Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Risks of vaccinations

OK, I know that with vaccines, especially live vaccines, there are risks.  I firmly believe that the befits outweigh the risks.  Seriously, I think if people had to see all the miserable diseases that they prevent on a regular basis that there would be fewer people who choose not to vaccinate their children.  

So, when I took the girls last week to get their vaccines, I was cheery about it.  I'd much rather have a grumpy girl for an afternoon (likely) than deal with the full blown disease.  I was probably the most giddy person to visit the health department that day.  

The experience was miserable.  Bad idea.  Not the vaccines.  Taking all three kids by myself.  Bad idea.  Anna went first.  I knew the nurse giving her the shots.  She had to call in reinforcements.  I knew her, too.  Anna is strong.  I got a nice upper body workout just holding her still for her turn.  McKenna?  Wailing in the corner before her turn.   Samuel?  Wailing in the chair.  He isn't due until next year.  McKenna is little.  But she's fiesty.  And much stronger than she looks.  Again, it took three of us.  Anna?  Cowering in the corner.  Still wailing.  Samuel?  Still wailing.  Never moved from his perfect posture in the chair.  He's NEVER been so still.  Or so loud.  And he's a loud little guy.  

Good thing they tried to give them toothpaste (with sparkles, no less!) to make up for the pain.  No such luck.  I even took them through the secret underground tunnel from the new(er) judicial center to the old court house.  Seriously.  They continued to wail through the secret tunnel under the road.  What kids don't love a secret tunnel?  The ones who have just been given the gift of not getting hepatitis, I guess.

The funny part is that McKenna developed her usual spring cough that day.  She starts coughing after we get home and despondently tells me that the shots didn't work.  "I've got the disease!"  For days, "I've got the disease!" over and over and over.

What an experience.  

(And somewhere in there, we took Samuel out of his crib for good.  It's out of his room.  I'm not crying about it.  Really.  I'm not.  I'm glad he's growing up healthy and strong.  I am.  And I'm not crying.  Well, maybe a little bit...)

2 comments:

Laura said...

" What kids don't love a secret tunnel? The ones who have just been given the gift of not getting hepatitis, I guess."

Leslie, that might be the single funniest thing you've ever written. I'm dying of laughter over here!

I'm a Mom!..? said...

I've had this experience once... and I won't do it again. Taking 3 kids in to get shots without back up is not a good idea. I always take back up or make separate appointments, kind of a pain but in the end, well worth it!!