I'm such a "germaphobe." This whole "swine flu" -- now dubbed H1N1 -- has my nerves on edge. I know it's just a flu...and I know we're always at risk of getting some kind of flu. And I know most especially that God is in control. But my human-ness is showing...Sigh.
Today I found out I have shingles.
Ugh.
I was actually quite surprised since I didn't really understand the virus and mistakenly thought it mainly hit older people. But my doctor told me he has seen patients as young as 10 with this virus.
I also mistakenly thought it just hit people who hadn't had chicken pox when just the opposite is true since the virus never leaves your body. Read more about it here.
And while there are drugs to help limit it and take care of the pain, my having shingles causes there to be a greater risk of chicken pox in our household.
In recent years, doctors have encouraged parents to get their kids immunized against chicken pox. At first I thought it was silly. Chicken pox, I reasoned, was a rite of passage in childhood...a mild illness that causes little kids to get covered in itchy red spots for a week. But then the doctor explained how the vaccination helps to prevent shingles later in life....and that some kids die of complications from chicken pox. My mom further cemented this fact in my head by telling me of a friend of hers who lost a child to chicken pox. Hmm....
Both the older kids got the shot.
Now enter Ethan.
Ethan is too young to have this shot yet. He's only 8 months old and while he's a huge 8-month-old, he's too young -- i.e. not mature enough bodily.
Emily just had a booster shot of her vaccination last year. Edward wouldn't normally need one for another few years...but I put him at risk...and, because of that, he puts Ethan at risk. So come next Tuesday he'll get his booster...a little earlier than planned.
Still, God takes care of us, and time and medicines are on our side, too.
If we each do our part, we'll ride this health storm and be back to our normal selves before long...whatever normal really is.
And there's always time to worry about the next health issue later. *wink-grin*
1 comment:
I've heard that the Swine Flu (we in Holland name it Mexican flu) especially hit people who are healthy. This virus makes the healthy cells fight too much against it. That way the healthy cells are killing themselves. Swine flu especially hits people from 20 till 40 years.
No worries sweetheart, I think you will feel better very soon! I'm keeping you in my mind...
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