Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Our Swine Flu Experience

Well, like I said in our last post, we've been out sick for a little bit and I just wanted to vent some of my thoughts and concerns about the whole H1N1 thing. Two weeks ago, Jaxon and I went to go get our vaccination shot to protect ourselves from the H1N1 virus. We were at the clinic about 15 minutes waiting and then getting our shot and we thought that would be it. We've never had a bad reaction to a flu shot and as far as I could tell, Jaxon and I were healthy before the shot.
Well, the day after the shot I started feeling a little off...started getting congested and got a pretty bad cough. The day after that, I was laid out, completely sick, couldn't even sit up in bed to even read a book, and ended up in bed pretty much 24-7 for the next 3 days with a fever, barely able to move, eat, drink, and wanted to curl up and DIE! The full symptoms thankfully only lasted for that long, but I've had left over stuff-congestion and cough still...2 weeks later.
So, biggest question for me...how did we get the swine flu?? Hard part is it seems the doctors can't even agree on what happened. Family doctor said my symptoms were only after effects from the shot and did not prescribe me ANYTHING and said to just wait it out. Both my OB and Jaxon's Pediatrician say we must have got it before or waiting to get the shot and said to get prescriptions ASAP and that we needed to have gotten medication within 48 hours of getting any flu symptoms!! My mistake was not talking to my OB first and waiting another week before I saw her and actually got some good meds to help out with some of my symptoms. I honestly just can't belive that we got the flu waiting to get the stupid shot to prevent it!!
Needless to say, I have my reservations now about any flu shot...however, I guess if my symptoms were only a "mild" case of what the swine flu could actually be like, then I guess I'm lucky that we got the shot, cause I can't even imagine a flu worse then what I got. Jaxon thankfully did not get as bad as I did and got his medication in time to help shorten the duration of the flu for him.
But all I can say is THANK GOODNESS FOR JACK!!! He was a LIFESAVER during those days I was out and took care of Jaxon ALL DAY LONG and did EVERYTHING, from meals and cleaning to just babying me and holding me when I was crying so bad cause I hurt all over.
Anyways, thank goodness it's over and we're all on the mend. But I just can't believe that this flu is out there and that prevalent that we could have gotten it so fast! So, be careful out there!!

9 comments:

Brett, Kelly, and Amber said...

YIKES!! We are having a TOUGH time finding the H1N1 shot for Amber! She just got the regular flu shot but the H1N1 is like a joke to find here in Bountiful. Hopefully we can get it for her in North Carolina. You guys are so lucky you got it but that stinks so bad you got sick! We're glad you and the baby are ok!!!!

Aurelia said...

so glad y'all are feeling better
hurray for Jack!

Ashley Dawn said...

Amen! Sorry that you got it. It really stinks, doesn't it? I would say you had it. We didn't get the vaccine and it sounds a lot like what you had. Sorry that you didn't get help earlier.

Steph said...

How sad! Flus are the worst. I'm glad you're all feeling better!

Kelly said...

Hey Bernice - I feel your pain! I'm so sorry you got sick - I had the swine flu last Spring when it first hit. I was sick for about three weeks - and it sounds like you had it about as bad as it gets (minus the other health complications that put people in the hospital). So sorry to hear that! I didn't get a flu shot this year at all because I get the flu either way. Actually there are worse flu's to get than the H1N1, so I figure I'll take my chances and develop my own antibodies. Personally I think people are making too big a deal out of the H1N1 - it's the other super flus you have to watch out for. Take care!

Jamie said...

Wow, I don't think I knew, or at least I forgot, that you were pregnant. I'm at 35 weeks right now. And I know Theresa, Annie, and others from IS are pregnant with their 2nd's too. Funny.

Rachel Holloway said...

Hey! I have actually had lots of friends who ended up getting really sick after the vaccine--like your kind of sick, where they were pretty much bed ridden!

SO SORRY you guys had that!

And hey, let's squeeze pics in...should be nice this weekend. Sound okay?

Barbara said...

That's interesting. My friend and her kids got the vaccine and her little 3 yr. old is now sick with the swine flu. -But he got the vaccine a month ago! Weird. So who knows if the vaccine really works. We're avoiding it completely.

Char said...

I'm soooo sorry you were so sick. I wish I lived close so I could have helped. How did Jack have time? Good boy Jack!