our house. After searching high and low for a mercury-free dose for MONTHS and finding none, my kid's pediatrician's nurse offered me the one and only single dose they had in their shot fridge. I've NEVER been an advocate of flu shots until this year when I learned about the real flu (influenza) vs what I always thought was the flu (24 hr viruses, stomach bugs, etc.)

Plus, everywhere I go, someone has the flu. It's like walking through a mine field. I'm so paranoid. I'm ditching friends, family, trips to the library, store, everything because I'm scared of getting it. It got worse today when I heard the radio report about how the flu is wide-spread in VA partially because the flu shot is offering only partial protection this year. It seems they had a bad guess with which virus strains would be trendy this year and misfired on two of three. Still, I think it's better for me to get the shot than not.

John wasn't happy. I've turned him into a vaccine hater and when he heard I had gotten a shot today I could hear the concern in his voice. Bottom line, we have strong suspicions that autism is linked to vaccines - probably the mercury used in them - but it could be something else. No one knows any hard facts about the causes of autism - or so it seems to us - so we don't want to take any unnecessary risks w/ our sweet little twins. I think it will all be OK. As John says, everything always works out.

On a different note, Mr. Cubby fell down several stairs today while coloring with purple crayon in the stairwell. He was unhurt but did manage to color purple around his right eye and mouth. It is the first (and will be the only) such incident of the crayon variety. We keep them under lock and key but somehow a purple managed to escape notice this morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Cubby likes to walk "like a big boy" down the stairs which means - he falls. We go over butt scooting and backwards sliding down the stairs but he always returns to his favorite way - standing up, leaning forward, modified dive. Totally dangerous.

Wall eraser cleaners work like a charm for removing crayon, fyi.

1 comment:

Rachie Rach said...

First of all, I have been meaning to get a flu shot since November but I keep forgetting!!! Mark and JM have had theirs so I guess I should get mine....btw...I have NINE, yes, 9 weeks until Caroline is born...what???
Secondly, I can't believe how similar Mr. Cubby and JM are in their behaviors...JM gags himself quite a bit and also enjoys going down the stairs like a big boy. PLUS, crayons make him happy....esp. when he eats them!! Eww!