When my daughter got up for school today and complained about a sore throat I must admit I paid more attention to her then I would have this time last year.
I used to be the type of Mom who figured that if there was no fever, blood or vomiting my kids could go to school.
This morning? This morning I wavered a bit and then I went here and used the provincial flu assessment tool to see if I needed to do anything for her.
I didn't. She's fine but I must admit I'm turning into a bit of an um, lunatic over the smallest cold symptoms in my kids these days.
You see, all this hoopla in the paper over the 'Swine Flu' has made me uneasy. It's also made me more aware of how fast a healthy kid can get really sick.
And?
I. Don't. Like. It.
I was the Mom who, a short month ago, wasn't going to give my kids the H1N1 shot. I figured that we'd been through many flu seasons and never really gotten that sick so, why bother? I'm also not a big fan of putting stuff into my family's bodies for no good reason.
What changed?
Well a child, a healthy child who lived one town over from us and, in many ways, reminded me a lot of my own son died from H1N1.
Died.
Gulp.
I then talked to a friend who is an ER critical care doctor and I asked him his opinion on getting the vaccination for my family.
He told me to get the H1N1 shot.
I asked him what the difference was between this flu and the other flu's that I've been blithely ignoring in the past.
'Leanne,' he said, 'this flu can kill you.'
Oh.
So, right now? As of today, my two younger children and I have had the H1N1 shot and my husband and my older daughter have not.
I plan on taking my older daughter to get the shot soon. This will be difficult as she is completely and irrationally terrified of needles.
Sigh.
Hubby? I've given him my opinion, now I just hope he finds the time to look after it for himself. I may have to badger him a bit about it too.
Double sigh.
What did you decide to do?
I'm Leanne and I'm a tired mama. I work, I parent, I juggle and I don't seem to get enough sleep. Welcome to the place where I rant about all these things...




