This fall, Tim and I had several out of state trips planned. We were to fly to Michigan for our annual vacation in mid-September, and then I had to fly to Boston for my Dad's 80th birthday party and then to Michigan to celebrate the in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary in the same week, mid-October.
As news of the flu pandemic spread, I became more and more nervous. Pregnant women were listed as the most high risk to come down with H1N1 flu and suffer severe complications. I talked to my regular doctor's office and they weren't concerned at all, and didn't expect to have any vaccines. They would be offering seasonal flu vaccines, but not until the middle of October, while I was away. My obstetricians' office, however, said if I could get my hands on either vaccine, to definitely get inoculated. They are very concerned.
I did a lot of research into flu vaccines last fall when I was pregnant. I learned it is best to get the preservative-free version if its available. In Missouri, it is actually a state requirement for pregnant patients.
I discovered that our local Walgreens Pharmacy offers flu shots from the pharmacist. They also have a walk-in Care Clinic. The pharmacy would be able to give me a shot, while I was in my first trimester, as long as a I had a doctor's prescription. The Care Clinic's policy was no shots to pregnant women in their first trimester. So one afternoon, before my September trip, I arranged for the OB to fax in my Rx for the seasonal flu shot. When I arrived, the pharmacist was too busy to give me the shot. So she asked the clinic to do it. But I knew they wouldn't based on their policy. When the nurse gave me the form to fill out, I lied and said I was 14 and a half weeks pregnant (second trimester). I really was only ten and a half weeks. While we chatted, I learned she had been a nurse in the NICU of the hospital where I had given birth to Thomas. But she had worked days, then, so wouldn't have seen him. But it was still an interesting coincidence. (Walgreens has since run out of the vaccine.)
Vaccinations take three weeks to be fully effective. So although I wasn't really covered during the first flights, I was covered for my October travel. Since I did it so early this fall, I might have to redo it again in late winter. I'm still not sure how that works, so will ask my OB.
I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the H1N1 flu vaccines into our part of the country. They arrived two weeks ago at our local County Health Department. But the first ones they received were the inhalation type, which is not allowed for pregnant women or children with compromised immune systems. (This is because it contains live virus.) It has been offered to health care workers and healthy children under the age of five. Before I left for our October trips, I asked my OB to mail me a prescription for the H1N1 vax, just so I would have it on hand in case I needed it. They were great about it and sent one to me.
I made the County Health Department's
web site our internet browser home page, so I would easily learn when they had the vaccines on hand. They offer free vax clinics on Wednesdays in Parkville and Fridays in Platte City. Yesterday morning, before heading to the dentist, I checked to see if they had the preservative-free version, yet. Finally, the words I was waiting to see! "The Platte County Health Department is now offering H1N1 vaccination clinics for the following priority groups, as identified by the CDC: Pregnant women (you must present an order from your Physician)." So after I went to my dental check-up, I dropped by the clinic. I had to wait about half an hour in line, made up mostly of people with little children, and several other pregnant women. No one was coughing or sneezing, so that was a relief.
So now I have been vaccinated! I am so glad. Two weeks ago, while I was away in Boston, Tim said he felt very flu-ish. By the time he came to Michigan, he was still under the weather and his symptoms started to become more like from a cold infection. Fortunately, I did not catch anything from him.
Today, on my April due date message board was the following message, "Please pray for my cousin, Chrissy. She got married this summer, and got pregnant right after - one of the happiest times of her life. She recently got H1N1. She was hospitalized with it for a week and then released. Unfortunately she's now developed Pneumonia and is back in the hospital. Things are not going as well as we would hope and her family and new husband are beside themselves. I'd appreciate any prayers you're willing to give."
Thirty-seven percent of all pregnant women with flu symptoms in our country have been hospitalized. Although pregnant women make up only 1% of the US population, they make up 6% of all confirmed H1N1 deaths. As of August 21st, 28 pregnant women have died from the H1N1 flu. Although many of these women had underlying medical conditions, not all of them did.
As Tim said to me one day, "I cannot believe that you are pregnant in the middle of the first pandemic to hit our country in years!"
People can debate the safety of the flu vaccine, but I could not in good conscience NOT get vaccinated and leave my husband open to the possibility of becoming a widower who lost his son, his wife, and his two daughters all in the space of one year. This has been my very real fear since I got pregnant in July.
Three more weeks until it becomes effective!
