In the news: October 2009 Archives

The other three people in my house have the flu. And I think the cat has a urinary-tract infection.

So much for my mental anguish over whether to get the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines, huh?

No school for Sam today. She told me seven kids were absent (or, as she spells it, "absit") from her class one day last week.

This morning, she wanted to know why I kept her home. I said, "Because your fever is almost 102 degrees when you don't take medicine."

She said, "So I don't have to go back until FRIday??"

Not sure how she got that out of what I said, but heck, at this point it could be true.

Anybody else dealing with flu already in your house? Any tips for keeping the kids -- and, let's face the truth here, husbands -- comfortable?

Because I'm a member of the media, I'm required to type or speak the words "SWINE FLU" at least twice an hour to ensure the public is sufficiently terrified.

I think they even added that requirement to the Journalists Handbook of Topics You're Required To Overreact About and Overreport On.

But here's what I really want to know: Are you going to get your kids regular flu vaccines and H1N1 vaccines this fall? Have you previously gotten them flu vaccines?

I'm on the fence about this -- which, as you all can guess, is pretty unusual for me.

If there's a shot or nasal mist that will be uncomfortable for Sam and Noah for just a minute but will prevent their being sick for 7 to 10 days, then it seems like common sense to get it.

But I've got this nagging concern about the H1N1 vaccine. It was created awfully quickly, wasn't it? I'm not worried about the actual H1N1 part to it, but I am worried that we'll be running stories in a year that say the vaccine "accidentally" contained some sort of hazardous substance and that all the people who got it are at a higher risk for some worse kind of disease.

I'm not saying I think the H1N1 vaccine will give my kids cancer. I'm just saying I'd rather be overly cautious with this one, especially since swine flu isn't as deadly as experts predicted in the beginning.

And hey, since my last poll turned out so well, I thought we'd try it again!