First things first. Trick or Treat Report: Too many monsters to count. I was getting nervous when only the neighbor kid had knocked on our door at 6:30 p.m., but by 7:30, we had run out of candy (3 jumbo-sized bags of candy) and were forced to shut off the porch lights. Nothing makes me sadder than denying kids (who aren't mine. Who I don't have to deal with after the sugar rush kicks in) candy. But nothing makes me happier than having various forms of chocolately goodness out of my house.
Up next: the flu shot conundrum. Today's Flu Shot day at my work, where we can take our insurance cards upstairs and volunteer to have a foreign virus infused into our arms for $0. What a deal.
I don't have a fear of needles, but I have severe anxiety about putting too much crap into my body. I firmly, firmly believe this world is over-medicated, over-vaccinated, over-everything, and although there are many assurances that the flu shot is completely safe, that's not enough proof for me.
I tend to think getting the flu every once in a while, or exposing ourselves to germs, is not always a terrible thing. I've read several articles that say kids who are exposed to more germs (such as those growing up on farms or "dirtier" environments) are healthier later in life because their immune systems are built to deal with what's thrown at them. One article said colds are nearly unheard of in Africa because the cold virus is hardly an immune-system challenge compared to the other germs that population is exposed to.
Of course, this is my 100% non-medical opinion, and I probably read these articles in Cosmo. Also, I'll probably have a completely different opinion when I'm laying 2 feet from the toilet on our cold, hard bathroom floor later this winter with a wicked case of the flu.
So this year, I'm actually considering getting the damn thing. I have about 4 hours left to decide. What to do, what to do?
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5 comments:
Well, I'm too late to make a difference in your decision, but I think if you skip it, it's okay. The people who really should get it are children, the elderly, and anyone with an auto-immune difciency. Otherwise, you're young, you're strong, and you're probably able to fight it off alright.
I feel the same way you do! I feel like everyone is over-medicated these days. Anytime I have a headache or something equally minor... I try to find other remedies besides poppin' some meds (which my mom is more than happy to suggest).
I have gotten the flu shot once.. once when I was student teaching. I thought it was necessary. I had some minor reactions to it, but nothing serious. I haven't had the flu shot since... and I haven't gotten the flu in 10 years.
So did I get the flu shot last week when everyone else did at school??? NOPE!
I never get a flu shot. I'll probably pay the price one of these days....
I agree with you on the overmedication etc...and half the time they seem to give shots for the wrong flu anyway. I'm too late to make a difference, but I'll tell you, last time I had the flu, 11 years ago I think, was the one and only year I ever got a flu shot...coincidence?? Honestly I don't think so. I think being exposed to germs and fighting them yourself is the way to improve your immune system though. And I refuse to use anti-bacterial soaps and such in my house!
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