(no subject)

[the_rck]

Cordelia's annual physical was today. She had four immunizations. The HPV and hepatitis A are suggested but not required. Cordelia begged me not to make her have them, but Scott and I think immunizations are pretty much always a good idea. The DTAP and meningococcal immunizations are mandated for eleven year olds, so she was always going to have those. A couple of the immunizations require follow up shots, so we'll be back for those in a couple of months and again in six months.

Unfortunately, they took us back to the examination room, handed me the fliers on the vaccines and left us for about twenty minutes. Cordelia cried and begged me to take her home. It was thoroughly unpleasant. She doesn't really believe in any of the illnesses we immunize against because she's never known anyone who had them. From her point of view, immunizations are painful and unnecessary. I suppose that's what parents are for. I did insist, once the clinician showed up, that we do the shots immediately, and they were quite accommodating of that.

The rash Cordelia has on her upper back is apparently acne. The clinician recommended Proactiv for it and the acne on her face. She also recommended that Cordelia shower more often and wear her hair up as much as possible to keep it off the acne.

She's a little above average for her age in terms of height and a little below average for her age in terms of weight.

I don't like the new location. I can see the attraction of having all of the related clinics in the same building, but the city bus doesn't go out that far, so we spent $17 each way on a cab. The building is fairly nice. There's a lot more space than in the old one. It's just not nearly as convenient a location for us.

I have promised Cordelia frozen yogurt for enduring the shots. Hopefully, we can manage that tonight. It depends on Scott's schedule. He probably has to go in to work at 3 a.m. tomorrow (third shift is short two people. It was three, but the guy who got arrested for driving without a license is back), and he's still hoping to repair Cordelia's ceiling fan.

Comments

[retsuko]

I know it was hard, but PROPS to you for being such a good Mom. Immunizations are important, and even though it was tough, you did the right thing. (Not that you need my approval, of course, just wanted to give my vote of confidence to you.)

[the_rck]

They told me, after the fact, that I could have requested to have the immunizations immediately, right when we were shown to the room. I wish I'd known that. It would have saved a lot of anguish.

And it's good to be reassured that I did the right thing. I know that I did, but having that validated helps anyway.

[untonuggan]

I know people who've had Hep A; I also had a friend in college who had Hep C and had no idea how he caught it (wasn't doing any of the behaviors on the "risky behaviors" chart and everyone was puzzled, but there you go) and that's not something there's a vaccine or a cure for. Plus an aunt who died of ovarian cancer which can be related to HPV and...well, you get the idea.

Go you for insisting on those vaccinations! I know I hid under chairs in the pediatrician's office for awhile when I was a kid whenever vaccinations were mentioned (though I think I was probably younger than Cordelia), but FWIW I am now strongly pro-vaccine. (Helps that I have like zero immune system myself.)

[the_rck]

I believe strongly in vaccines. The risk of a bad reaction is miniscule, especially when compared to the risk of the things we're vaccinating against. Even vaccines that aren't 100% effective help. Some protection is better than none at all.

[untonuggan]

Definitely. So much definitely.

Also, don't know if a head's up is helpful, but from my experience and also people I've known, the HPV boosters are pretty painful (especially the third one). So I would say definitely plan for frozen yogurt that day, if not something even better. (Like, seriously ow, maybe not at first, but it was like my entire arm and shoulder for a day or two were *really* sore.)

[the_rck]

That's useful to know, I think. I won't tell Cordelia, but I'll be prepared for her to be in pain for longer.

I'm just glad that she doesn't physically resist going to the doctor and getting shots. If she did, there's not a lot I could do about it. She's nearly my size; I couldn't force her into the cab.

[untonuggan]

Yeah, definitely having bribes handy would be worth it or ice packs or something.

I think the cab driver would also wonder if you were trying to force her in. So it's definitely good that she'll go.

[kyrielle]

You. Are. Awesome.

And hopefully one day she will appreciate this.

I did not like shots growing up. Now my kiddos get them, and dislike them.

And I am _totally_ going to ask if we can get the shots done early next time. Took Ian in today for his Hep A booster and the nurse weighed him and all that, left us alone 15 minutes, the doctor did the cursory exam (including checking to make sure his ear infection had cleared, which it had), left us alone another 15 minutes, then shots.

By which time he had THOROUGHLY freaked himself out. :(

[the_rck]

Really, what on earth are they thinking to leave kids waiting for shots? Any kid old enough to know what's going on is going to work themselves up.

I don't remember having an opinion on shots as a kid, but then I don't think I got any boosters for anything until college. I know I got revaccinated against mumps after my younger sister caught them (we'd both been vaccinated. Mom took my sister getting them to mean she'd gotten a bad batch of vaccine), but I don't remember the needle at all. That leads me to hope that Cordelia won't really remember this.

[chorus-of-chaos.livejournal.com]

as someone who has had measles, mumps and chicken pox (all within three months of each other)and nearly had my uncle die from meningitis and was scared to death for myself and my mom for a couple weeks that we had gotten it from exposure, I am so VERY glad we have vaccines. that shot is NOTHING compared to the misery of the illnesses. I realize thats no consolation to cordelia, but spending a month in the hospital because of how very sick I got from getting all three practically at once was horrific and I would have gladly taken shots EVERY DAY to not have gone through that!!!

[the_rck]

Our policy on vaccines for Cordelia is to take anything they offer us. Even if the vaccine isn't 100% effective, some protection is a lot better than nothing. These diseases are really scary. I don't understand people who don't vaccinate.

I have to bite my tongue when talking about flu shots with Scott's parents. They don't believe in flu shots. They use a homeopathic thing instead and believe that that will protect them. They're old enough that getting the flu could be really serious, and they refuse to protect themselves.

[chorus-of-chaos.livejournal.com]

I understand why some people are wary of vaccines (there have been problems when vaccines where first being developed with some of the preservatives turning out to actually be harmful and causing health issues) but considering how nasty some of this disease are and that they've improved the vaccine making progress....I take my chances with the vaccine, even with having the super monster immune system that I have.

I know flu shot only have about a 50% shot of actually being the right vaccine for any given strain of flu wandering around but that's 50 in my favor, and my insurance covers it.