A Herd That Protects
This post is will have a very different feel from the rest of my blog. It's not going to be all shiny and positive as usual because sadly, I don't feel all that sparkly. But it's important and I hope you are able to read to the end.
I don't normally speak up about "controversial" issues because everyone is entitled to their opinions and are allowed to make their own choices. This issue, although backed by science, is becoming an ever growing epidemic across the globe. People are dying, the very young and the very old alike.
I'm talking about vaccinations.
I used to be on the fence about them myself. Once a perfectly healthy person, I never had to think about taking additional measures. I was naive and didn't realize that by getting vaccinated, I could be saving someone else from getting sick. I didn't want to put something foreign in my body and I took my health for granted. That was until it was taken away from me.
Now I have to rely on others, on herd immunity, to help keep me safe because I am immunocompromised. It's a big word if you've never seen it, it's a scary word if you live it. If you've never heard of herd immunity, it is "the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination". You may have a superhuman immune system, which is great for you, but that doesn't mean you're not carrying or unknowingly fighting off something that could potentially get someone else sick. You could literally be saving someone's life by getting vaccinated.
As I've written about before, I was hospitalized 3 times last year. Because I had such a weak immune system, during one of my stays I had to be isolated for a few days until they knew it was safe. Anyone coming to visit me needed to wear a mask and gown. Thankfully my doctors were able to find medications to get my body back on track to healing. That being said though, a number of the drugs I'm currently on, and will be on for the rest of my life, are immunosuppresants. Drugs that help me heal in one way, hinder me in another. They help my body to not reject itself but they make it so I can't fight off infection like other people. The common flu could put me back in the hospital.
On a regular basis, I have to plan my life around other people's health. I sometimes cannot see my own family if they've come down with something. I have to reschedule plans with friends for the same reason. I get nervous if I'm standing next to someone who is sick at the grocery store. I'm constantly on high alert for fear that I may catch something that could really knock me down. It's not a great situation but I try and make the best of it and try to continue to live my life the best way I know how. I'm lucky to have amazing people in my life who do look out for me. My family and friends will tell me when they're ill so I can reschedule with them. The people at work, although in the same office, will keep away from me as much as possible. It's nice that some people "get it". But there are so many that don't.
I am currently writing this from my couch, taking yet another sick day because I have a very high fever and a terrible cough that's lasted over a week. The doctor has me on antibiotics which, fingers crossed, will be enough to help me kick whatever this is. Could this have been prevented had just one more person been vaccinated? Maybe. Could this have been worse given that there are so many other terrible illnesses going around? Possibly. The thing about this is, you may be able to spring back in a few days, just a small blip on your health radar. I, however, will likely be fighting this for much longer. The last time I developed a cough, it lasted 8 months.
If you are still on the fence, please put yourself in the shoes of people like me and of the babies that are too young to get certain vaccines. Your doctor, I'm sure, would be more than happy to educate you about the benefits and risks. Getting vaccinated isn't just about you, it's about everyone around you. I may not be someone you consider important enough to care about but imagine if I was your daughter, your sister or your best friend. Wouldn't you do everything in your power to keep those people safe?
I don't normally speak up about "controversial" issues because everyone is entitled to their opinions and are allowed to make their own choices. This issue, although backed by science, is becoming an ever growing epidemic across the globe. People are dying, the very young and the very old alike.
I'm talking about vaccinations.
I used to be on the fence about them myself. Once a perfectly healthy person, I never had to think about taking additional measures. I was naive and didn't realize that by getting vaccinated, I could be saving someone else from getting sick. I didn't want to put something foreign in my body and I took my health for granted. That was until it was taken away from me.
Now I have to rely on others, on herd immunity, to help keep me safe because I am immunocompromised. It's a big word if you've never seen it, it's a scary word if you live it. If you've never heard of herd immunity, it is "the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination". You may have a superhuman immune system, which is great for you, but that doesn't mean you're not carrying or unknowingly fighting off something that could potentially get someone else sick. You could literally be saving someone's life by getting vaccinated.
As I've written about before, I was hospitalized 3 times last year. Because I had such a weak immune system, during one of my stays I had to be isolated for a few days until they knew it was safe. Anyone coming to visit me needed to wear a mask and gown. Thankfully my doctors were able to find medications to get my body back on track to healing. That being said though, a number of the drugs I'm currently on, and will be on for the rest of my life, are immunosuppresants. Drugs that help me heal in one way, hinder me in another. They help my body to not reject itself but they make it so I can't fight off infection like other people. The common flu could put me back in the hospital.
On a regular basis, I have to plan my life around other people's health. I sometimes cannot see my own family if they've come down with something. I have to reschedule plans with friends for the same reason. I get nervous if I'm standing next to someone who is sick at the grocery store. I'm constantly on high alert for fear that I may catch something that could really knock me down. It's not a great situation but I try and make the best of it and try to continue to live my life the best way I know how. I'm lucky to have amazing people in my life who do look out for me. My family and friends will tell me when they're ill so I can reschedule with them. The people at work, although in the same office, will keep away from me as much as possible. It's nice that some people "get it". But there are so many that don't.
I am currently writing this from my couch, taking yet another sick day because I have a very high fever and a terrible cough that's lasted over a week. The doctor has me on antibiotics which, fingers crossed, will be enough to help me kick whatever this is. Could this have been prevented had just one more person been vaccinated? Maybe. Could this have been worse given that there are so many other terrible illnesses going around? Possibly. The thing about this is, you may be able to spring back in a few days, just a small blip on your health radar. I, however, will likely be fighting this for much longer. The last time I developed a cough, it lasted 8 months.
If you are still on the fence, please put yourself in the shoes of people like me and of the babies that are too young to get certain vaccines. Your doctor, I'm sure, would be more than happy to educate you about the benefits and risks. Getting vaccinated isn't just about you, it's about everyone around you. I may not be someone you consider important enough to care about but imagine if I was your daughter, your sister or your best friend. Wouldn't you do everything in your power to keep those people safe?
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