Posts tagged swine flu
Other Places I've Been Writing: November and December 2009
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It seems I forgot to do this last month. Oops.

In December, I got a new job! At BlogHer! So I suspect most of my posts from now on will be showing you what I've been doing over there. However, as Cagey pointed out at Average Jane's cookie soiree, "You never link, then you just tell me about the post. I want to read it." This is a good point. I should link. I wrote about the Elf on the Shelf vs. Jesus this month. You might want to read it. (FYI: there is a little widget in my left sidebar that links to my work on BlogHer. But it doesn't catch everything else so I will keep doing this for myself mostly.)

In which I finally break into national print:

In which I judge others:

In which I judge myself:

In which I question society:

Community and citizen journalism projects at BlogHer:

  • What the Heck is a Momspotter? -- I'm project editing a citizen journalism project at BlogHer, which I was doing before I got my new job. We're discussing parenting in a digital age. I think it's cool.
  • We Want to See Your Holiday Hot Mess -- A photo contest at BlogHer where people post photos of their messy houses. Probably the most fun I've ever had at work. Go check out the entries.

Reviews:

Enjoy your holiday week!

The Dreaded Swine Flu Shot
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Scene: 9:20 a.m. The pediatrician's office. I got home from my business trip to Boston at 2:45 this morning.

Nurse: Blah blah blah THIMEROSAL-FREE INDIVIDUALLY PACKAGED INJECTION blah blah NO MORE SEASONAL FLU INJECTIONS blah blah SEASONAL FLU MIST blah blah TWO INJECTIONS BUT DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET ENOUGH

Little Angel: Mommy! I don't want the shot! Mist! MIST!

Nurse: Blah blah CAN'T DO TWO MISTS AT THE SAME TIME blah blah WORRIED ABOUT SEASONAL FLU NOT YET PEAKED blah blah CAN GET SWINE FLU INJECTION AND SEASONAL FLU MIST AT SAME TIME blah blah TODAY blah blah ANOTHER APPOINTMENT

Me: (God, I am so tired. AM SO TIRED! WHAT IS SHE SAYING?)

Nurse: Blah blah SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

Little Angel: MOMMY NO SHOT!

Me: (Don't want to come back. Need seasonal flu? Seriously? She hasn't had seasonal flu shot in three years. She didn't get one last year. Didn't get the flu last year. Uses WAY TOO MUCH HAND SANITIZER. She said thimerosal-free, right? That's good, right? The little angel is too old too worry about that, isn't she?)

Nurse: ??

Little Angel: ??

Me: (?????? How did this day start, again? Did yesterday end?)

Me: Let's do the swine flu shot and the seasonal flu mist today. That's it. That's my decision.

Little Angel: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

The nurse leaves. Returns a few minutes later carrying shot and mist. The little angel immediately begins to shriek and squirm. Nurse shoves mist up her nose. Little angel screams.

Little Angel: NO! GET AWAY! GET AWAY!! MOMMMYYYYY!!!!

The little angel begins to buck. The nurse gives me a determined look. I pull down the little angel's jeans feeling like an abusive mother. I hate that I have to pull down her pants for this shot. I hate the idea of her seeing me pull down her pants against her will. It feels so wrong. Imagine the little angel in therapy later. The nurse gets her legs between the nurse's knees and I hold the little angel's hands.

Me: Honey, I love you so much. I don't want you to get really sick. This is my job.

Me: (I AM SO TIRED. THIS IS SUCH SHIT. HATE THIS.)

The nurse holds the syringe poised.

Me: You are going to have to go fast.

Little Angel: NO! DON'T DO IT!

The nurse jabs the little angel's leg. There is no blood.

Nurse: Where is it? It's not even bleeding.

I release the little angel's arms and plop her to the ground. She pulls up her jeans, looking shocked.

Me: All done! All done!

Me: (IS THERE A NAP IN MY FUTURE, PLEASE GOD?)

Little Angel: Mommy, that didn't even hurt. Was that needle even sharp? I don't think it was sharp. Huh.

Me: (Don't Google this when you get home. RITA, BACK AWAY FROM THE GOOGLE!)

I hate vaccinations. Hate them. But this one? I think was worth it.