As some of you know and I
have mentioned it a couple times in my blog already, I am trying to study
abroad in Italy this summer. I had to go to a travel meeting at the health
center to talk about health concerns traveling abroad. We went over immunizations
and usually this would be the point in the conversation when the health
professional urges me to get as many shots as possible and I clam up saying “well
I think I’m allergic to all those but I’m not sure…” and they would push on. My
history with doctors has not been completely great in the past. It seemed I
always had to do a lot convincing and defending which seemed totally backwards
to me. But I will talk in depth in a later post about finding a good doctor.
This visit was very
different though. My nurse was very understanding and helpful. She explained in
depth what vaccines they had record of, knew that some had egg in them, and
reassured and possessed the same concerns I had. For the first time in a while
I felt like I had someone in my corner. It was so reassuring and instilled so
much confidence to know that someone took me seriously and had original
concerns of their own.
After our meeting we got
to really discussing how I would go about getting these vaccines if possible. I
explained to her how my egg allergy is not as bad as it used to be and how I
have eaten hard boiled eggs in the past but food with egg in them still give me
problems. We discussed how I could probably go through with getting the
vaccines but she wanted me to get them done with my own doctor because he knows
my background much better and I would feel more comfortable there. I was so
delighted that she did not try and push me to get them right then. (I once had
an allergist try and get me to try milk at my first meeting with him)
Then after our meeting she
ended by letting me see a list they keep at the office that showed all the
vaccines and the different allergens that are in them. She then took their
copies out and photocopied it for me. I was so touched that someone would take
that extra time to help me. It really made me feel special and that I did not
have to fight for my concerns to be heard.
So the reason why this
pertains to you all is because I went online and found that list. It is a really
great resource to print out and take to your doctor if you need to get your
shots. When I was young I had to get my MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella or
also called German Measles I wonder why…) but the only shot had eggs in it. At
the time as a wee babe I was one giant hive. Seriously if the wind picked up I
would puff up like a pool floaty. It was kind of gross. So we had to administer
the shot to me in such small doses as to not create a reaction. I had to have
the shot 15 times. 15 TIMES. You know how much is in a normal shot? Not a lot.
Then divide that by 15! Gah it was nuts.
So take a look that this,
bring it into your doctor so you don’t have to be a human pin cushion.
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