The dreaded shot

So we finally got the kids H1N1 shots today. It has been a bit of a drama. If you have been listening to the news at all you will have also been subjected to the wide spread panic and chaos that has surrounded this vaccination.

I had refused to take Bronwyn (who is our highest risk child) to a facility with hundreds of people to line up for hours. I just didn't see the sense in it. And then that all changed and they started doing high risk people only. The first day of the relaunch I just sat tight and watched to see what would happen. When things seem to have settled to a more rational system I decided to go the next day.

I checked the times, not aware that they were changing their times daily (and not the night before mind you). Wes came home early so we could take the kids. We drove to Stampede and it was closed. We drove to Avenida and it was closed. Huh!

So we took the kids to McDonald's as a treat - Yes the fat ban is off. Bronwyn has completed her time on the diet.

We decided to get the kids up before nap times and go this morning. We got to Stampede at 9. They were very well organized. We didn't wait at all. I had to whine and finagle to get Gavin a shot. The cut off is November 1st. His birthday was the day before - so technically he didn't make the cut off.

They kept saying no to us and Gavin thought he was off the hook. Until one of the administrators came and told us that he could have it. That is when the drama started.

The highlight was Gavin sitting on the floor wrapped around my leg, crying and refusing to stand up. Add to that a frustrated mother tell him sharply that if he didn't cooperate he would never see his new dinosaur toy again! Pretty. I know!

We finally held him down and gave him the shot. Now I have to break the news that he has to do it all again in three weeks. Ha - good times!

The material point is that we got it done. I can let go of some of my anxiety and breath a bit deeper for now.

I really don't know what to make of all of this H1N1 business. I believe for us that protecting our children (particularly Bronwyn) from bad flues is important. I am not sure that the media hype is necessary, nor do I think that general wide spread panic is necessary.

Cooler heads need to prevail and by the scene we saw this morning I think they are.

If you haven't got your kids vaccinated yet and you want to - Stampede is the place to go. It is well organized and we didn't wait at all. Now, even if there is a wait it is all indoors and they have people handing out juice. There is a waiting area with televisions to do the 15 minute wait after. It is well thought out and very organized.

It would have been nice to see this level of organization from the beginning. I can't imagine how awful last week was for the nursing staff and the administrators of the program. It wasn't their plan but they took the brunt of the chaos. They have my great admiration for even showing up for work the second week in.