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Earlier this week I had written about a friends daughter who died suddenly last Saturday. It turned out that she had the flu which caused her to pass way before her time. I am floored by this. This is, thank God, the first year that all of my kids had a flu shot. I am thanking my lucky stars now. This strain of the flu is aggressive. She had not felt well the evening before and died 24 hours later!
In wake of this I hear that the schools will be undergoing massive cleanings this weekend. The department of health is also offering free flu vaccines tomorrow! It makes me think though. I cannot tell you how many times I let my kids be sick. I am not one to rush to the Dr. the second they get a fever. I let them work through for a day or two. Runny noses are never a second though. I assume that it is a cold and move on. I know that there are a lot of other parents out there like me. I know that I am not alone.
This also makes me think about the flu. Why is this strain of the flu so strong that it is killing people within 24 hours. I heard about a week before this happen that there were two other girls who died on Long Island. The day that this child died another girl on Staten Island died of the flu as well. Why are the strains of the flu suddenly so strong? Perhaps the flu is becoming stronger because we keep fighting it with vaccines? Is it possible that in the long run we are doing more harm then good?
I am not a scientist so who knows. All I know is that I am now a little worried about my kids. Will the same fate fall upon my babies? How do we know how much longer we will have with anyone we love? I am again thinking about how I want to make each day count. I want them to know that they were loved and have a happy home!
Becca
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Oh my God, the flu? the flu killed that little girl? That’s horrific
I didn’t know that the flu had become so bad now that there are children out there dying from it. Somehow your theory on vaccination seems very, very plausible indeed but like you, I’m no scientist.
Thanks for sharing Becca, I’m goingto go and research this some more.
Seph
xx
Seph I could not believe it either. I am shocked and scared. I think for a while I will take the kids to the Dr. no matter what!
Becca
I agree totally! I’m going to be worried about every sniffle now for a good long while and I’m going to follow your example and leg it to the docs with them if they start coughing!
seph
xxx
Just to be clear, the flu and pneumonia have always caused numerous deaths in the U.S. every year. In 2001, for example, over 60,000 people died from the flu. The elderly and the young are most at risk. Not to minimize the loss of your friend’s daughter – which is very sad – but sometimes these statistics don’t hit home until the disease affects someone you know. The statistics have always been there, but we’ve been unaware. Personally, I ALWAYS get the flu shot and Maya does, too. We space out vaccines so that we can try to pinpoint allergic reactions if she has one – which she hasn’t – but otherwise, she gets all her shots. Also, the nasal flu mist is more effective against the current flu strains because it’s produced more quickly and can react to changes in the current change more readily. Just my two cents! Love your website, Becca – very nicely done!
Jessica just to be clear this was a child with the flu shot. I know that they do not always get the strain that is in the vaccine. I just think that less then 24 hours seems like an aggressive flu. She felt sick and 24 hours later she passed away. I know that it can kill but all that hurt was her throat. It just seemed crazy to me!
Becca
Wow. Let’s hope flu season is ending…
CK I am so hoping that it is. I am scared now. I just think that so many kids in the past two weeks have died in this area that it is odd.
Becca
So sorry to hear about your friend. What a scary thing that is. The Flu? Geeze, sometimes I want to shove my two-year-old back in the womb so she’s safe already. How do we protect them from all this crud?
Court I think that the answer is that we cannot protect them. It is a part of life. I just cannot believe that it is the flu. Thanks for visiting!
Becca
Swine flu is deadly. Spread the word and take preventive measures to save everyone from the deadly flu.
Keep your self healthy and also spread the word.