It is time for me to vent my frustrations on my blog. I am attempting to register for classes and I am running into a hold because I don't have my immunizations, which I don't plan on getting, so now I have to get a waiver from the department of health. It's not that I have to get it, I have to send in for it, and meanwhile why is it their business if an online student in a remote little town does not have their MMR shots? Most people don't. When did you last have your MMRs? Not to mention that telling someone they must be immunized is so un-American. Is it not a free country? Am I not patriotic if I happen to believe that immunizations cause deadly and terrifying diseases that I don't want to contract?
On that subject, we have chosen not to immunize our two children because Jim passed out after he received his MMRs as a child, and then, as most know, he contracted Crohn's disease at a very young age. In any case I can choose to immunize my children at any time, but I can't choose to undo their immunizations, at least without some costly procedures that are also not certified by the US government.
In any case I read this article on the LDS website and have written to them for more clarification. I really want to know what is best for my children. I have studied, prayed and continue to take the decision quite seriously. Either way I want them to be protected. If any of you have any (helpful) comments on this subject, I would appreciate the input. There are many books and articles talking about the problems this can cause and still others talking about the good it can do and the diseases that have been irradicated. In the end I would still rather not get stuck with a needle, but if it is necessary for my health and others, I would do it, of course. Still the subject seems so controversial it makes me wonder.
The other problem is my registration. I want to get into my classes before other students try to register for them.
And that is the least of my worries but the rest I can't write about. Don't you hate that? Ok, I hate that, but maybe you're relieved because I just vented for three paragraphs and you had to sit through it. Hello? You still there?
Halloween and Autumn
7 years ago
3 comments:
I was reading Bishop H. David Burton's talk in the ensign tonight, "And Who Is My Neighbor?"
It's his talk from the Priesthood Session from last conference. In it, he states "In a quest to eliminate measles, 2.8 million children and youth in 10 countries received immunizations."
I think that if problems were to arise from immunizations, our church would not be giving the immunizations to 2.8 million children. I believe the Lord would protect us from health problems, not expose more children to them.
So Hopefully that is included in the (helpful) comments. I can understand your concerns, but I feel that for the most part, immunizations are good, and that they were given to us by God to protect us from disease. (Minus the being jabbed with the needle. I never have liked that part of anything!!)
My question is more medical than religious. There are cases where problems have come from immunizations and people have died or been injured. Part of the money you pay for an immunization goes towards lawyers just in case.
I think it is great that the church has supported this program in other countries, and I am certainly grateful for the good it has done. That, however, does not ease my worry for my children who may have a genetic tendency for a chronically debilitating disease.
There seem to be risks either way, and since my children are in a well-developed community with no outbreaks, I see them at much lesser risk than children, say, in Bolivia, for example.
I want to protect my children. My concern is from what should I protect them, and to what should I put them at risk?
Thank you for your response.
I watched the Today show the other morning. There were a few mom's on there being interviewed. The one that stood out to me was a woman with twin boys. they were both healthy, active, normal. She took them in for normal vaccinations at (I think) 18 months. One was sick at the time, so she opted to not do shots for him. The other got the shots. The baby who got the shots had noticeable changes immediately... lethargy, etc. Years later, he is unable to speak and suffers autism or something like that!
I think it's a personal choice, and you know best for your kids!
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