Now That's Spooky

You wanna see something spooky, Mama K?

I'll give you spooky...



Any of you science nerds out there wanna try to tell us lay people what that is?

Don't bother Googleing it, I'll tell you what it is.

That, my completely-confused-but-undeniably-intrigued friends, is a picture of little brown dirties, in the form of influenza, invading the cilia of a human lung. *SHRIEK!*

I know, right?!

How disgusting is that?

Very.

That's how...Very disgusting.

And, it's what I'm deathly afraid is going to happen to the dudes this winter.

And, I don't know quite what to do about it.

I'm not a huge fan of giving the them unnecessary medication (like when the doc told me to give #3 Benadryl every day).

Nor do I like to get them shots (I do fully support routine vaccinations though) any more than the next mom enjoys watching her kids in pain and acting like they're dying (it is kinda funny to witness all the dramatics #2 puts on when it's inoculation time, but I do feel bad. No, really, I do.).

But, the flu and I, we go way back. Those microscopic instruments of death were responsible for #1's first trip to the ER when he was less than a year old.

And, they can also be blamed for his next two trips to that same locale including the time he projectile vomited all over Mimi in the waiting room (all of a sudden, after waiting 2 hours, a room freed up and we were ushered into a cubicle. Nothing gets action like projectile emesis spewed all over innocent bystanders and their friends!).

But, our worst, most horrifying experience with the flu fiends to date occurred when Hubby was away and #1 was 2 and a half years old. Let's just say his flu related illness was responsible for a febrile seizure that required CPR, two ambulance trips, and Hubby to run out of a wedding (at which he was the best man, incidentally) and hop a plane back to the East Coast.

Not. Cool, flu.

We have been flu vaccine protected every year since and we've not had an issue (knock on wood!)

I've considered not doing it, but since it's working out so well for us I'm afraid to stop and jinx our good luck.

So, we get the shot (or the mist) every year and we're happy.

But, this year I have something new to consider: Swine flu, H1N1, or whatever we're calling it now (personally, I call it The Swine, I think it has a nice ring to it).

Do we get the shot or don't we?

I think I'm largely decided that #2 and #3 will NOT get the shot.

Don't want them growing a third eye or losing the ability to speak in complete sentences when they're older (although, from what I hear, this will happen regardless once they hit about age 15).

But, #1, he's another story entirely.

He has asthma.

Viral induced asthma. Meaning when he gets invaded by upper respiratory dwelling baddies, he gets all effed up.

This condition puts him on the endangered list (or whatever they call it) and pretty much guarantees that should some of the protected elixir (you know this stuff is ridiculously hard to come by) come available he'll be one of the first to be offered it.

But, the question is, when it's offered, should we accept?

I just don't know.

Taking a drug that has not been tested longitudinally (how you like that big word?!) makes me, um...uneasy.

It's like all those people who bought the first generation iPhones...

They were all ticked off when they didn't work all that great and stuff was breaking and malfunctioning and crap like that.

This could go the same way, right?!

You know, he gets the secret sauce, and a coupla years from now he grows a third ear in the back of his head. I mean, maybe he'll be able to grow his hair out to cover it, or they might be able to lop it off, but still, it's not ideal.

I'd rather wait, see if any third ears grow, and then decide.

But, on the other side, what if we pass, and he gets IT? Then what?

It would be my fault.

And, it could be really bad.

Or not.

I just don't know.

And, that's what makes this whole thing so spooky.

Spooky enough to earn this week's Thursday Thank You.



To super evil super germs everywhere, thank you, and you're welcome.

Dear Super Evil Super Germs,
Thank you for lying in wait around every corner, on seemingly innocuous surfaces, up friends' noses, on playmates paws and every single other place you can possibly squeeze yourself into, so that you may sneak into the largely unguarded system of my young children. The fact that they are not the cleanest creatures on the planet, coupled with the fact that you maniacs are invisible to the naked eye and you just won't die poses a huge health risk for my dudes. And, for that I hate you. Please consider not mutating further. You've done enough. Thanks. XOXO, Dumb Mom

*I've decided not to waste time actually handwriting this one, they just don't deserve it, you know, since they're plotting to kill us all. But, I Super Evil Super Germs, I'm armed with an industrial sized bottle of hand sanitizer and I take it with me, in my over sized handbag, wherever I go. So, in yo face with a can of mace hand sanitizer.