H1N1

I have to admit that over the last few weeks I have been thinking a lot about the H1N1 virus. It's in the media, people are talking about it, and I read about it every day on the Internet and the forums I meander. It doesn't help that you hear about more and more people getting sick with it every day. Normally I don't worry too much about the flu. It is something that comes around every winter and unfortunately people get sick...us included. We got so sick last March that I still haven't forgotten how awful it was. Maddie ended up in the emerg, dehydrated and so lethargic it was scary to see her so limp. No mother wants to see her kids sick like that. I remember thinking I would have much rather she be running around driving me crazy, than just laying on the sofa and bed all day without energy to even take a drink. But, as much as the flu is a given with every winter, H1N1 has me a tad bit more worried. Especially when you hear about kids getting severely sick and sometimes dying. At the same time I'm hearing all this stuff about the vaccine and how it might not be 'safe'. And I'm also hearing about moms against vaccinating, for various reasons...mostly about the question of vaccine safety, that it's just another virus and/or our bodies are able to fight it if we practice a healthy lifestyle. As much as I also believe that our diet and lifestyle can have a huge impact on our health...something about this virus seems scary. Yes, it might just be another virus, but unlike chickenpox or some other 'well known' viruses which do not really change over time (or change very slowly), it is considered a flu virus, that means it has the potential and most likely will mutate quickly and potentially get worse. So, I'm faced with the decision of whether or not to vaccinate myself and my kiddos (well Maddie for now and Isaac when he's 6 months). I've also thought about the regular flu shot. Which unfortunately has fallen off people's radar, but it's still an important consideration. When you think about it though, both the regular flu and H1N1 vaccines are made the same way. The flu shot is made every year with the virus that's going around for that particular year, so really, this H1N1 vaccine was made just as quickly and in the same way as the other flu vaccines. Still, I can see why people, me included, might be a bit hesitant about it (I'm usually hesitant about the regular flu shot too!). But for now I'm 80% leaning towards vaccination...the rest of me is susceptible to those doubts about the vaccines safety and effectiveness...Oh, decisions, decisions...