Thursday, November 26, 2009

Finally! Got the H1N1 Flu Vaccine

After our whole family has recovered from being sick (we passed around cold/flu and took turns to be sick after Halloween), we are finally ready for the H1N1 flu shot.

After hearing about the soreness on the arm and possible flu-like symptons that ensure, I decided not to innoculate both kids at the same time.  It would have been too much to handle two cranky, sick kids at the same time.  Again.

So I picked up Daniel after school one day, and drove him to the Oakville H1N1 flu shot clinic at the Halton Regional Centre.  He was very intrigued.

“Where are we going?”  Daniel asked every 5 minutes.

After we parked our car, we started walking towards the building.  Daniel pointed to the orange traffic cones that line the entrance and asked, “are we going through this maze?”  We were directed inside the building and the “maze”`continued.  As we snaked through the line Daniel kept asking questions.
“Is the virus chasing us?”


“Is everybody here getting the shot?”

I explained to him about the vaccine and reminded him that he has had vaccines when he was a baby. We called it “needle.”

“I don’t like the needle.”

I was beginning to panic. Especially I could hear children wailing inside the auditorium.

Once inside, Daniel chose a sticker. He was happy.

We answered all the questions and completed our registration. I was relieved to hear that they have now officially amended the policy to only administer one half doze of H1N1 flu vaccine to kids.

We rejoined the line to get the “needle.” Daniel continued with his questions, “why are they crying?” pointing to the children at the stations. I explained that they are not brave like Daniel. Daniel has always been a brave boy with needles and barely cries. He was getting convinced.

We finally reached a nursing station and I sat Daniel down and started talking to the nurse. Daniel still had his Lightning Macqueen tattoo on his left arm, which he was showing off to the nurse. Then I distracted him by giving him “a rock of his own,” a pebble we picked up at the pebble beach the weekend before. Daniel was looking at the rock when the nurse gave him the needle. He flinched and said “ouch.” That was it. No tears or screaming. I was so relieved. The nurse put a Chicken Little band-aid on his arm, and it was my turn. Surprisingly, it did not hurt at all.

We went to the observation room to stay for 15 minutes. Kung Fu Panda was playing on a TV. Daniel joined the children at the TV, with his treats and juice. The 15 minutes of Kung Fu Panda was the most memorable moments of this trip as he kept asking me questions about the story the following days.

I am happy to report that my arm was only sore for the first 12 hours. And only when I lifted my arm which engaged the muscle where the shot was administered. Daniel says his arm hurts where he had the needle. But I`m not convinced. I think it was ``suggested`` to him and is not really what he feels.

We`ll have to go through the whole thing again with Audrey, which will not be pleasant like with Daniel.