I have heard and read and felt the back and forth from the controversy H1N1 vaccinations are causing. I have made my decision and I came to that decision based on a large amount of information, prayer, and talking to people I trust.
I acquired information from our Canadian Health Authority, Alberta and British Columbia Health Authorities. I read information released by opposing Doctors (most of which I found were in the US). I also read about the company producing the vaccine and what went into it. AND then I looked up each ingredient separately and researched it's KNOWN effects.
These are the links I went to:
http://www.interiorhealth.ca/H1N1.aspxhttp://www.albertahealthservices.ca/658.asphttp://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/index-eng.phphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_rKKawZx0Ihttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/sbd-smd/phase1-decision/drug-med/nd_ad_2009_arepanrix_h1n1_132070-eng.phpAfter trying to find and read all the technical information I could, I asked myself;
Do I trust in the Canada's Public Health Agency?
Yes. I listen to most other drug recommendations. I also listen when something has been recalled. I will commonly look up drugs on their website to research them to decide if it's something I want my family to consider taking. I trust the information they are giving me is the MOST accurate, the MOST current, and MOST recommended by the doctors and other researchers they have that help make Canada's MOST IMPORTANT decisions in regards to Canadian Health.
The second place I looked for guidance was the Church of Jesus Christs Website. I believe that on Earth we are given a Prophet to help guide people. I typed in vaccinations on,
http://www.lds.org/ and looked through all the articles that came up. It seemed fairly obvious to me that the church condones the use of vaccinations. They (the LDS church) donates and spends vasts amount of money vaccinating third world nations. There was no information specific to H1N1 BUT I did find this article. I BOLDED the words that helped me decipher what I was reading.
Q. What immunizations should my family have? A. Immunization programs have done much to reduce communicable disease throughout the world. Poliomyelitis, for example, once a major killer and crippler in the U.S., is largely prevented today because of regular, scheduled immunizations. Smallpox, a disease dreaded the world over for many centuries, has recently been officially eradicated because of universal immunization.
The Church has encouraged members to obtain immunization against diseases that can be prevented by vaccine inoculations. This not only protects individuals, but such cooperation helps safeguard the health of the entire community.
Diseases against which children should be routinely immunized include diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio, measles, rubella (German measles), and mumps. Inoculating children according to the following schedule will provide them with maximum protection against these diseases.
Parents should keep a careful record of immunizations and check them periodically to ensure that all immunizations are complete.
Other common diseases for which there are vaccines include typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, plague, influenza, viral hepatitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. If you live in or travel to areas where these diseases are common you should study carefully local recommendations and
follow competent advice regarding immunizations for your family.The questions included in this article were answered by the following Latter-day Saint authorities in the field of physical health: Winifred W. Bates, R.D.; Homer S. Ellsworth, M.D.; Isaac C. Ferguson, Ph.D.; James R, Goodrich, M.H.Ed.; John M. Hill, Jr., Ph.D.; Phyllis C. Jacobson, Ph.D.; Joseph L. Lyon, M.D., M.P.H.; Susan Mendenhall, R.D.; Alton L. Thygerson, Ed.D.; and Roger R. Williams, M.D.http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=24b0fc3157a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRDThe third phase of my decision was talking to people I trust.
I talked to my doctor.
I go to my doctor when there is something MEDICALLY wrong. If I came in with questions about high blood pressure or diabetes or whatever else I would trust her opinion. She recommended going. I trust what she is telling me is the BEST medical opinion she has CURRENTLY.
I talked to my mom.
She told me to go and get it.
I talked to my sister.
She went to get it.
I was torn because there ISN'T a lot of information available about clinical trials. It is an unknown. I understand the fear associated with it. THIS was my mental clincher.
The TWO worst case scenarios.
1) I give the girls the vaccination and there is a horrible side effect. They have to live the remainder of their lives in either pain or with chronic illness or death. It would be awful to know I made that decision,
almost unbearable.
BUT2) If don't vaccinate the girls. They contract H1N1. They are sick for a week. They seem to be getting better but they take a turn for the worse. I take them into emerg. They die the next day. I am left with the guilt that
I could of done something, that I should of done something.I would rather live with the idea that I did what I thought was right, I did the best I could based on the information I had.
BUT
we all do the BEST we can.
Good luck, with your decision.
