Chief Decision Maker
or THE INEVITABLE H1N1 POSTNow there's a mommy-induced title that I was not exactly prepared for...
Being a parent is all about making decisions on behalf of someone else. It makes me uncomfortable sometimes - even with all the reading and research I do, and even with a nurse as my baby daddy.
This fall has been especially stressful because of all the H1N1 crap. I feel like we have *extra* decisions to make now, and there's more pressure than ever on making the right ones because everyone else seems to be asking us what we're going and letting that influence their own family's decisions.
The thing about H1N1 is that I don't really stress about it in particular. I think of it as a flu with a high fever and something that's going around a little more aggressively than the normal flu. The percentage of healthy people who end up on ventilators - or die - is microscopically tiny, and I don't live my life in fear of insignificant statistics.
A few extra things that factored into our decision:
- Briony's already had the flu this fall and it SUCKED. And I'd like to avoid that - or an even worse flu - if we can.
- If either Briony or Geoff get sick, I take care of them, which almost inevitably ends up with me getting sick and flared up.
- If I get sick with any kind of virus, my arthritis charges in and flattens me for at least a couple of days. As a family, we don't really handle illness very well.
- With Geoff working at a hospital, he comes into contact with all kinds of crap than the average citizen (and probably inadvertently brings some of it home with him from time to time).
This morning, enough was enough. I made a couple of phone calls and set things in motion to make all the decisions we've been leaning towards official. Geoff got his H1N1 shot this morning, and I'm making arrangements for Briony and I to follow suit within the next week or two. On top of this, we've decided to delay Briony's 12 month immunizations until after Christmas - just because immunizations tend to suppress babies' immune systems for a couple of weeks and the combination of flu season + H1N1 concerns + the holiday season (where she's going to come in close contact with a heck of a lot of people) makes me worried that she'll catch SOMETHING.
So there you have it. Controversial or not, it's done, and it's the best decision for *our* family with the information that's available to us right now. PLEASE do your own research and make your own decisions about what's right for *your* family. But this is what we've decided for us, and for the first time in weeks, I'm feeling pretty okay about it.
Labels: Arthritis/Fibromyalgia, Being Healthy, Briony, Current Events, Family, The Boy
posted by Lindsay @ 10:10 AM
7 Comments:
Good for you. Be prepared for a sore arm for several days and perhaps tylenol drops for Briony. We haven't decided for us 'oldsters' what we will do yet.
Good for you! I know it wasn't an easy decision for us but we did it and we have had no issues (except for the backlash of those who disagree with getting the shot).
I've always had more than my share of angst about these decisions. As long as you've looked at YOUR factors and made as informed a decision as you can, you can feel good about it. I don't think anybody has the final word on it right now.
Tannis, isn't that the worst part? I hate that this is one thing that we can research and research (and research) and still not really know anything definitively.
Found this article about the flu vaccine that I thought you would appreciate. Enjoy...
http://www.christianity.ca/frame.asp?http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/holy-post/archive/2009/11/01/would-jesus-get-vaccinated.aspx
WHAAAAAAT. That article is amazing... hehe :)
It makes me laugh how much other people care about what *everyone* is doing. Or maybe I just laugh because otherwise I'd be a nutcase listening to everyone else telling me what an awful mother I am for not doing it.
Like you say, everyone has different factors that they need to look at. So look at them, make a decision, and then be done with it.
I still say I'm in the mood for a blizzard just so we have something else to talk about (and goodness knows how much I HATE winter!).
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