I'll Be Immune For Xmas

Ordinarily, getting my yearly flu shot isn't a problem. My doctor suggests my getting one since my age and health warrants it. Fine, no problem. Usually come October he tells me the seasonal flu vaccine has come in and--poke--I'm good to go.

This year, with the H1N1 scare and all, I thought I better ask HIM come October. When I did, I was told that their supply of vaccine hadn't arrived yet, but they would notify me. The nurse wrote my name and phone number on a scrap piece of paper there at her desk. Hmmmmm, I love a doctor's office that's well organized, especially when it comes to matters life and death.

So by late November, no call from the doc's office. I called them. They said they had no vaccine and had no idea when they were getting their supply. Instead, they were referring their patients to the local drug store or health department. Wonderful. I wonder if the nurse wrote their vaccine supply order on another scrap of paper and filed it next to mine.

No problem, I thought. They were offering a flu clinic at work. I could get both the H1N1 and the seasonal flu vaccines at the same time--poke, poke, good to go. Only those with chronic conditions were eligible for the H1N1, we were told. Fine, that's me.

On the appointed day, the line for the flu vaccine stretched down the hall. No problem. I assumed they had plenty and waited a while. By the time I got in line, I was told they were out of H1N1 flu vaccine. What?? "Are there that many sickos in the building," I asked my supervisor. Apparently, they were not screening to see who truly qualified. Anybody who asked for the H1N1 innoculation got one.

Great. So I decided to go to employee health service instead so I could get both shots--poke, poke, good to go. It was my first time at employee health. Though I'm considered chronic, I'm rarely sick. Go figure. I got right behind this lady, who had various health issues. Interesting, but let's move it along lady, eh.

Then they gave me a clipboard, told me to fill out some forms, then come back. Upon returning to the receptionist, there's somebody ahead of me. Then I saw somebody standing quite far behind us. Is there a line? THEN I see a sign behind me, "In order to protect patient privacy, please form a line here and wait until the person ahead of you is finished."

Whoops! Didn't know that. Well, that first lady didn't have any REALLY personal issues. And I finally ended up getting doubled poked. Good to go. However, the anti-bodies from the vaccine don't kick in for another 10 days. I'll be immune for Christmas . . . maybe.

Afterwards, in the news I see that hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses have been recalled in our area, since the vaccine may be too weak to be effective.

*sigh* So as in the Christmas carol, I'll be immune for Christmas, if only in my dreams.