Comments on: I’m not entirely comfortable on this side of the fence… http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:43:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Sara http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-184079 Sara Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:39:05 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-184079 Hi Miss Lee, Good for you - it's not always easy to stick to your guns, especially when a physician disagrees with your decision. I'm still on the fence about the flu vaccination. I think this year my indecision is deciding for me. I haven't yet gotten my children vaccinated because I haven't been able to decide which is worse - the vaccination or the virus... Hi Miss Lee,

Good for you – it’s not always easy to stick to your guns, especially when a physician disagrees with your decision. I’m still on the fence about the flu vaccination. I think this year my indecision is deciding for me. I haven’t yet gotten my children vaccinated because I haven’t been able to decide which is worse – the vaccination or the virus…

]]> By: Miss Lee http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-184078 Miss Lee Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:09:10 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-184078 Sara, I just recently found your site and have been reading through your posts. This one struck a nerve because I am in the same predicament. I usually have no problems vaccinating my children but as they have decided this year to put the H1N1 into the regular flu vaccine I told their pediatrician I would not be giving them a flu shot. He was very curious as to why and I felt that my decision had entitled him to give me the third degree. I wasn't very comfortable with the situation but I stuck to my guns. We as mothers know what is best. I find it is always better to stick with my gut feelings. Sara,

I just recently found your site and have been reading through your posts. This one struck a nerve because I am in the same predicament. I usually have no problems vaccinating my children but as they have decided this year to put the H1N1 into the regular flu vaccine I told their pediatrician I would not be giving them a flu shot. He was very curious as to why and I felt that my decision had entitled him to give me the third degree. I wasn’t very comfortable with the situation but I stuck to my guns. We as mothers know what is best. I find it is always better to stick with my gut feelings.

]]> By: On your side too http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-176123 On your side too Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:17:05 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-176123 Hi Sara I totally agree with you. It is hard for me to say this because I too have felt the pressure. It does seem awful and with thousands more people dying from seasonal flu than H1N1 why the big hoopla? I do understand that adults and children with underlying health issues should definitely consider this shot but those of us that sre basically healthy....well I'm on your side! Hi Sara
I totally agree with you. It is hard for me to say this because I too have felt the pressure. It does seem awful and with thousands more people dying from seasonal flu than H1N1 why the big hoopla? I do understand that adults and children with underlying health issues should definitely consider this shot but those of us that sre basically healthy….well I’m on your side!

]]> By: Ellie http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175958 Ellie Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:35:04 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175958 Hi Sara, I completely understand where you're coming from, and feel the same. Although my 21 moth old has been given all the vaccines offered (including MMR, also after much research & discussion), my husband and I decided that we would rather not give her the H1N1 vaccine for exactly the same reasons. I live in the UK, and here there is no pressure to have the vaccination at the moment. Children over 6 months and under 5 years were declared a high-risk group, so will be offered the vaccine, but nothing has happened yet. The cynic in me wonders whether a difference in private/public healthcare between the US/UK could partly explain the push to be vaccinated in the US... but I don't fully understand how it all works :) Best wishes, Ellie Hi Sara,

I completely understand where you’re coming from, and feel the same. Although my 21 moth old has been given all the vaccines offered (including MMR, also after much research & discussion), my husband and I decided that we would rather not give her the H1N1 vaccine for exactly the same reasons.

I live in the UK, and here there is no pressure to have the vaccination at the moment. Children over 6 months and under 5 years were declared a high-risk group, so will be offered the vaccine, but nothing has happened yet.

The cynic in me wonders whether a difference in private/public healthcare between the US/UK could partly explain the push to be vaccinated in the US… but I don’t fully understand how it all works :)

Best wishes, Ellie

]]> By: Melissa http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175955 Melissa Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:26:16 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175955 Hi Sara! We got both the boys vaccinated. We had been hearing speculation that most older folk weren't getting the flu because they had already been exposed during the Asian flu pandemic in the 50's (some think that the two are one and the same). Coincidentally, the Asian flu is what killed my grandmother when my dad was just a little boy. Needless to say, it affected his life and the lives of everyone in our family in very profound ways. So as you can imagine, I had very unique personal reasons to fear the flu. And also I am just paranoid by nature. Hi Sara!

We got both the boys vaccinated. We had been hearing speculation that most older folk weren’t getting the flu because they had already been exposed during the Asian flu pandemic in the 50′s (some think that the two are one and the same). Coincidentally, the Asian flu is what killed my grandmother when my dad was just a little boy. Needless to say, it affected his life and the lives of everyone in our family in very profound ways. So as you can imagine, I had very unique personal reasons to fear the flu. And also I am just paranoid by nature.

]]> By: Abby Batchelder http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175944 Abby Batchelder Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:59:08 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175944 I agree that here on the East Coast we are feeling a lot of pressure to get the H1N1 vaccine. I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable if we chose not to get it, so we did. My main concern was for Madison (born in August). Being so young, I figured that if she did get the virus that it would be difficult for her to fight it off. I agree that here on the East Coast we are feeling a lot of pressure to get the H1N1 vaccine. I knew I wouldn’t feel comfortable if we chose not to get it, so we did. My main concern was for Madison (born in August). Being so young, I figured that if she did get the virus that it would be difficult for her to fight it off.

]]> By: Angi Grasso http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175942 Angi Grasso Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:25:13 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175942 Hey Sara - Carver had had his 1st H1N1(nasal spray) and his booster shot(I wasn't impressed with shedding that can happen with the nasal spray), Mazzy has had her 1st shot and is scheduled for her 2nd...my niece is considered "critically ill" with heart and lung problems and we spend alot of time with them. They have also both had their seasonal flu vacc. Hey Sara – Carver had had his 1st H1N1(nasal spray) and his booster shot(I wasn’t impressed with shedding that can happen with the nasal spray), Mazzy has had her 1st shot and is scheduled for her 2nd…my niece is considered “critically ill” with heart and lung problems and we spend alot of time with them. They have also both had their seasonal flu vacc.

]]> By: Sara http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175938 Sara Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:06:21 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175938 Hi Annie, Do you think you felt pressure not from any individual but rather from your daughter's condition? Did you and your husband get vaccinated as well? Similarly, I'm not sure what I would have done if I were in your shoes and my child had a condition that put them in a higher risk category. I'm sure you did what was right for your family, and it sounds like you've got some great support from your pediatrician, which I'm sure goes a long way in helping you feel comfortable with your decision. Thanks for sharing - I do find everyone's individual experiences with this particular vaccination quite fascinating! Hi Annie,

Do you think you felt pressure not from any individual but rather from your daughter’s condition? Did you and your husband get vaccinated as well? Similarly, I’m not sure what I would have done if I were in your shoes and my child had a condition that put them in a higher risk category. I’m sure you did what was right for your family, and it sounds like you’ve got some great support from your pediatrician, which I’m sure goes a long way in helping you feel comfortable with your decision. Thanks for sharing – I do find everyone’s individual experiences with this particular vaccination quite fascinating!

]]> By: annie http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175937 annie Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:00:45 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175937 Hi Sara, I got my 13 month old daughter vaccinated. I live in Oregon as well and did not feel pressured by our doctors to get it. My daughter's pediatrician is very sensitive to parental concerns regarding vaccines and always puts the ball in our court without any judgment. However, as my daughter has a mild breathing problem (laryngomalacia) the pediatrician thought (and my husband and I agreed) it was prudent to get her vaccinated. I'm not sure where my family would have landed on the H1N1 vaccine issue if we didn't have the specter of an underlying condition hanging over our heads... Hi Sara,

I got my 13 month old daughter vaccinated. I live in Oregon as well and did not feel pressured by our doctors to get it. My daughter’s pediatrician is very sensitive to parental concerns regarding vaccines and always puts the ball in our court without any judgment. However, as my daughter has a mild breathing problem (laryngomalacia) the pediatrician thought (and my husband and I agreed) it was prudent to get her vaccinated. I’m not sure where my family would have landed on the H1N1 vaccine issue if we didn’t have the specter of an underlying condition hanging over our heads…

]]> By: Sara http://beingsara.com/story/im-not-entirely-comfortable-on-this-side-of-the-fence/comment-page-1/#comment-175929 Sara Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:13:55 +0000 http://beingsara.com/?p=604#comment-175929 Hi Stormy, I think here on the East coast we're getting a lot more pressure. On three separate visits I was asked, reminded that it was safe, the person offering the shot told me they had received it, that it was not "rushed out", it had been through appropriate testing protocols, etc. It was subtle pressure, but still tangible pressure to vaccinate both of my children. My work has also been offering the shot - at first you needed to schedule an appointment for one of the clinics. When they didn't get enough response that way, they opened it up and said anyone could stop in to get it. We get weekly "H1N1 updates", it's all very strange. I also know two individuals personally (my niece and a good friend) who both caught some sort of bug (presumably a strain of the flu - fever, vomiting, etc.) and when they visited their doctors (two separate doctors) they were administered the H1N1 shot - while they had the fever! It's always been my understanding that if you are exhibiting "flu-like" symptoms then you're supposed to wait to get the shot. Also, if the doctor was assuming that they had contracted H1N1, what good would a vaccination shot do once they already had the virus? Your daughter's experience sounds similar to what I would expect with any illness - you get sick, you stay home, you get better and return to your regularly scheduled routine. No one else in your house got sick, and also didn't get the vaccination. I'm so confused about why this particular strain of flu is such a concern... Hi Stormy,
I think here on the East coast we’re getting a lot more pressure. On three separate visits I was asked, reminded that it was safe, the person offering the shot told me they had received it, that it was not “rushed out”, it had been through appropriate testing protocols, etc. It was subtle pressure, but still tangible pressure to vaccinate both of my children. My work has also been offering the shot – at first you needed to schedule an appointment for one of the clinics. When they didn’t get enough response that way, they opened it up and said anyone could stop in to get it. We get weekly “H1N1 updates”, it’s all very strange.

I also know two individuals personally (my niece and a good friend) who both caught some sort of bug (presumably a strain of the flu – fever, vomiting, etc.) and when they visited their doctors (two separate doctors) they were administered the H1N1 shot – while they had the fever! It’s always been my understanding that if you are exhibiting “flu-like” symptoms then you’re supposed to wait to get the shot. Also, if the doctor was assuming that they had contracted H1N1, what good would a vaccination shot do once they already had the virus?

Your daughter’s experience sounds similar to what I would expect with any illness – you get sick, you stay home, you get better and return to your regularly scheduled routine. No one else in your house got sick, and also didn’t get the vaccination. I’m so confused about why this particular strain of flu is such a concern…

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