It has been a good week though. I received a very
happy package from deborah all the way from Kansas. It was the two pen and ink drawings I won from her blog contest. It was really cool to hear the thump on my porch as the package arrived from a woman I've never met or even spoken with. They were even better in real life than in photographs (close-up to the right). I can't wait to hang them once I have a chance (might take a few weeks at this rate). She will have a little thank you from the seashore heading her way soon....Other amazing things have happened too, which didn't escape my very busy notice. A rogue giant red poppy bloomed in the garden yesterday beating all temperature odds and a fall snowstorm. I'd take a photo of it but it's already been ruined by today's rain. I made the best pumpkin soup straight out of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle, and I received word from my child's pediatrician that they just had a shipment of H1N1 shots for kids under two and we're all set to go get one tomorrow.
That was probably the best news I've had all week. I'm in no way a germaphobe. I don't use hand sanitizer, I willing let my kid chew on the handle of shopping carts, pet's tails and random kid's toys hoping it will make her immune system stronger. But, this swine flu is getting to the core of my motherly instincts. I still let her chew on the shopping cart yesterday, I sent her to her little in-home day care center today so I can clean the house (and catch my breath!), but I've kept her out of the YMCA day care room until she gets the vaccine. There's just way too many kids that go through there everyday and the flu has hit our town's schools in force. I can put off my workouts one more day.
I hope every one's families are healthy and to those that have already been hit I hope you've recovered with minimal damage. A big thank you to everyone who signed the petition to keep our rivers flowing. Rumor is the governor has received more petitions about this issue than any other environmental issue in recent memory. It has captured his notice and we're expecting a turn around on policy any day! If you haven't it and would like to the link is at the top of my sidebar.
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I have been hounding my son, who is off at college, to go to the University Clinic to get an H1N1 vaccination. He has asthma and under 24s are the hardest hit by this virus. Hope you are enjoying this new path you are traveling down. Your daughter must be so happy to have you home all day.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is ever enough hours in the day with a little one around. Always something to do. Hope you get Lizzie's shot. It is so scary hearing all the things that are broadcast about kids getting sick from this virus.
ReplyDeleteOh Kate - check what's in those vaccines b4 you give them to your little one especially. i just had an email today stipulating that there was some sort of unacceptable mercury level in them and that doctors themselves are refusing to be vaccinated... I know I'm not a vaccination freak - and I normally have a healthy disregard for many of the alarmist warnings about various things sent via email. But this one most caught my eye for its very anonymous and medical nature. I think you'll find that, if your little darling has no other health problems, then she is not in any danger... if she can stay home with Mummy to get better! Good luck and hope none of you catch it at all...
ReplyDeleteRT: I hope your son can get it! I hear asthmatics are considered very high risk, especially for his age and living in a petri dish that is a college dorm. I am completely enjoying my new path, thanks!
ReplyDeleteRae: you are right, never enough hours! you would know with kids AND grandkids AND a husband (sometimes I think the husband is the neediest :)
Ange: mercury is scary, luckily the infant vaccine is mercury free. However, the stats on kids getting seriously ill in the US would still make me get the shot even if it had thimerosal, not that I'd be happy about that part. Plus you apparently get more mercury from eating a tuna steak than you do from a vaccine, not that that's acceptable either.
what I don't get is why can't they come up with something else to preserve the vaccine? The company that makes the MMR shot (measles, mumps and rubella) has voluntarily removed mercury, can't they do that with all shots? Thanks for your concerns and warnings, having kids forces you to make so many tough decisions...you want to protect them but sometimes that means putting them at risk.
thanks for reading everyone! -kate
Kate, I applaud you getting Lizzie vaccinated, even with all the ifs and and buts. It's a terrible virus that seems to hit the youngest among us. It is the first time that I, as a senior, am last in line to get a shot. And I'm glad to hear that those who need to get one are doing so.
ReplyDeleteKate, is there a vaccine for swine flu? The flu scare has been up here for so long and how many time school shutted down when one is infected. All establishment are well equipped with thermometers, hand sanitizers which causes delays in everything. Well we are just being cautious. This flu scare doesn't stop people to carry on with their lives, the best thing for us to do is to strengthen our resistance, by exercising, being hygienic...like frequent handwashing.
ReplyDeleteSinging the Happy birthday song twice while washing hands will help wash the germs away. Hee hee.
AL
Oh btw Kate, you're doodles are nice, are they sheeps?
ReplyDeleteAL
Great news about the river.
ReplyDeleteI love your writing.
I can imagine parents must be scared.
I'm glad you're set with the vaccine.
So wonderful about the poppy!
What a treat.
ditto with random thinker -
ReplyDeletecollin is 21 and was extremely sick with a 102.4 temp..
i would suggest people stay out of crowded malls, schools and churchs as much as possilibe.
when it hits it's like a train - collin went from some coughing in the morning to the ER 10 hours later....
y'know you don't have to hang those drawings as they have flanges on the back for setting on flat surfaces....
DJan: considering the consequences of not getting Lizzie vaccinated could be death I figure it's a good idea. it is scary. and odd to hear that seniors are the lowest priority. My mother remembers getting swine flu when it hit in the 50s. She was ten and was sick for two weeks, so she figures she's all set with immunity. you're probably fine too :)
ReplyDeleteAL: there is a vaccine here, I hope you get it in your country too, even just to protect the very young and those with respiratory illnesses. The problem is it's very slow to grow so it's not being distributed as fast as hoped. And since it can spread as far as ten feet from person to person even hand washing isn't as effective as once thought. But I agree, you can't hole yourself up inside, and we haven't, but luckily we're getting the vaccine today! :)
I do see sheep in the drawing, I don't think that's what deborah intended when she drew it, but it's cool that I can see them too!
Bethany: I should have the final word about our rivers this week. I can't believe what a response the petition had, usually something posted by the Conservation Law Foundation gets about 50 signatures, this one had 500. It's nice to see people really do care about their world.
deborah: I had no idea Collin had it too! That is SO scary! Glad to hear he recovered. Luckily for me I hate crowded malls :) Only 8 more hours until Lizzie can get the shot...not soon enough.
I will prop those drawings up right now until I can hang them, somewhere in this mess of a house is a hammer! I'm cleaning for the first reason you listed in your other comment: it's been almost a year since the house has had a deep clean, it's time!! :)
thanks everyone for reading, until next time be well! -kate