Decisions, Decisions ...

Oh dear, what to do???????

This business of the H1N1 flu vaccine is enough to make one crazy isn't it?

John is over 65 years old and isn't in any of the high-risk categories, so he can't get the vaccine yet but he has already received his seasonal flu shot (my doctor's office was nice enough to give him the shot while we were there last week, avoiding the need for him to attend a clinic somewhere, some time).

I am under 65 but I'm high-risk (asthma; respiratory difficulties) so I'm supposed to be in the first round of people receiving the H1N1 vaccine.  I am not looking forward to joining the queues that are being reported on the nightly newscasts. 

My doctor explained to me that he is not allowed to give the seasonal flu shot to anyone under 65 years of age until they have already received the H1N1 shot -- should he give the shot and the patient subsequently contracts the dreaded swine flu he can be sued!  That embargo will be lifted in December/January when the seasonal flu vaccine will be made available to everyone, regardless if they have received the other shot first.

AND that got me to thinking (I do that sometimes).

What if someone under-65 doesn't want to take the H1N1 shot?  It is, after all, voluntary.  What does the doctor do then? 

The patient is still at risk from the seasonal flu (just as the over-65 patient who HAS been vaccinated against it) and is perhaps at higher risk because of asthma and respiratory difficulties.  (Yes, I know, then that person should be taking the H1N1 shot, but stay with me here -- for some reason, this patient doesn't want the H1N1 shot but does want the seasonal flu shot.)  I think that patient should be entitled to receive the seasonal flu shot as early as it is available, just as the over-65 patient is "allowed" to receive it.  We have to sign consent forms to take these shots; waivers can be incorporated into consent forms quite easily.

That's the end of my thoughts on that.

So, bottom line is, if I want to get the seasonal flu shot before December/January (I have always recieved it well before then in previous years) I have to first get the H1N1 shot.

And I want my seasonal flu shot as soon as possible.

Why?

Because when I get sick, I GET SICK!

I don't get just mildly sick.

I get deathly sick.

For days on end.

That means getting in a queue somewhere for the H1N1 vaccination as soon as possible.

But the reports of the line-ups at the clinics are talking me out of participating in this nonsense.

Ontario has been conducting province-wide seasonal flu vaccine clinics for several years.

They go off without a hitch.  I've been to them with my little chickadee and my beautiful boy.

No line-ups out the door.

No waiting five hours to get a shot (people wouldn't do it, I'm sure).

No getting to the clinic four hours before the clinic doors even open.

This is pure and simple nonsense.

So if Ontario can conduct seasonal clinics every year without this chaos, why can't they offer H1N1 clinics in a more civilized manner?

• Because we've been told that only certain people should go first so anyone who doesn't fit that identified first category is in greater panic mode than they might have been and decides to "fit" the category.
• Because we've been told that the clinics will only operate for five weeks so people are frightened that they might not get theirs in that timeframe and they rush to be in the first wave of recipients.
• Because we've been told that everyone needs to get one NOW so everyone rushes to get their shot NOW.
• Because the vaccine has only just received approval and everyone needs to be first ("me first" syndrome).
• Because every time we turn on the news we're being given another bad news story concerning the swine flu and a new urgency is identified so more people rush to get in line.

So, do I head off into Barrhaven today to get in the line-up for the roving clinic that is being set up there?  A good friend lives there and we could sit and bond while we wait for our shots (we are both high risk so we aren't 'jumping the queue' by any means).  Physically, there is no way I can stand in a queue for any length of time.  Hell, I can't go shopping for 15 minutes without being plunged into agonizing pain!  If I do go to Barrhaven, it probably means staying overnight because it's not likely that we will be out of there before dark (I can't drive at night so if I don't head home before dark, I don't go home that day).

If I end up staying overnight, it means that I have to drive back to Almonte tomorrow morning for my massage (which I don't want to miss) and then I have to drive back into Ottawa to see the ENT specialist (remember my hearing aid woes?).  That's a lot of driving in a 30-hour span, and I'm not doing well in the pain department on this dose of Cesamet (4.5mg/day now). 

So much to consider.

Whatever is one to do?

One gut tells me to stay home today and just go for my massage tomorrow, then go into Ottawa just the once.  I suspect that changes will have to be made in how the province is administering this H1N1 flu vaccine because the current method is clearly not working.  So perhaps waiting might not be a bad idea (and John will have to get his at some point too, so we could stand in line together somewhere, and he could hold me up).

My other gut tells me to go to Barrhaven today and take my chances that the wait will not be as long as reports have been (they always embellish don't they?) and I'll be able to come home tonight.  That would still be consecutive 'travel' days but at least I wouldn't be gone from home for 30 hours straight!

Decisions, decisions ...