The Pneumonia Shot

*Free Medical Care –Stuff Doctors Offices Do For Free That Takes Time

This morning a woman called my office asking about a pneumonia shot for a family member.  Mr. Phone Caller (Mr. PC) is a patient at the local Veteran’s Administration Clinic.  He is in his 80s.  Evidently there is no problem getting flu shots, which he has done.  Their policy is that you have to see your “provider” (I hate that word) to get your pneumonia shot. 

Mr. Phone Caller last had a pneumonia shot in 2006.  He can’t get an appointment with his new “provider” until February.  Mrs. Phone Caller is very worried.  She sounded older, and seemed to be quite concerned that he might die without the shot immediately. 

We don’t have pneumonia shots this year.  We didn’t do many two years ago, so we stopped carrying them.  When we did, we gave them to anyone who needed one.  I think that’s why Mrs. PC called.  

Princess talked with her first.  She suggested that Mrs. PC call the local Health Department.  She did and got “the run around”.  She called us back.  I spoke with her and promised we would call around and see what we could do. 

Princess called one medical practice and I called another.  The practice I called wasn’t really interested in giving a vaccine to someone who wasn’t an established patient.  The practice Princess called said they would see the gentleman.  Mrs. PC will have Mr. PC there sometime within the hour.

All of this took about 15 minutes of non-continuous discussion and phone calls.  Mrs. PC is not a patient of ours.  Mr. PC is not either.  They have no charts.   No paperwork was done.  We generated no charges.  Mr. PC will get his pneumonia shot.  Mrs. PC will feel better because he is protected.  The only thing we get out of this is a little bit of knowledge and a couple of warm fuzzies. 

*Free Medical Care may become a series.  These are things that are done in a medical office that are not paid for.  This is mostly for your information, but sometimes I just need to vent. 

Dr. Lasermed’s Flu Vaccine Fun Facts

Don’t forget to wash your hands and cover when you cough.

Influenza is a viral illness that is more common in the winter months.  It is an infection in your respiratory area causing fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle and body aches, headaches and / or fatigue.  Not everyone with flu will have all these symptoms, and having these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have the flu.  Most cases are self limited and you will get better in less than two weeks.  It’s worse than a cold.  There IS a test for it.  One you don’t want to pass (or is that fail?)

Some people get worse, progressing to pneumonia and other illnesses.  In an average flu season 36,000 people in the United States die of diseases related to the flu.  A whole bunch more are stuck in those crummy old hospitals or visit my friends in the emergency rooms.

If you have that stomach virus, it’s not “influenza”.  It’s “gastroenteritis”.   That’s a small comfort when you are cramping and feel like dying.  The only good part is you get to stay home and watch TV. 

Those who are at higher risk are:

·        People over 65 (I will NOT use the word elderly)

·        Pregnant women

·        Young children

·        People with medical conditions (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma)

·        Health Care Professionals

The only way to prevent getting the flu is to be immunized.  You can have the shot, the nasal spray (if you are in the appropriate age group) or the super strong shot (new last year).  The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months old gets a flu shot.  If you are reading this, you qualify.

Flu shots do NOT cause the flu.  You may feel sore or have some aches for a couple of days.  Some years I get a sore arm.  Some years I don’t.  The year I didn’t get a flu shot (because of the shortage), I was sick all winter.  I qualify for the high risk groups because I’m a “health care professional”.  People keep bringing germs into my office!

 One other reason we should all get flu shots is to keep the virus from spreading.  There are some people who can’t get shots, but are at risk.  One example is those babies under 6 months old.  So, if the rest of us have immunity, they are safer.  It’s actually called herd immunity.  Mooooo!  And it works.  That’s why we immunize kids for all the stuff we immunize them for.  The more kids that have the vaccine, the less likely we are to have outbreaks of bad diseases.   

One of my kids has asthma.  So I take home shots for everyone every year.  I chase my kids around the house.  I have had to get them down from the bunk beds.  I finally made an agreement one year with Three Speed that he would take a shot if he could give me mine.  He was nine.  He has gotten quite good at it over the years.  Does scouting have a brave Mom badge?

A really good source of information is:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

Adventures in Parenting Triplet Babies 1

The Saga of Baby Shots and Tylenol

One day when the boys were tiny, we took them to the pediatrician for shots.  My smart, experienced younger sister had told me that it was a good idea to give them Tylenol before they get shots.  She would probably want me to add that she is also elegant, beautiful and a whole bunch of other things, but I’ll stick to smart and experienced.  Love ya, G.

 I listened to her for two very good reasons.  First, she had three children of her own.  Second, and not necessarily more important, she is a registered nurse. 

So, I gave them all Tylenol before the pediatrician’s office, and off we went.  Now, here’s where I made my mistake.  I told the pediatrician what I had done.  He told me that you don’t know whether or not the babies are going to have a reaction to their shots, and shouldn’t give them anything before hand.  Soooooooo….

I let the Tylenol wear off.  This was after my husband left to go to the grocery store or someplace equally selfish.  I say this because, while he was gone, I found out that my children did, indeed, need Tylenol round the clock for about twenty four hours after shots.  It wore off at the same time for all three babies.  I had three screaming infants waiting for their new dose of Tylenol to hit. 

I was in tears, rocking them, singing to them, and promised that I would never listen to that evil pediatrician again when it came to giving them the lovely purple medicine that made them feel good. 

I learned lots of lessons that day.