Overwritten.net
Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: K-man on Monday, January 13, 2014, 08:03:04 AM
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I never get one. Ever. It's stupid considering my insurance pays for it.
Mom was admitted to the hometown hospital (think your barebones hospital with basic functions) on NYE. Double pneumonia. Fast forward to this morning and she is in a larger hospital (same one my dad was in) in the critical care unit on a ventilator. She's in serious condition, and it was really touch and go there for a while. she's doing somewhat better but we're still not out of the woods. Thankfully she did NOT test positive for H1N1. Her severe condition is more hampered by other factors (diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis medications, blood pressure issues). Hopefully we're going to see some major progress on her this week. She was sort of treading water over the weekend as far as stats go. She's heavily sedated because of the vent so I cannot communicate with her presently.
Anyway, H1N1 is a HUGE problem here apparently. Just in passing I've heard other families talk about 3-4 other cases being in the CCU on a vent for weeks. Some have come in with H1N1, others have come in with a combo of H1N1 and pneumonia. But around here it is killing people our age (30's).
I got my vaccine Saturday. It will take two full weeks to gain immunity. I figured as much as I'm in and out of that place the vaccine was a smart idea. And it covers H1N1.
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Yes, I should have gotten one. I have no excuse beyond laziness and wishful thinking. Thanks for the heads up. Maybe now I'll get off my ass and get this. The grocery-store pharmacy has them, so maybe this week when I go shopping.
Sorry about your mom. I hope she recovers soon. That sounds terrible.
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Yeah, sorry to hear about your mom.
I have to admit that I haven't taken a flu shot in over a decade, mainly because of the conditions of local medical places at this time of year: you go in and by the time you get one you'll probably contract something. Since I work mostly at home these days my solution is to avoid everyone during the flu season and make sure I stay home if I do get something.
I'm definitely not saying that flu vaccines are bad, far from it. People just need to realize that it's very hard to predict what flu variant we are going to get each season so even if you get a shot that doesn't mean you are actually protected against whatever mutation might be going around. So stay the fuck home if you are sick and don't spread it to everyone else!
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Hope your mom gets better Kman!
Due to my employment at hospitals for the passed decade I've had a shot every year. I can say that I rarely get sick and even when I do it's relatively been pretty mild. So yea, get your flu shot.
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Flu vaccines use eggs, which I'm allergic to. I've never had a flu vaccine.
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I just got over the flu and I cant say that was one of the rougher I've had. Horrible fevers. Fortunately, I got over it for the most part in a week. Next year I will be getting a vaccine.
Hope your mother has a quick recovery, K.
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I avoid vaccines. Almost everyone in my family who gets the shot ends up getting the flu, yet I rarely do, even though I've never had a flu shot. I do worry more now that I'm in college, though. All these greasy little fuckers seem to be sick pretty much constantly.
Sucks about your mom, K, and glad she's at least doing a bit better. Keep us updated ... I hope she turns around soon!
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Since I work at a place funded by Vancouver Coastal Health, we have to get a flu shot or we have to wear a mask at work. I get one every year, so it wasn't a big deal. Some pretty crazy people here are thinking about quitting over it though. I hope the door doesn't hit them on the way out. We work with people with HIV, it's a no-brainer.
Que, just because you aren't getting sick, doesn't mean you aren't acting as a vector by which other people get sick. Perhaps your immune system fights it off, but it moves through you to someone else who then gets sick. Unless you have a serious religious / philosophical aversion to the concept of vaccines, it is the right thing to do in order to prevent passing sickness onto weaker / immunosuppressed people.
W7RE - They now make vaccines that don't use egg. Talk to your doctor.
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I'm on the fence with vaccines. I don't think they're all bad, by any means, but I have no love for the flu shot.
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Got one last week. The muscle was sore for a day, then it was as if it never happened. I turn 60 next month. Come on, youth. No excuse to pussy out on this. The flu is bad this year.
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Not to hijack my own thread, but I had to make a decision yesterday on mom: Install a trach/peg feeding tube and settle in for the long haul, or call it and say goodbye. And I had to make this decision with really no valuable information about her chances of recovery or quality of life. I think I did the only thing I could do and be able to live with, which is to proceed with treatment. She is not entering multi-organ failure, and her lung function is still the only presenting issue.
I would not wish the past 48 hours of my life on anyone. Absolute hardest decision I've ever had to make. Living wills address the black and white situations, but do nothing for the grey areas. I truly had to balance what I think she'd want, what her living will says, and my being at peace with whatever I decide.
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I am so sorry to read that you are going through this trying time. I can't imagine facing that decision. Whatever you decided, was the right thing to do because you are her son and you thought it better than anyone could have.
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Oh my gosh! I can't believe she's been in the hospital all this time and it is that bad. I just figured she had recovered by now. My thoughts will be with you and your mom.
As far as the flu vaccine, I have never had one. I've only had it a few times in my life, but this year was one of them. Pretty mild case though. I also have had H1N1 before, about three or four years ago (the year there was the big media scare about it). It was just like the regular flu. I think the focus on H1N1 is mostly overblown.
I haven't gotten a flu vaccine ever because both times my dad did it he got sick right after and same thing with my former boss. I'm not anti-vaccine overall, I just don't bother with the flu vaccine.
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:( Jeez. What horrible news, K-man. Best wishes to you and your family. I hope your Mom recovers.
For what it's worth, I agree completely with your decision. If there's hope, it should always be pursued.
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Damn, K-Man. My thoughts are with you and your family.
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I'm sorry, man. I know all too well what that's like. Pretty much the kind of thing we went through with my Dad. There's nothing more surreal than having a family meeting about whether or not to let one of the most important people in your life die. And that's ultimately what we had to do, because the chance of his coming back was virtually nothing. But I'm sure you made the right choice. Even if the chances aren't the highest probabilities, it's better to take them and hope, to regret nothing later.
My best to all of you. Keep your head up.
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I am not a religious person, but I have tried to send prayers your mom's way.
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I am waiting on a phone call from the attending doctor this morning. Her condition is not improving. I was essentially told last night there is no chance of recovery. I just want to speak to the doctor again before I drive over to inform her siblings. Then I am guessing sometime this weekend/Monday I will tell the doctor to pull life support. Sooner if she is suffering. But if she is not then I would like to give people a chance to come say their goodbyes.
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Godspeed, man.
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Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, K.
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Sorry to hear the news, K-man. I hope she goes peacefully and comfortably.
As an aside, I got my chance to say what I wanted last night, and although it was in no way ideal I'm glad I got it even if it may have been just for my own personal comfort. I want to thank you for your advice.
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I'm so sorry man. Keep your loved ones close, get all the support you need. Stay strong and if you need to chat just say the word.
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Ah shit, man. I really feel for you. I can't imagine what you're going through right now. Damn.
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Really sorry to hear that K-man. :(
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Mom died peacefully a little after 9 last night. It was weird. When dad died I cried. I didn't shed a tear when mom went, but was overcome with happiness when she finally passed. She hung on about 20 minutes longer than she should have, but she is stubborn. She wasn't suffering in her final days, but it was really hard to watch.
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I'm so sorry, K-man. My condolences to you and your family. May she be at peace.
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I'm sorry, man. But the relief is real. We never want to see those we love suffer or hang on too long. I'm sure both your folks are at peace now, and thankful they had a good son to help them through.
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Mom died peacefully a little after 9 last night. It was weird. When dad died I cried. I didn't shed a tear when mom went, but was overcome with happiness when she finally passed. She hung on about 20 minutes longer than she should have, but she is stubborn. She wasn't suffering in her final days, but it was really hard to watch.
My condolences K-Man.
It was similar for me a few years back. When my grandmother passed away in front of me I was a wreck, but when my grandfather died, it was almost a relief. Perhaps with experience, I had come to accept that my grandfather wasn't going to make it when he was in his final week and had been prepared.
Again, I am sorry she has passed. You've gone through a tough year.
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I can't say much except sorry that you've had to go through all this and so quickly.
You know where to find us if need us.
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Sorry to hear that K-man.
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I'm glad you're handling it well, my man. Sorry for your loss.
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Sorry for your loss man. If you need to talk in IRC or something just say the word.
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We buried her yesterday. I've been able to maintain my composure for the most part. I lost it the other day when I had to go into mom and dad's bedroom and shuffle through their belongings to look for life insurance paperwork. It just felt so wrong.
What I feel now is altogether new to me. I am officially part of the oldest living generation in my family. I don't have the parental safety net. I AM the safety net.
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That must be a weird feeling.
I mean, just knowing you have someone there to pull your fat out of the fryer if you really really need it is something I've never consciously thought about but as soon as I read that, I kind of realized how the absence of that could be a bit of a terrifying thought.
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That does sound scary.
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It's not just the absence of a safety net. It's the absence of parental wisdom. It's also knowing that any questions you ever had but didn't ask or will think of down the road will go unanswered. The answers died with my parents. It really hit me hard when the funeral director was preparing arrangements and asked where Mom was born. I didn't know and it never occurred to me to ask. I had to call my aunt.
Thankfully I at least have my aunts and uncles to provide some sort of insight, but I'll never have my Mom and Dad's point of view ever again.