Flu Shot Frustration

By nature, I'm a panicker. It runs deep in my blood. However, as a mother, I try very hard not to panic anymore. That mostly just means that I do not panic on the outside while my insides are frazzled. I do believe in vaccines, maybe because I don't have an autistic child and haven't been shown the dark side of vaccines, I don't know. But as of now, I believe in what they are and what they do and for the most part I trust my doctors. I do, however, choose doctors carefully and if I am not pleased, I will find a new one. And by that I mean I want a warm and fuzzy feeling every single time I step in their office and I want to feel certain that they know what the heck they're talking about.

Hana's pediatrician is all of this and more. Several of our friends have since started taking their kids to him or at least one of the other doctors he offices with because of our high praise of him and his staff. We are all pleased. However. For over a week now I have called this particular doctor's office hoping to get an appointment for Hana to receive a flu shot. The regular old flu shot. I have called every single day, or close to it. "(1)We're out and should be getting our shipment by Friday, (2)we should be receiving more on Friday, (3)we might get it early next week." Here it is, Wednesday of "next week." I called a little while ago and what was I told? "I'm sorry. We just received word that our supplier has stopped shipment of the flu shot in order to get the H1N1 vaccine out. We could get it any time between now and November 30th. That's all the information we have."

I do realize that this is not the doctor's fault, nor is it the fault of anyone in his office. I asked to speak to the doctor or a nurse and within half an hour I received a call back from a nurse. Might I add she was the most unpleasant woman I have ever dealt with at this office so I was not at all pleased by this or her tone. But I'm sure she's been answering the same questions all day, week, month - who knows! "Is there anything else I can do? Can Hana receive a shot elsewhere?" I asked her. "No. Children her age should receive the flu shot from their pediatrician's office." I even called Walgreens (where they still have flu shots available) and asked the pharmacist and was told the same thing. Deep breath. "So what's the deal with this H1N1 vaccine?" I asked the not-so-chipper nurse, "Are you guys recommending it?" See, I am very hesitant to have them inject something into my not even two-year-old daughter that seems to have been created over night. Can't I give it a year or two and see how it affects everyone else? I would LOVE to be able to talk to someone who is thoroughly educated on the matter rather than taking what I hear and read in the news as gospel. I just don't trust the media. This nurse told me that they can't give advice on the H1N1 vaccine because they have yet to receive any literature on it.

I'm about to panic. I don't believe that we should put our lives on hold for living in fear. I don't want to cram Hana into some bubble and douse her with antibacterial gel every now and again. I don't want to be afraid to take her in public for fear that someone may sneeze in her general vicinity and they may or may not be infected with the Swine Flu. But I do want to be a smart, knowledgeable mother and make wise decisions. So here I sit wanting to panic, but not -yet. I suppose I will continue to call her doctor's office a few times a week to check on the status of the flu shot shipment and an update on the arrival of their H1N1 vaccine literature. In the mean time (while the media has just announced that the Swine Flu has already "reached epidemic status") the grown ups in our house will receive a regular flu shot and I will wash Hana's hands with Hibiclens, squirt antibacterial in her hands any time I feel threatened and carry on. Or as Geegaw would say drive on.