3 weeks after the H1N1 vaccine and all is well

As of tomorrow it will have been 3 weeks since I received the H1N1 shot, and I'm happy to report that all is well. I haven't blogged in a while, but that had nothing to do with getting the vaccine, the only side effect I experienced was a sore right arm.

In earlier entries I'd expressed doubts about the need for the vaccine, which may have regular readers of this space wondering...'Why the change'?

Allow me to explain.

My ex-wife and I had discussed whether or not to vaccinate our two children. Given their excellent health we didn't think it was necessary and were going to take a pass. That all changed with the news of Evan Frustaglio death from the virus, the 13 year old hockey player from Mississauga.

I can't even begin to imagine the pain and anguish associated with the passing of a son or daughter, but I know that this one child's passing had a tremendous impact on parents all over the country. Because the vaccine wasn't available when Evan fell ill, his parents never had the opportunity to have him immunized. For my ex and I, we had a decision to make.

Buddy and Raspberry's Mom called our family doctor and she was told there would be a clinic at the Pickering Town Centre that Tuesday evening, October 27th . Tuesdays are one of my days to pick up the kids and give them dinner, so she called me and said the clinic would be open from 4 PM to 8 PM that evening. Our discussion didn't last long, while we agreed it was unlikely that either would get seriously ill from swine-flu, it wasn't a chance either of us was willing to take.

As far as I'm aware that was the very first date public clinics were being opened, and there was no talk yet of shortages or priority lists. Given that we would be having the kids roll up their sleeves, it only seemed fair that Mom and Dad should do likewise. We couldn't very well tell the kids that they had to endure a needle, but that Mom and Dad wouldn't be doing likewise.

Given the amount of skepticism about the need for the shot I didn't anticipate a huge response, so I asked Mom to pick us up around 6 that evening, after dinner. Boy was I wrong! When we arrived the line snaked all the way around the large food court, and had been cut off at the two hour wait point. We were directed to an overflow line, and we were told that someone would let us know whether or not the clinic would be extended.

Ultimately the clinic stayed open until 10 PM and we were told that everyone currently in line would be seen, and that's how long it took. In point of fact it was probably about 10:15 before we'd all received our shot, short and almost totally painless...even according to a 5 and 10 year old.

Of course if we'd known there were going to be shortages of the vaccine my ex and I would have taken a pass, but I'm confident we still would have had the kids vaccinated. For those still wavering on a decision I can tell you that all of us are fine, nothing to report aside from the aforementioned sore arms.

Why aren't YOU getting the H1N1 Vaccine?

Back on the 8th of October I conducted a highly unscientific poll, asking readers if they'd be getting the flu shot or not. Of the forty two people who identified themselves as being low risk, thirty one said no (74%). Even among the fifteen who said they were in a high risk group, ten out of fifteen said no (67%).

Those numbers match up pretty well with more reputable polling I've seen, and has left me wondering why.

The government and various media outlets have been conducting what I consider to be pretty much of a full court press in an effort to convince Canadians that just about everyone should be rolling up their sleeves. But unless the overwhelming majority of us are lying, most won't bother.

Why not? I think there are likely a number of reasons.

A lack of trust in government and the drug companies. For those of a conspiratorial bent you might enjoy reading what Rense.Com has to say, here's a snippet:

"What we have, first and foremost, are both out-of-control greed and scare tactics. These are directed to uninformed citizens, while the international pharmaceutical companies will make billions of dollars..."

Some are concerned that the clinical trials aren't enough to ensure the vaccine's safety. The H1N1 shot has certainly been delivered at break neck speed, and some wonder if a few weeks is enough to properly gauge the potential for adverse reactions.

Still....I suspect that there's a bigger reason at play for the vast majority who will refuse to be immunized. Call it the "OW" factor. Let's face it, there are many who just plain don't like getting a needle stuck in their arm and will avoid it at all costs.

Here's another poll, let's see those reasons:

Why aren't you getting the H1N1 shot?

Lack of trust in government and/or drug companies.

Not enough testing

Ow!!! I hate needles!!!

Other

uggs

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Debate on global warming heats up - And misses the point

The global warming debate has been raging for a while now, with many arguing over the impact man made carbon emissions are having on the planet and climate. Those in the Al Gore camp contend we humans need to drastically cut our carbon footprint or face an environmental catastrophe. Others say the science is flawed and that any changes in climate are the result of normal cycles, periods of cooling and warming that this planet has undergone for aeons.

So which is it? I for one don't really care, I just want to see a cleaner environment for my children.

Has the planet's climate changed during my lifetime? There's no doubt in my mind. Growing up in the seventies my mother never worried about covering me from head to toe in sun screen when I was outside for fifteen minutes. Sunburns were de rigeur during my childhood summers. Newscasts were about fires and murders, not the shrinking polar ice cap.

Oh we were concerned about the environment back in the day, but not globally. We had more simple worries back then. You know, things like smog polluting our air, clean water, endangered species and contaminated soil. There were plenty of tree-huggers around reminding us about what we were doing to the planet, but they had trouble holding our attention. In our consumer driven society new cars and newer toys were a lot sexier than saving whales or pandas.

That all changed when the threat of global warming took hold. Suddenly words like 'clean energy' seeped into the collective vocabulary. People started worrying about going green, recycling and composting became the norm. Almost everyone was willing to do their part to stop us from frying ourselves and destroying the planet that is our home.

Now some are suggesting that our efforts may be useless, that this big green movement has been a hoax. Efforts to cut the amount of carbon being released into the atmosphere are openly questioned, with many worrying about the effects on our economy.

And that's a shame.

Even if global warming is not man made, concern over its effects had people engaging in efforts that were reducing smog, cleaning up the water supply and eliminating contamination from our soil. I know I'd much rather live in a world with clean soil, air and water, even if there has to be a period of negative impact on our economy.

If Canada's woodland caribou had a voice in the matter I'm sure they'd be hoping for continued concern on the environmental front. I'll be writing later about the debate over allowing logging in Ontario's northern boreal forest, logging which could severely impact the 5,000 animals still living there.

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Happy 30th Birthday to Hip Hop...damn I'm getting old

Hip hop, rap, house...hard to believe its been about 30 years. BBC is heralding this as the 30th anniversary of Hip Hop because it was 30 years ago when Rappers Delight by 'The Sugar Hill Gang' topped the charts.

You know you're getting old when the music you grew up qualifies as nostalgia. Enjoy the video, and just think...many of the people dancing are now collecting Old Age Security, and some are even grandparents.

Mortgage rates creeping up, a sign of things to come...

If you've been listening to the news then you know that posted mortgage rates at some of Canada's biggest banks have edged up .35 %, you can read about it HERE AT CTV. To put it in more tangible terms that equates to about a 7% increase in carrying costs as compared to current rates.

Our fragile economic recovery hinges on the ability of consumers to take on debt, and with rates climbing that means more money going to interest payments and less circulating in the general economy. In layman's terms....this ain't good.

Where do you think housing prices will be next summer in a climate of increased taxation (hello HST) and higher mortgage payments? The U.S. economy started its slide as many American homeowners woke up to find themselves owing more on their homes than they were worth. The technical term is negative equity...more common language used by underwater property owners is "holy sheet, we're screwed".

Canada's real estate markets are just coming off a steriod induced buying frenzy the past 6 months or so, with bidding wars taking place among frantic buyers worried that they would be missing out on the buying oppourtunity of a lifetime. Not much different from people who invested in oil last year at over $100 a barrel or the tech stock geniuses of the late nineties.

Interest rates don't have to climb into double digits for our housing market to take a nose dive, even a modest climb to just 6% will have 'For Sale' signs popping up like dandelions. A mere 10% drop in equity will have a significant number of home owners owing more on their homes than the property is worth.

Higher taxes, higher debt payments, higher unemployment...it might just be time to legalize marajuana, at least that's a high that can be enjoyed.

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Taking the time to give thanks...

The harvest is in, the food stored up for the approaching cold, and so we reflect and give thanks. Thanks for the bounty we’ve enjoyed, and thanks for that which has been put aside to sustain us through the coming dark days of winter.

I’ve often thought that an essential part of the Canadian character is our propensity to complain. We complain about the weather, about our governments, about our hockey teams…especially those of us who cheer for Toronto’s blue and white.

We have so much to be thankful for, both individually and as a society. But perhaps it is our vast wealth that spoils us. Having so much we crave even more.

Those with strong family ties think little of the countless people on this planet whose families have been torn apart by famine, disease, conflict and poverty. We moan about the coming onslaught of winter, forgetting that the change of seasons gives us brilliant fall colours, the sweet smells of spring and the languid days of summer. We may not like the people who govern us, but our leaders are chosen from among us, and we have the right to replace them unlike many corners of the globe.

We have lots to be thankful for.

I’m thankful for my children, a son and a daughter who brighten my days. For a father who has always been there for me, and who always will be. For a recently passed mother, the memory of whom has sustained me through many a dark hour. I’m thankful for my sister and brother and their spouses and their children, my niece and my nephews. I’m thankful for my family, a circle that grows stronger as it expands.

I’m thankful to my special lady and to my friends. We live in a busy world, and often there isn’t as much time as we’d like to have together. But the time we do have is cherished, and for that I am grateful.

I’m thankful for this country. We have peace and we have prosperity, and where’s there’s conflict and want we have people working to see these blessings extended to all. I’m thankful to the people who stand along the 401 when fallen soldiers pass by, even though many are opposed to the conflict in which this nation is engaged, we honour their bravery, commitment and sacrifice.

I’m thankful for all that has kept me going, and all that has been stocked up for the journey ahead.

Enjoy the feast, enjoy your family and enjoy your friends. And when gathered together, if conversation turns toward some complaint or minor grievance, don’t forget to also give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

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