It Just Doesn't Compute

Someone, somewhere, is lying to me / us.

In this morning's paper, I'm reading an article which is singing the praises of the success of yesterday's H1N1 clinic at the local hospital. 

Several hospitals held clinics specifically for pregnant women because of their risk factor for this dreaded virus.

Anyway, in the body of the article, the following statement was made:  "... many women have built up an immunity to the common, seasonal flu, the H1N1 is a new strain against which most people are not immune."  

The statement was attributed to the Vice-President of Medical Affairs with the Ottawa Hospital.  One would expect that someone in that position would know about what he speaks.

So, what does not compute?

Well, waaaay back when, before Ontario decided to go viral and offer the seasonal flu vaccine to every resident of the province, my doctor convinced me that I needed to take the flu shot at the start of the flu season every year.

I needed to do this because I was so susceptible to respiratory illnesses.  As my little chickadee managed to put it, "someone sneezed in Montreal, her Mom got sick."  (We lived in Ottawa.)

So, I used to pay for the privilege of receiving my seasonal flu vaccine at the earliest opportunity every season.

Don't get me wrong.

I still got sick; I just didn't get as sick as I used to get in the years prior to taking the flu shot.

Then back in the spring of 1996, I got really sick with a respiratory infection (I used to call my annual spring infection my version of the flu).  But this one was a super duper infection.  And it was the third year in a row that I had caught something similar (someone passed it to me in the supermarket?).

About a month later, I noticed that I could no longer smell John's aftershave (it is powerful).

That was odd.

Then I realized that I had not smelled his aftershave, or anything else, in quite some time.

Off to the doctor.

Who sent me to a specialist.

Who tested me exhaustively.

Turns out that as a result of the most recent respiratory infection that I had suffered, my olfactory nerve had been damaged.  It was essentially dead.  Kaput.  I could not smell!

The specialist's parting words to me as I left his office were, "Let me know if you ever get your sense of smell back because I've never heard of it happening in a case like this."

Now, when someone can't smell, someone can't taste.

So, for the past twelve years, I've been unable to enjoy the foods that I know I love.  I can't enjoy them because I can't taste them.  I have no idea if they are good. 

At first, I used to go by memory of how that Thanksgiving Turkey smelled as it roasted in the oven.

Or how good that apple pie smelled sitting on the counter.

Or the fresh baked bread.

But as the years passed, I've forgotten what those things smell like.

I only know that I loved those smells.

I've learned how to compensate for the lack of smell as it relates to my food.

As long as the spice is hot enough, the kick is hard enough, or the bite is sharp enough, I can get a sense that I'm eating.  So essentially, I look for foods with kick.

My point?

I paid a huge price for my respiratory ailments of the past.  One should not take these things lightly.

Now back to my problem with this H1N1 vaccine vs the seasonal flu vaccine.

Let's look at the many conflicting statements we've been hearing from our health care officials:

• Each year, the seasonal flu is different from the previous year. (Suggests you should get vaccinated with the new seasonal vaccine each year?)
• Most people already have immunity to the common, seasonal flu virus. (No adult should ever need to get the seasonal flu vaccine then?)
• The H1N1 virus is a new strain to which most people are not immune. (Then everyone needs protection from this one, don't they?)
• Both vaccines can be given concurrently, just use a different arm for each. (No confusion here -- concurrently means at the same time.)
• It makes no difference which vaccine is administered first, or how long one waits between vaccines. (Still quite clear:  no need to worry about putting any length of time between receiving the two different shots.)
• Anyone over 65 years of age has immunity to the H1N1 virus so they should get the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible (So apparently someone DOES have immunity to H1N1; but they apparently don't have the immunity to the common, seasonal flu that many others enjoy.)
• Anyone born before 1957 probably has some immunity to the H1N1 virus so if they leave Canada before getting that shot, they're most likely OK.  They should, however, get their seasonal flu shot.  Ooops, that group can't get the seasonal flu shot until after they get the H1N1 shot because they're still under 65 years of age -- sorry.  (Yet another group who COULD have immunity to H1N1; but they too apparently don't have the immunity to the common, seasonal flu that many others enjoy.)
• The "second wave" of the H1N1 virus that we are seeing in Canada is actually at its end.  We are hoping that its "third wave" will not have any strength left.  Thank you for clearing that up.  So all Canadians who "need it and want it" will be inoculated by Christmastime for a virus that by then will have been gone for six weeks  -- how comforting!
• The common, seasonal flu season is currently upon us.  (And remember, each year, the seasonal flu is different from the previous year so the vaccine changes to reflect that.)

I'm under 65 years of age so I have to have my H1N1 shot before I can get my seasonal flu shot. I did that.

I was born before 1957 so I may have immunity to H1N1; I probably didn't need to get that shot.

I apparently didn't need to get the H1N1 shot first in any event.

So I sat outside in the cold for two and half hours, waiting for the H1N1 shot for why?

I knew that I was going to have to pay the piper for having sat out like that.

But I thought the cost might be a day or two of extra pain.

I forgot that I am still on a reduced level of Cesamet and am therefore not enjoying the pain relieving benefits nor the quick recovery benefits that I was noticing when I was on the higher dose.

But this is downright ridiculous.  Today, six days later, I am still suffering, because the event triggered a serious fibro flare-up that I could have very nicely done without.

So why did I make the decision to sit outside and wait for that shot?

Because my doctor told me that he could not give me my seasonal flu shot until after I had received my H1N1 shot because I was under 65 years of age.

So I got the damned shot!

I am still extremely susceptible to respiratory illnesses.

How does it make sense then, that I still can't get my seasonal flu vaccine?

I want it.

I need it.

I fail to comprehend why I can't get it.

It just doesn't compute!