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Is fear of vaccinations warranted, or is it just paranoia?
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We were living in rural Oregon in 1955 and my parents decided to wait until the polio vaccination came to the school there as the shots would be free. The vaccine was due to arrive the 3rd week in October. I contracted polio on Oct. 3.
Spent 9 months in the hospital, 6 months in an iron lung, had to learn to walk, talk, breathe again-that took 7 yrs of physical, occupational and speech therapy. Lived a fairly normal life, married, had 2 kids, worked full time and went to school full time. Then in 1990, I noticed weakness on my left side. By 1999 I was in a wheelchair again with post-polio syndrome, We are the first generation to live long enough for pps to occur-about 40 yrs after the original disease. In 2004 I "crashed"-nearly died-and am now on a ventilator for life. Sweet Victor married me even knowing I now have a much shorter life span than I ever planned. Not how I wanted my life to be, but we cope.
So--do I believe in vaccinations? You betcha.Posted 2 years ago by rainingwolf #
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As a mother of 2 small children, I cringe when I hear of people avoiding vaccinations. I do not want my children to get sick or at least have a better chance of fighting off the illness, so I get them vaccinated. I was vaccinated as a child and I see nothing wrong with them.
Posted 2 years ago by cricketsmama #
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I'll be honest, I avoid flu vaccinations. The early flu shots were live virus based (the good ole Sabine was so successful everybody wanted on the bandwagon) The two worst cases of the flu I ever had were both 21 days following the flu vaccine. I know they no longer use live virus in flu shots but the idea gives me the heebie jeebies. Since I do not seem to get the flu even when they are dropping around me like flies, I have made myself a rule. If I get it two years running, I will start taking the vaccines as it means my immunity is weakening. I am considering the H1N1 due to "reverse parental role pressure". But it remains to be seen.
I also avoid Tetanus shots because they make me sicker than a dog. I only indulge when there is really good reason and only if the Dr. agrees to a close watch just in case.
As for other vaccinations, I'd rather have a sore arm than Small Pox. The sugar cube Sabine was painless and the only good tasting med's I ever had as a child. Since I was pre-chicken-pox age, had a really nasty case of those, and my mom was subject to Shingles, I plan to take that one. Most of the rest I am past having had the disease they are meant to prevent.
That leaves Pneumonia vaccines (every 5 yrs)which I take because I avoid flu vaccines and if my immunity weakens it will prevent the most deadly of the secondary infections.
Vaccines have been too successful for their own good in the press. Once the focus was on how many were saved. Now they stew over the side-effects.
Posted 2 years ago by ailuromaniac #
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Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!!! It is WAY safer than the alternative. We've grown up in a world where no one dies of diptheria or lock-jaw (tetanus); where babies don't break their ribs because they cough so hard with the whooping cough (pertussis). Pregnant women don't have to fear that an epidemic will cause them to lose their baby, or result in birth defects (rubella). And there aren't children with twisted legs and crutches in every neighborhood (polio). Not mention the fact that we don't die - or suffer permanently scarred faces, and hair loss - from small pox.
Vaccines are safer than the disease. They are also safer than the medications used to treat diseases. Vaccine side effect??!! Not very much. Ouch. But medications - they have side effects.
sign me: impassioned microbiologist (aka scaredicat)
Posted 2 years ago by scaredicat #
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I have to agree with scaredicat, the risk from the vaccine is so much less than the actual disease. Yes there will be those that have reactions to vaccines, but to actually see someone suffereing from a totally preventable disease is horrible.
Oh and while I am on my soap box, wash your hands often this winter and keep your fingers out of your eyes, nose, and mouth. Doing this will cut back on getting sick and just makes ya healthier all around.
Hey SC ever see the urine cultures growing pseudomonas? Those always grossed me out big timePosted 2 years ago by TheKnittingNinja #
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LOL - urine cultures gross me out on principle!
Posted 2 years ago by scaredicat #
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I throw my lot in with those in favour of vaccination. I recognise there are still risks. I realise some people have adverse reactions. Things like flu vaccines have to be a personal choice. But for the major life-threatening diseases -- yep, we are so lucky to live in a time when we have vaccines and even those who choose not to be vaccinated are protected by the general high level of vaccination in the community.
I've posted this before but when I was a baby I got very sick with whooping cough. There was an epidemic in London, where I was born, and it took doctors a while to recognise what it was as it had been so long since they'd seen it. I was very sick but luckily I'd already had my first shot so I had some protection, or I'd have been even sicker.
And you only have to talk to people of my dad's generation -- about all the cousins and classmates who didn't live to adulthood or those who were permanently disabled by polio etc. We don't see it so we forget. Yes, vaccination is a calculated risk but so is getting in a car...
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/2923778/Girl-not-killed-by-cancer-vaccine
Sorry if it's slow to load.
I agree with vaccinations, however we did have trouble with Airy when she was a baby and had her rubella vaccination, she was a very sick baby for a few days. She has had 3 varieties of measles on 5 separate occasions and didn't receive her MMR vaccinations at age 12 because of the possibility of reactions again. All other vaccinations she did receive. I believe we did have her checked for her resistance to measles when she was in her teens and she has a fairly good resistance now.
I had whooping cough when I was about 9 and believe me it's not something you want to experience or have your child get. Trying to get a breath in and finding you can't it pretty horrible.Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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they say u dont get a reaction from the flu vaccines because the virus is suppsoedly dead. both mum n i have gotten ill and more frequently during the years when we got vaccinated. we are happeir without the flue vaccines. other things like polio, chicken pox, tetanis etc. don;t seem to have affected me negatively so that's ok.
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It was terrifying Jcat. She was as limp as a rag doll and had sunken black eyes and wouldn't feed and had a temperature. We were nervous whenever she got other vaccinations but deemed the risk acceptable in comparison to the disease.
Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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